- 102.2 Smooth Radio
Radio station
name = 102.2 Smooth Radio
slogan = Love Life. Love Music.
airdate =March 26 2007
frequency = 102.2 MHz
Channel 0128 (Sky)
Channel 916 (Virgin Media)
Channel 718 (Freeview)
share = 1.3%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area =London
format = Oldies
owner =Guardian Media Group 102.2 Smooth Radio is an
Independent Local Radio station for theGreater London area, which replaced102.2 Smooth FM onMarch 26th ,2007 , launched by Gavin McCoy andBarbra Streisand 's "A Star Is Born". The station competes withBBC Radio 2 , aiming its music at listeners aged 50 and over, and is part of the nationalSmooth Radio network, which encompasses theMidlands , the North West ofEngland andGlasgow .As well as being carried on FM in London, 102.2 Smooth Radio is simulcast on several DAB mulitplexes, online and on digital television - Sky, Freeview and Virgin Media.
History
The station launched on 4 March 1990 as Jazz FM, playing mainly
soul andjazz music. It was relaunched in June 2005 as102.2 Smooth FM , playingmiddle of the road music, soul and R&B during the day and, as part of its licence requirements, focused onjazz music at night. On October 20, 2006, GMG Radio announced that it was requesting a change of format for 102.2 Smooth FM from Ofcom, moving the station away from its daytime soul and R&B remit which had, until that point, formed an integral part of the licence. GMG proposed an easy listening music service mixed with speech for the over 50's, coupled with an improved local news service. Ofcom approved the changes on December 8th, 2006, with the condition that GMG retained the 45 hours of jazz per week that constituted part of the former licence requirement. [http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.1206 Smooth requests Format change] . Published by Radio Today on October 20, 2006. Accessed October 20, 2006.] [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/smooth/request.pdf Format Change Request Form OfW 332 (Smooth FM)] . Published by Ofcom on October 20, 2006. Accessed October 20, 2006.]As a result of the format change, GMG have agreed to adhere to a minimum of 20% of its music during daytime being over 40 years old, to distance the station from its London rivals Magic and
Heart 106.2 .Paul Chantler has been appointed by GMG to be full-time programme consultant to the station from 14th January 2008 for one year. He will be working with the existing programming team to develop the sound of the station.In March 2008, GMG requested a format change to remove the 45 hour jazz commitment it has in place for 102.2 Smooth Radio. Part of the plans included a relaunch of Jazz FM from the current
jazzfm.com service currently broadcasting on DAB inGlasgow and online on a DAB multiplex in London. [cite web|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/smoothfmformat/consultation.pdf|title=102.2 Smooth Radio (London) and 100.4 Smooth Radio (North-West England) - Request to Change Station Formats|accessdate=2008-06-14|format=pdf|publisher=Ofcom] In a meeting on April 22, 2008 Ofcom denied GMG's request to drop its jazz commitments. [cite web|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/smoothfmformat/statement/|title=Smooth Radio (London and North-West) Formats Change - Request Denied|accessdate=2008-06-14|publisher=Ofcom] GMG will be relaunching Jazz FM despite the decision. [cite web|url=http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/comment.php?comment.news.3306|title=Ofcom say no to Smooth|date=2008-04-23|accessdate=2008-06-14|publisher=Radio Today]On October 6, 2008 Smooth Radio was removed from the MXR Wales and West multiplex to allow for the relaunch of Jazz FM. [cite web|url=http://www.getdabdigitalradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129|title=Jazz FM returns!|date=2008-09-25|accessdate=2008-10-06|publisher=MXR] Although initially, Real Radio was removed, Smooth Radio was removed and Real restored on the multiplex.
On Air
102.2 Smooth Radio plays middle-of-the-road,
adult contemporary music, aimed at listeners aged 50 and over.Smooth's jingle package was produced by Bespoke Music, and voiced by
Sean Bolger .Presenters
*
Graham Dene - "Smooth Breakfast"
*Mark Goodier - "Smooth Mid-Mornings" (networked)
*Lynn Parsons - "Smooth Afternoons" (Monday to Saturday)
*Martin Collins - "Smooth Drivetime" and "Smooth Sunday Mornings"
*Mike Allen - "Smooth Evenings" (Saturday to Thursday)
*Tony Myatt - "Smooth Nights"
*Tony Blackburn - "Smooth Weekend Breakfast" and Graham Dene's Holiday Cover
*Chris Tarrant - "The Chris Tarrant Show""'
*Andy Peebles - "Soul Train"
*Eamonn Kelly - "Smooth Evenings" (Friday)
*Russell Pockett - "Smooth Sunday Late Afternoon"
*Paul Coia - "Cover Presenter"
*Fiona Phillips - "Smooth Sunday Afternoons"Mark Goodier 's Mid Morning Show,Tony Blackburn 's Weekend Breakfast Show,Chris Tarrant 's Saturday morning show,Andy Peebles ' Soul Train andFiona Phillips ' Sunday Afternoon show are simulcast from 102.2 Smooth Radio and can be heard on several other stations in the Smooth Network. All other output is produced locally.References
External links
* [http://www.smoothradiolondon.co.uk/ Smooth Radio for London Website]
* [http://streaming.gmgradio.com/live/wm_london.asx Smooth Radio Online Stream] (requiresWindows Media Player [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/] )
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