As reflected in the name, the station originally broadcast on 1548 kHz AM, then known as 194 metres medium wave, from a transmitter at Rainford.

In the early days of Marcher Sound, the evening programmes of the station were simulcasted to the fledgling station, so for a period in the 1980s, Radio City had in theory, four frequencies (Marcher Sound aired on 95.4 MHz and 1260 kHz).

In 1989, the Conservative government enforced new regulation to enable better choice by ceasing the simulcasting of radio stations on both AM and FM.

The City Talk format was revived when, on 9 November 2006, it was announced by Ofcom that Radio City had beaten competition from rival broadcasters to win a new FM licence for a talk station for the Liverpool area.

[6] In 2007, Emap announced the sale of its radio and publishing divisions to Bauer Media Group.

On 31 May 2020, sister station Radio City Talk ceased broadcasting as it was deemed financially unviable to continue to run due to low listening figures.

[11] On 28 October 2024, Bauer announced that after 24 years, it would vacate its St Johns Beacon premises, following a decision not to renew the lease.

[13] Networked programming originates from Bauer's London headquarters or studios in Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle.

Headlines are broadcast on the half hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.

[16] Until 2020, the station aired a twice-weekly Legends phone-in on Monday and Thursday evenings during the football season, hosted by John Aldridge and Graeme Sharp.