Smooth Scotland

Smooth Scotland is a Scottish independent local radio station owned and operated by Global as part of the Smooth network. The station replaced Saga 105.2 FM in 2007.

Smooth Scotland
CityGlasgow
Broadcast areaWest Scotland
Frequency105.2 MHz
SloganYour Relaxing Music Mix
Programming
FormatAdult Contemporary
Ownership
OwnerGlobal
Sister stationsCapital Scotland
Heart Scotland

As well as being carried on FM in the Glasgow area, the station is also broadcast on DAB radio to the East of Scotland and online via a streaming service. It is also carried on FM in Wester Ross during non-local broadcast hours of Two Lochs Radio for which it forms a sustaining service.

Overview

GMG Radio ownership

The station came into being following GMG Radio's purchase of the Saga Radio Group in December 2006, and the granting of permission from the regulator Ofcom to change the format of its Smooth FM stations in London and the North West of England. The decision was made to change both the Smooth FM and Saga stations to Smooth Radio and Saga 105.2 FM was closed at 6pm on Friday 23 March 2007. This was then followed by a preview weekend for the new Smooth Radio giving listeners the opportunity to hear the presenters and music which would be featured on the new station.

The station operated a 24-hour schedule of local programming until August 2008 when networked output from London and Manchester was introduced, leading to the sackings of six station presenters.[1]

Following the publication of John Myers' recommendations of a regulatory overhaul in commercial radio, and the passing of the Digital Economy Act 2010, which allowed stations to co-locate or drop all local shows and broadcast on national DAB, Smooth Radio merged its five England-based stations into one quasi-national station, with local news feeds produced from GMG Radio's headquarters in Salford Quays.[2] GMG made the announcement on 29 June 2010, that it wanted to rival BBC Radio 2 by broadcasting on the Digital 1 multiplex on DAB Digital Radio to the whole of England and Wales, as well as Sky, Freesat, Freeview, Virgin Media and online. A regional flavour would be kept with split news, travel and weather bulletins broadcasting in the FM and DAB regional stations in the North East, North West, West Midlands and East Midlands. London listeners and those tuning nationally would hear national information.

Global ownership

Most of 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.[3][4]

In November 2016, Smooth Scotland and its sister station Heart Scotland moved from its former studios at Ballieston in the east end of Glasgow to Global's new Scottish headquarters at West Regent Street in the city centre.[5]

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.[6] Local news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising were retained, alongside the station's Scottish breakfast show.

Programming

Local programming is produced and broadcast from Global's Glasgow studios from 6-10am on weekdays. All networked programming originates from Global's London headquarters, including The Smooth Drive Home with Angie Greaves.[7]

News

Global's Newsroom broadcasts hourly regional news bulletins. The Glasgow newsroom also produces bulletins for Capital and Heart in Scotland. National news updates air hourly from Global's London headquarters at times.[8]

gollark: I can join now, but I've not really got much to do there.
gollark: Got any players *now*?
gollark: ™
gollark: Exactly.
gollark: <@!202992030685724675> Got 15 players yet?

References
  1. Churchill, Carolyn (9 August 2008). "Criticism for radio station that axed Scots DJs". Glasgow Herald. Newsquest Media Ltd. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  2. Plunkett, John (29 June 2010). "Smooth Radio to merge regional stations, with loss of up to 60 jobs". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  3. "Global welcomes Smooth Radio to London HQ". Radio Today. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  4. "Smooth Radio 70s to close after 21 months". Radio Today. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  5. Heart Scotland and Smooth FM move into new city centre office broadcasting live from the heart of Glasgow, Glasgow Live, 12 November 2016
  6. Smooth Radio poaches Angie Greaves for national Drive, Radio Today, 29 May 2019
  7. Smooth Radio - Scotland public file
  8. Smooth Radio - Scotland public file
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