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106.6 Smooth Radio is an Independent Local Radio station for the East Midlands, which replaced Saga 106.6 FM at 6am on Monday 26 March 2007. The station competes with BBC Radio 2, aiming its music at listeners aged 50 and over, and is part of the national Smooth Radio network, which encompasses London, the West Midlands, North West England and Glasgow.
As well as being carried on FM in the East Midlands, the station can also be found on DAB digital radio and online. It is soon due to start broadcasting on the NOW Derbyshire DAB Multiplex.
[edit] Origins
The station came into existence 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. The decision was made to change both the Smooth FM and Saga stations to Smooth Radio. Saga 106.6 FM closed at 6pm on Friday 23 March 2007, and was followed by a preview weekend for the new Smooth Radio.
[edit] Station Format
106.6 Smooth Radio plays middle-of-the-road, adult contemporary music, aimed at listeners aged 45 and over. It bears very few similarities to its predecessor. Though many of the presenters who worked on Saga 106.6 FM now host shows on 106.6 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.
[edit] Presenters
- Gary Burton - Smooth Breakfast
- Mark Goodier - Smooth Mid-Mornings (networked)
- Eamonn Kelly - Smooth Afternoons and Into Satuday Night
- Tony Lyman - Smooth Drivetime
- Steve Merike - Into The Night
- Ian Chilvers - Smooth Nights (Monday only) and Smooth Sunday Breakfast
- Tony Blackburn - Smooth Weekend Breakfast
- Jeff Cooper - Smooth Saturday Mornings" and 70s Sunday (he is also the station's main holiday cover)
- John Peters - Smooth Saturday Afternoons, Into Sunday Night and Smooth Nights (Tuesday-Friday)
- Mark Burrows - Smooth Saturday Evenings
- Steve Orchard - Smooth Nights (weekend)
- Kev Roberts - Smooth Soul
- Dave Bussey - Smooth Sunday Morning
- Nick Barraclough - Smooth Country
- The station also has two stand in presenters, Steve Jordan and Programme Controller Tim Gough, who can be heard when a presenter is absent.
- Nick Barraclough's Smooth Country show, Mark Goodier's Mid Morning Show and Tony Blackburn's Weekend Breakfast Show are simulcast from London and can be heard on several other stations in the Smooth Network. All other output is produced locally.
[edit] Former presenters
[edit] External links
