GMG Plans Advertising-Free Radio Station

The Guardian Media Group has applied for an analogue radio licence in the East Midlands on which it plans to launch an advertising-free commercial radio station targeting 45-64 year-olds.

Smooth FM, as it will be called, will focus on music, news and information and will cater for a potential 1.6 million listeners in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and the East Midlands. The station, which will be financed by sponsorship of traffic bulletins and weather forecasts, is an attempt by GMG to win back listeners from BBC Radio 2, which saw its weekly reach increase by 15.5% year on year to 12.3 million according to the latest RAJAR figures.

A spokesman for GMG said: “Smooth FM will be a commercial operation but ads will be softly integrated into the station’s content, rather than appearing in specific commercial breaks.”

The Radio Authority has received a total of 15 applications for the licence, which include: Capital Disney, a station catering for pre and young teens (see Capital Teams With Disney For Kids Radio Channel); K Radio, Emap’s alternative rock station and Liquid FM, which would braodcast dance music to 15-24 year-olds (see Liquid Backs Bid With Website).

Guardian Media Group: 020 7278 2332 www.gmgplc.co.uk

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