Smooth FM Applies For Format Change

Owners of Smooth FM, Guardian Media Group, have applied to communications regulator Ofcom requesting a change in the format of the station.

The station wishes to covert from its current focus of jazz, soul, blues and R’n’B to an easy-listening station for the over-50s, with GMG promising to retain the 45 hours of specialist jazz programmes it currently broadcasts out of daytime within the planned new format.

Recently GMG bought GCap Media’s two Manchester and Gateshead Century FM stations for £60 million (see GCap Sells Radio Stations To Guardian Media Group). GCap said its motive was to achieve “greater financial flexibility” in order to focus on its national portfolio of stations and the launch of its national digital jazz station. Smooth FM may want to position itself differently with the all jazz station’s arrival (see GCap Launches UK’s First National Jazz Station On DAB).

The station was launched in 1990 as Jazz FM and was permitted a format change in 2003, reducing the daytime requirement for jazz but with more off-peak specialist jazz programming. It was re-launched 102.2 Smooth FM in last year (see Smooth FM Hits London Airwaves As Jazz Bows Out).

Q3 RAJAR results are released on Thursday. Smooth’s weekly reach in London was given a quarter on quarter boost in Q2, but remained fairly static year on year for the period. The station has experienced a rising and falling figure since it recorded a reach of 321,000 in Q4 2004.

The group’s interest in reaching the over-50s is likely to make it a potential front-runner to pick up the Saga stations, which are reported to be for sale The closing date for responses to the consultation is 18 November.

The request does not apply to GMG’s north-west England Smooth station, which has been performing well since its conversion from Jazz FM in March 2004.

GMG Radio: 0113 307 1400 www.gmgradio.co.uk