Silk 106.9
 | |
| Broadcast area | Macclesfield and East Cheshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.9 MHz |
| First air date | May 26, 1998 |
| Format | Variety Hit Radio |
| Audience share | 1.8% (December 2009, [1]) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 53°12′22″N 2°06′03″W / 53.2061°N 2.1007°WCoordinates: 53°12′22″N 2°06′03″W / 53.2061°N 2.1007°W |
| Owner | Dee 106.3 |
Silk 106.9 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the town of Macclesfield as well as parts of Cheshire East. It is an FM station broadcasting on 106.9 MHz. Towns in the Silk region include Congleton, Knutsford, Sandbach and Wilmslow. It was part of The Local Radio Company, before being sold to Dee 106.3 in 2009, who renamed the station from its original "106.9 Silk FM".[2]
The station's first broadcast was on 26 May 1998 with guest Sammy McIlroy, then manager of the Macclesfield Town football club. It broadcasts a mix of current and classic hits and local news and sport.
Past presenters have included Nick Wright, Jeff Cooper, Guy Morris, Paul Allen and Trevor Thomas.
The station is now run completely locally 24 hours a day from its studios based on Moss Lane in the town, having dropped the Big Top 40 show in July 2010 - one of the final 'networked' shows on the station.
In November 2012 the station was granted a significant transmitter power increase, partly to combat co-channel interference from a Welsh Real Radio transmitter. The transmitter site at Sutton Common offers a line of sight across the Cheshire plain, meaning the signal can be heard into Lancashire, Shropshire and Merseyside with transmissions going as far east as Greater Manchester and Derbyshire.
Community
The station awards the title School of the Week to schools within its broadcast area.[3] Perhaps the most important awards it gives are the "Local Hero awards" which have been awarded since the stations inception.[4]
The annual Cheshire Show is one of the highlights in the Silk calendar, of which the station offers extensive coverage.[4]
Awards
In 2008, having been short-listed for the award in the previous year, Silk won Radio Station of the Year (under 300,000) at the Sony Radio Awards.[5] It is again short-listed for the 2009 award.[6]
In 2006, 2007[7] and 2008, Silk was named Radio Academy North West Station of the Year.[6]
Current Presenters
Breakfast - Ditchy (David Ditchfield)
Mid Mornings - Andy Clewes
Drivetime - Dane Swindells
Evenings - Ryan Woodman
Saturday Night Party - Ditchy
Saturday Afternoons w/ Silk Sport - Simon James
Sunday Afternoons - James Hall
Weekends : Liam Phoenix, Gavin Matthews, Dave Sherwood
References
- ↑ "Listening Figures - Quarterly Listening". RAJAR- Radio Joint Audience Research. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ↑ ""Radio Today" article: Silk FM sold to Dee 106.3". Radio Today. 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
- ↑ "Pupils raise voices – and cash". Crewe Chronicle. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Public File". Silk FM. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ↑ "Fruitful night for North West stations at Sony’s". how-do.co.uk. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Silk FM gets another award". how-do.co.uk. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
- ↑ "Nations & Regions Awards 2007". The Radio Academy. Retrieved 2008-12-29.