Southern FM is to lose its managing director as part of a shake-up.

The move will see the radio station work more closely with its London-based parent company Capital Radio.

Southern FM, based in Portslade, will shed at least two jobs in its advertising sales team as Capital takes more control of the station.

Bob Hoad, 51, who has been managing director of Southern FM for the past ten years, is to become community relations director with the aim of forging greater links with the local community.

Andrea Vidley, managing director of Capital, is to take overall responsibility for the radio station.

Some of the station's programming will be run by a regional team, which will also have a say in how the sister stations throughout the South are run.

The changes are due to be introduced after the free Party in the Park pop concert in Preston Park, Brighton, on Sunday, June 23.

Capital says the moves will enable more top stars and DJs to be heard on Southern FM while retaining the local flavour of the station.

Latest listening figures show four in ten radio listeners in Sussex tune into the station and it has a regular 375,000 listeners in Sussex.

Elly Smith, head of Press relations for Capital, said: "We are having this restructuring so we can meet the challenges and attract more advertising.

"The listeners will not notice any changes. We will have the same local news, the same DJs and the same kind of music. Southern FM will remain a local station run from Sussex for the people of Sussex."

Mr Hoad said he was looking forward to his new role, saying: "We are having a restructuring to make us more efficient. I will still be based in Portslade.

"We will not be losing any of our popular shows like Danny and Nicky in the Morning or Terry Garoghan.

"It is a change so we can meet the ever-expanding demand for local commercial radio."