Saga 106.6 FM

Radio station


name = SAGA 106.6fm (defunct)
airdate = February 11 2003
frequency = 101.4 MHz, 106.6 MHz
DAB: 12C (NOW Nottingham)
area = East Midlands
format = Oldies
owner = GMG Radio

Saga 106.6FM was an independent radio station for the East Midlands, broadcasting to Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. Part of the Saga Radio Group, the regional station was broadcast from the Riverside Business Park in Nottingham, close to the old Central/Carlton television studios on Lenton Lane. It was a quality service aimed at an audience aged fifty plus, and played familiar, melodic music covering most genres "from the last six decades and today".

Presenters

The array of presenters on the station included many who made their names on the region's commercial stations. These included John Peters, who launched Radio Trent (the East Midlands' first commercial radio station in 1975), Amanda Bowman, Tony Lyman, Tim Gough, Steve Merike, David Lloyd, Paul Robey, Jeff Cooper, Andy Marriott, Ian Chilvers, Mark Burrows, Ron Coles, Steve Orchard, Tim Rogers, Ashley Franklin, Peter Quinn, Sheila Tracey, 'Diddy' David Hamilton, Mike Wyer and Erica Hughes. Paul Robey was also Saga's Group Programme Director.

Programming

Programming was a quality service aimed at an audience over the age of 50, with familiar, melodic music covering most genres from the 1940s up to the present day. There were also special interest shows on genres such as Country and Western, Jazz, Big Band music and Rock and Roll. These included:

* Swing Time with Sheila Tracy - featuring big band and dance band music;
* The Collection - hits from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s;
* 50s/60s Saturday - Saturday morning programme playing music from the 1950s and 1960s;
* 60s/70s Sunday - Sunday afternoon show featuring music from the 1960s and 1970s;
* Saga Country - the very best in country and western music;
* Saga Silver Screen - music from the movies;
* Soul Train - Soul and Motown hits.
* Smooth Jazz - jazz music
* Pure Nostalgia - music from the 1930s through to the early 1950s;
* David Hamilton's Million Sellers - the songs that sold a million;
* Jukebox Giants - music from the Rock'n'Roll era.

Broadcasting

The main 106.6FM signal came from the Waltham transmitter (near Melton Mowbray), while the 101.4FM signal came from the Drum Hill transmitter near Little Eaton in Derbyshire. The station was also available on DAB on the NOW Nottingham ensemble and online.

Rebranding

Following the purchase of the Saga Radio Group stations by GMG Radio in December 2006, it was announced that Saga 106.6 would be rebranded as 106.6 Smooth Radio from March 2007. This was in line with other Saga radio stations which would also be renamed.cite web|url=http://www.saga.co.uk/1066fm/article/article_3162.asp|title=SAGA 106.6fm TO BE RE-NAMED AS SMOOTH RADIO|accessdate=2007-02-08] The station closed shortly after 6pm on Friday 23 March 2007, following which there was a preview weekend for the relaunch.

Smooth Radio began broadcasting on Monday 26 March 2007 at 6am. Many of the presenters from Saga, including John Peters, Amanda Bowman and Tony Lyman, went on to host shows for Smooth.

See also

* Saga 105.2 FM
* Saga 105.7 FM
* Heart 106 FM

References

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKNotts.htm History of local radio in Nottinghamshire]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/drum-hill.asp Drum Hill transmitter]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/waltham/index.asp Waltham transmitter]
* [http://www.steveengland.com/ids.html Steve England's website with Saga 106.6 FM jingles]