105.7 Smooth Radio

Radio station
name = 105.7 Smooth Radio
slogan = Love Life. Love Music.
airdate = March 26 2007
frequency = 105.7 MHz
share = 7.4%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
format = Oldies
owner = Guardian Media Group

105.7 Smooth Radio is an Independent Local Radio station for the West Midlands of the United Kingdom, and replaced Saga 105.7 FM at 6am on Monday 26 March 2007. The station competes with BBC Radio 2, aiming its music at listeners aged 35 and over, and is part of the national Smooth Radio network, which encompasses London, the East Midlands, the North West of England and Glasgow.

As well as being carried on FM in the West Midlands, the station is also broadcast on DAB digital radio and online.

Origins

The station came into being following GMG Radio's purchase of the Saga Radio Group in December 2006, and the granting of permission from the regulator Ofcom to change the format of its Smooth FM stations in London and the North West. The decision was made to change both the Smooth FM and Saga stations to Smooth Radio and Saga 105.7 FM was closed at 6pm on Friday 23 March 2007. This was then followed by a preview weekend for the new Smooth Radio giving listeners the chance to hear the presenters and music which would be on the new station.

Station Format

105.7 Smooth Radio plays middle-of-the-road, adult contemporary music, aimed at listeners aged 35 and over. It bears very few similarities to its predecessor. Though many of the presenters who worked on Saga 105.7 FM now host shows on 105.7 Smooth Radio, very few of the specialist shows from the Saga days have survived, and Smooth's initial slogan "Your life. Your music.", which was used on Saga stations, has now been modified.

Presenters

*Nick Piercey - "Smooth Breakfast"
*Mark Goodier - "Smooth Mid-Mornings" (networked)
*Carlos - "Smooth Afternoons"
*Nigel Williams - "Smooth Drivetime"
*Steve Wells - "Smooth Evenings" (networked)
*Steve Phillips - "Smooth Nights" (networked)
*Tony Blackburn - "Smooth Weekend Breakfast Breakfast"(networked)
*Chris Tarrant - "The Chris Tarrant Show"
*Mike Ashley - "Smooth Saturday Afternoons"
*"'Andy Peebles - "Andy Peebles' Soul Train" (networked)
*Glen Morris - "Smooth Weekend Nights" (networked)
*Mike Wyer - "Your Songs"
*Fiona Phillips - "Smooth Sunday Afternoons"
*Dave Hickman - "Smooth Sunday Evening"
*Ted Elliott - Cover

Other

* Mark Goodier's Mid Morning Show, Tony Blackburn's Weekend Breakfast Show, The Chris Tarrant Show, Andy Peebles' Soul Train and Fiona Phillips' Sunday Afternoon show are simulcast from London and can be heard on several other stations in the Smooth Network. Evening and overnight shows are also simulcast with some other Smooth stations. All other output is produced locally.

External links

* [http://www.smoothradiowest.com/ SmoothRadioWest.com]
* [http://gmga.planetwideradio.com/SmoothWest Smooth Radio Online Stream] (requires Windows Media Player [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/] )