Another Sound Idea From the Studios of Century FM

By Kate Bowman

THE group behind the NorthEast’s biggest radio station, Century FM, is to launch a station targeted at the 40+ listeners.Guardian Media Group (GMG) Radio, which also operates Rock Radio and Real Radio, will launch Smooth Radio in the region, at 8am, on January 8.The station will broadcast on 97.5FM from new studios in Gateshead, and will reach two million adults across the North- East.It will become the sixth Smooth Radio in the UK, alongside sister stations in London, the North-West, Glasgow, and the Midlands.John Myers, chief executive of GMG Radio, said: “There isn’t a radio station in the North-East that reaches the 40+ listener – people who don’t want to listen to frantic, screaming calls and chart music all day.”Smooth will play music spanning four or five decades and have local news and information.”It is aimed at those who want a wider mix of music and a softer style, which we are confident will bring new listeners to commercial radio and take audience away from the BBC.”Many of Smooth Radio’s new staff, including DJs and producers, are from the North-East.Photographer Brian Clough, who recently left The Northern Echo after 31 years, will host a country show.Mr Myers – known to many across the region as former Century breakfast host John Morgan – had been group managing director of Border Radio Holding plc.He helped the group become a [pounds]151m business, which was bought by Capital Radio Group in May 2001.He joined GMG in 1999 and built its radio division from scratch. The business has grown through both licence wins and acquisitions. In March, he oversaw the launch of the Smooth Radio brand. Today, its stations clock up almost 50 million hours of listening each week and GMG is on target to become the UK’s third most listened to group in the near future.

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