105.4 Century Radio

Infobox Radio station


name=105.4 Century Radio
airdate= 8 September 1998
frequency=105.4 MHz
share = 7.1%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area= North West England
format = Adult Contemporary
owner = GMG Radio
website = [http://www.centuryradionorthwest.com/ www.centuryradionorthwest.com]

105.4 Century Radio is an independent local radio station controlled by the GMG Radio as part of its Century Network. It has a regional license to broadcast to North West England.

John Myers and Century

The station's launch was the subject of an episode of a BBC Two fly-on-the-wall documentary "Trouble at the Top," mainly following Myers. The episode, entitled "Degsy Rides Again", showed Myers' attempts to train lunchtime phone-in host Derek Hatton, a controversial local ex-politician who had never before presented on radio. Myers was not confident enough in Hatton for him to appear on pre-launch publicity, although his show "The Degsy Debate" performed well at the first RAJAR. Also amongst it's launch presenters was controversial shock jock Scottie McClue. ["Degsy Rides Again", "Trouble at the Top", BBC Two, March 1999]

The documentary also covered the station's acquisition of exclusive commentary rights for Manchester United F.C.'s games. They remained United's official radio partner for almost a decade until losing the rights to Xfm Manchester for the 2007-08 season.

The station was the second Century branded station to launch, the first being Gateshead-based 100-102 Century Radio. Owned by Border Television, the station was set up by managing director John Myers, who had also established the north east station. Like the first station, Myers also presented the breakfast show under the pseudonym Morgan.

Myers left the group to head GMG Radio, overseeing the launch of the similar Real Radio brand. Capital Radio bought the Century network, and was subsequently acquired by GCap Media. GMG Radio acquired the Century stations in October 2006, reuniting Myers and John Simons (programme director on the original Gateshead station) with the brand.cite web|title=Fellowship for John Simons|work=Radio Today|url=http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.1434.2|date=2006-12-18|accessdate=2007-01-06]

Present

The station operates from studios in Laser House, an office-building in Salford's Waterside Quay, across the Manchester Ship Canal from Manchester United's stadium and a short distance from fellow GMG regional station 100.4 Smooth Radio. The building is currently shared with Xfm Manchester. Former Real Radio and Century Radio breakfast presenter Sarah Carter(née Graham) is the programme controller

The station's factual production team, headed by head of News James Rea.105.4 Century Radio also produces two networked shows, "High School Days" and "Disco Divas" with Jo Lloyd that is broadcast to Real Radio and 100-102 Century Radio.

News and sport

Century Radio is the home of the biggest of three GMG radio news "hubs". The head of news is Christian Spooner, and the group head of news based at Laser House is James Rea. He heads up 17 journalists. Bulletins are broadcast on the hour between 10am and 4pm. And on the half hour between 6am and 10am and 4pm and 6pm. Extended bulletins are broadcast at 1pm and 5pm. At night all stations in Northern England within the group( including Century) "opt in" on the hour. Century Radio's news is shared with Real Radio(Wales/Yorkshire), Smooth Radio(North West/North East) and 100-102 Century Radio. Sport is broadcast during the extended news bulletins and at 4.30pm and 5.30pm during weekdays.Century recently won three awards in the 2008 IRN Awards. Including for Best Scoop, in which they managed to obtain an interview from a witness who saw Rhys Jones get shot dead.

References

External links

* [http://www.centuryradionorthwest.co.uk/ Official website]
* [http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/archive/1998/02/10/BUSI2-2VQ.html Radio station jobs] 1998 report of the announcement of the launch of Century 105.4