Galaxy Manchester

Infobox Radio station
name=Galaxy


airdate= October 16 1994
frequency=102.0 MHz
share = 6.5%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area= Manchester
format = Dance
owner = Global Radio UK
website = [http://www.galaxymanchester.co.uk www.galaxymanchester.co.uk]

Galaxy is a local radio station owned by the Global Radio UK as part of its Galaxy Network specialising in dance music and R'n'B. It is based in Manchester, and broadcasts from studios in the Triangle shopping centre, formerly the Corn Exchange. Networked programming is carried after 7pm on this and Global Radio's other Galaxy stations in Birmingham, Yorkshire and Newcastle upon Tyne. The transmitter is on top of the City Tower (the former [http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/ic3/88.html Sunley Building] ) in Piccadilly in Manchester, the same place as Xfm's transmitter. Galaxy bought the station from Faze FM which broadcast in the city as Kiss 102

History

Infobox Radio station
name=Kiss 102


airdate= October 16 1994
frequency=102 MHz
area= Manchester
format = Dance
owner = Faze FM

Kiss 102 was a UK radio station launched 16 October, 1994 to provide Dance music to the Greater Manchester area. The licence win was spearheaded by Eugene Perera's Level Broadcast, aided by Mike Powell's Infinity Radio consultancy, and included shareholders UKRD, Eastern Counties Newspaper Group and 3i.

The station won awards for its coverage of social issues and is acknowledged by writers like Dave Haslam and commentators such as Anthony Wilson as helping to prolong and grow the dance music scene at a crucial period in the evolution of that music in Manchester. The ground-breaking format was the brainchild of two highly-experienced UK radio programmers Mike Gray and Guy Hornsby who first worked together at the original BBC Radio London where they produced the station's leading DJ presenters Robbie Vincent and Tony Blackburn. Unusually for a small UK radio station aimed at the youth market, it had a dedicated news service (at one point providing a news-reading service to its sister station in London Kiss 100), a nightly entertainment magazine sponsored by The Guardian, and was noted by Independent Radio News for its coverage of the 1996 Provisional Irish Republican Army bombing of the city and also for its policy of linking sport and music for example with the Manchester United Red Cafe and the Manchester Giants. It is noteworthy for a proud policy of social integration, led by the influence of the club scene which brought about sponsorship of such events as the Manchester Mardi Gras during its years of largest expansion. In common with other specialist music stations it handed over many hours of output to club DJs, artists and music producers who had little or no experience of radio presentation leading to ground-breaking if at times anarchic entertainment from groups like 808 State, Fat City Records and Autechre. Despite staying true to its roots and playing 'thumping dance music' at breakfast time, a move perceived of in the radio industry at the time as unlikely to be popular, the station achieved a 10% share of the total available audience, and its yellow oblong car stickers could be seen proudly displayed by an enthusiastic audience across the entire region.

The station became a victim of its own success when months after opening a second station, the Yorkshire regional Kiss 105, the station's board accepted a £17.6 million takeover bid from the Chrysalis Group for a company that had cost just £600k to set up three years earlier.

DJ/Presenters

*Rob Ellis
*Stand Up Alex (Alex Boardman)
*Rachel Text on legs
*Wingman
*Sally Hudson
*Ant Payne
*Andi Durrant
*Riley & Durrant

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Present

The station's former breakfast presenter Simon Nicks, referred to on-air as "Nicksy", left his position in September 2005 and now presents an overnight show on rival station Key 103.He was replaced by former BBC Radio 1 Top 40 chart show presenter Wes Butters in November 2005.In June 2006 Wes moved to the station's afternoon slot and was succeeded on breakfast by Rob Ellis. "The Rob Ellis Show" recently gained Galaxy Manchester's highest ever breakfast show ratings.

The only locally presented shows during the week are now "The Rob Ellis Show", and drivetime hosted by former Galaxy North East presenter Sally Hudson.

Chrysalis Radio Sold

On the 25 June 2007 it was announced that Galaxy along with its sister stations The Arrow, Sky News Radio, LBC and Heart were to be sold for £170 million to Global Radio UK from Chrysalis Radio. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/06/25/bcnchrys125.xml Chrysalis sells three radio stations] ]

Galaxy Radio Stations

* Galaxy Radio
* Galaxy Digital
* Galaxy Birmingham
* Galaxy North East
* Galaxy Scotland
* Galaxy Yorkshire

References

External links

* [http://www.galaxymanchester.co.uk Galaxy Manchester website]
* [http://www.galaxyfm.co.uk Galaxy group website]
* [http://www.northwestradio.info/memories/kiss102.htm North West Radio]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sunley-building.asp City Tower transmitter]
* [http://www.wesbutters.com Wes@Breakfast]