The station did not broadcast news bulletins; instead, an hourly jingle gave a time check in the format of: "Rock Radio.

With the exception of Mark Gregory, the main weekday presenters would later be heard on sister service Real Radio (North East).

As a result, GMG removed Smooth from these regional multiplexes and replaced it with a relay of Rock Radio, again based principally on the Manchester version.

In addition to taking the Rock Radio slots in Yorkshire, Severn Estuary and North East, Real Radio XS was also introduced in place of Jazz FM (UK) on DAB on CE London and on the MXR regional ensembles in the West Midlands and the North West - in the process giving the station DAB coverage in its FM coverage area for the first time.

Outside Scotland, however, the digital Real XS service continued to be based primarily on the Manchester FM output, as previously.

The Yorkshire broadcast was withdrawn in 2014, ahead of the MXR multiplex closing the following year, leaving only the Manchester FM service.