Smooth North East

Radio station in Nunthorpe

Smooth North East

* Nunthorpe

Broadcast area| North East England and North Yorkshire
Frequency|

* DAB: 11B Bauer Teesside
* DAB: 11C Bauer Tyne and Wear
* FM: 97.5 MHz Tyne and Wear
* FM: 107.7 MHz Nunthorpe
* FM: 107.5 MHz Fenham
* FM: 101.2 MHz Hexham

Branding| Always The Best Music for the North East
Programming
Format| Soft Adult Contemporary
Network| Smooth Radio network
Ownership
Owner| Communicorp
Operator| Global

Sister stations

* Capital North East
* Heart North East

History

First air date

| 8 January 2008 (2008-01-08)
Links
Webcast| Global Player
Website| www.smoothradio.com/northeast/

Smooth North East is a regional radio station owned by Communicorp and operated by Global as part of the Smooth network. It broadcasts to North East England from studios in Newcastle upon Tyne.

## Overview

[edit]

### GMG Radio ownership

[edit]

The licence for the station was originally awarded to the Saga Radio Group.[1] However, GMG Radio inherited it following its purchase of Saga in December 2006.[2] GMG had been granted permission by the regulator, Ofcom, to change the format of its Smooth FM stations in London and Manchester, and took the decision to change both the Smooth FM and Saga Stations to a new brand, Smooth Radio.[3]

Test transmissions for Smooth Radio North East began on 22 November 2007,[4] and an advertising campaign was launched in the region from Boxing Day. This included television commercials featuring images of some of the music industry's most notable artists, such as Buddy Holly, Diana Ross and Rod Stewart. The station launched at 8am on 8 January 2008. The music format of the station was middle of the road, adult contemporary music, aimed at an audience aged 45 and over.[citation needed]

Local programming originated from studios at Team Valley, Gateshead. Networked programming was syndicated from sister station Smooth North West at Salford Quays, Manchester.[citation needed]

In 2010 GMG Radio announced that it would be merging its five Smooth stations in England to create a nationwide Smooth Radio service based in Manchester. The new station was launched on 4 October 2010 and could be heard both on DAB and on the locally on the FM frequencies.[citation needed]

### Global Radio franchisee under Communicorp ownership

[edit]

Further information: Smooth Radio (2014)

Smooth Radio's output was relocated to new owner Global's Leicester Square headquarters from 1 October 2013, a move that coincided with a major overhaul of its schedule, and the closure of Smooth 70s after 21 months on air.[5][6]

Global reached an agreement to sell Smooth North East and seven others to Communicorp, as part of a plan to allay competition fears following Global's purchase of GMG Radio.[7]

On 4 February 2014, the Radio Today website reported that Ofcom had given Global permission to remove Smooth from the Digital One platform, and to replace it with a service playing music from the 1970s, 80s and 90s.[8] Under this agreement, Smooth would continue to broadcast on its regional frequencies, but would be required to provide seven hours of local output per day.[8]

The local studios are shared with Global-owned stations Capital North East and Heart North East. In May 2015, all three stations moved to new studios at Wellbar Central in Newcastle city centre.[9]

In September 2019, following OFCOM's decision to relax local content obligations from commercial radio, Smooth's local Drivetime and weekend shows were replaced by network programming from London.[10] Local news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising were retained, alongside the station's North East breakfast show.

## Programming

[edit]

Local programming is produced and broadcast from Global's Newcastle studios from 6-10am on weekdays. All networked programming originates from Global's London headquarters, including The Smooth Drive Home with Angie Greaves.[11]

### News

[edit]

Global's Newsroom broadcasts regional news bulletins from 6am-7pm on weekdays and 6am-12pm at weekends. The bulletins are produced for Communicorp by Global's Newcastle newsroom, which also produces bulletins for Capital and Heart in the North East.[11]

National news updates air hourly from Global's London headquarters at all other times.

## Former notable presenters

[edit]

* Emma B
* Simon Bates
* Tony Blackburn
* Carlos
* Daryl Denham
* Mark Goodier
* David Jensen
* Donny Osmond
* Lynn Parsons
* Andy Peebles

* Andi Peters
* Fiona Phillips
* David Prever
* Pat Sharp
* Chris Tarrant
* Kate Thornton
* Graham Torrington
* Clive Warren
* Pete Waterman

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Day, Julia (13 April 2006). "Saga wins north-east radio licence". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
2. ^ "Guardian Media Group acquires Saga Radio". The Guardian. 18 December 2006. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
3. ^ "SAGA 106.6fm TO BE RE-NAMED AS SMOOTH RADIO". Retrieved 8 February 2007.
4. ^ Smooth Radio starts testing (Radio Today, 18 December 2007)
5. ^ "Global welcomes Smooth Radio to London HQ". Radio Today. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
6. ^ "Smooth Radio 70s to close after 21 months". Radio Today. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
7. ^ Sandle, Paul (6 February 2014). "Denis O'Brien buys eight UK radio stations from Global Radio". Reuters. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
8. ^ a b "Smooth Radio to be removed from Digital 1". Radio Today. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
9. ^ Global moves to new studios in the North East, Radio Today, 22 May 2015
10. ^ Smooth Radio poaches Angie Greaves for national Drive, Radio Today, 29 May 2019
11. ^ a b Smooth Radio - North East public file

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Smooth North East on Twitter

* v
* t
* e

Smooth Radio

National stations|

* Smooth Chill
* Smooth Country
* Smooth Relax

Regional stations|

* East Midlands
* Lake District
* London
* North East
* North West
* Scotland
* Wales
* West Midlands

Related topics|

* Timeline of Smooth Radio
* Simon Bates at Breakfast
* The Golden Hour
* Our Tune
* Jonny Gould
* Smooth 70s
* Jazz FM
* 102.2 Jazz FM
* 100.4 Jazz FM
* 102.2 Smooth FM
* Jazzfm.com
* Smooth Radio (2010)
* Smooth presenter history
* Wrexham and Chester Gold
* List of Global Group stations

* v
* t
* e

Radio stations in North East England

Major stations|

* BBC Radio Newcastle
* BBC Radio Tees
* Capital North East
* Frisk Radio
* Greatest Hits Radio North East
* Greatest Hits Radio Teesside
* Heart North East
* Hits Radio North East
* Greatest Hits Radio Scottish Borders and North Northumberland
* Smooth North East
* Nation Radio North East
* Hits Radio Teesside

Community radio|

* Nova Radio North East
* Radio Hartlepool
* Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
* Radio Teesdale
* Spark Sunderland
* Spice FM
* Darlo Fans Radio
* Zetland FM

Student radio|

* Click Teesside
* Newcastle Student Radio
* Purple Radio

Pirate radio|

* Radio 270

Defunct stations|

* Alpha Radio
* Durham FM
* Great North Radio
* Minster Northallerton

See also
List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
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