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Old 27-02-2014, 21:05
Rich Tea.
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Interesting post, but I'm afraid none of that addresses the question of why the Smooth Network was making a loss of £2 million per year and not even featuring in the top 20 of London radio stations.

Why did Smooth attract fewer listeners than Radio 3 and an AM station (Gold) in the capital if it was full of personality DJs? What changes should they have made to turn it around? They are the relevant questions here.

Kenny Everett is regularly mentioned on these forums and he did work with Richard Park at Capital for several years. If he was alive today he could still have been working with Park at Global.
Mention was made of a heap of advertising and promotion of Smooth Radio in connection to its new appearance. But why has this not been going on already with as much vigour? I'm not aware of any advertising selling the Smooth Radio station anywhere. Is it advertised on the side of London buses for example? If not, why not?
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Old 27-02-2014, 21:07
Rich Tea.
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I suspect it takes an awful lot of work to make tight playlists work.

And, while I think Wave 105 is a great station, and is successful at what it does, it's the only station I listen to that will occasionally throw on a really terrible track.

While Global's playlists may be tight, they are almost 100% spot on.
Can you define what a really terrible track actually is?

That's rather subjective surely.

So Smooth Radio is trying to be the worlds first radio station to actually play music where every single listener likes every single track is it? I admire the ambition but there's more chance of me waking up in the morning and finding it is a hot summers day in 1976 again with Elton & Kiki at No1.
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Old 27-02-2014, 21:25
Amara
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While Global's playlists may be tight, they are almost 100% spot on.
To who? Certainly not me hearing certain songs over & over becomes a turn off. There are many songs that I used to really like but hearing them so many times has made me totally sick of them.

Eg, Dancing Queen, Hi Ho Silver Lining, Build Me Up Buttercup, Mr Blue Sky, Waterloo, December 63, Sweet Caroline,

Above are from Gold I can't quote Smooth as I no longer listen.
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Old 27-02-2014, 21:40
Jimmy Connors
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It's all very well some posters continually saying 'this is what the listeners want', but what about the loyal listeners to the old Smooth Radio?

I used to be one. (Old) Smooth was always on in my house and car. Now they have alienated me (nearly) What do I listen to in the car with a bog standard (non DAB) radio? (At home is not a problem)

Also at work. (Old) Smooth used to be on all day. Now the radio changes channels most days as there is too much repetitiveness, and the incessant adverts!! Do listeners really want all these ads? Did the 'market research' tell Global to play all these bloody adverts? How do other commercial stations seem to manage their ads so they do not take over?

This 're-launch' will be my last gasp with Smooth. I hope it works.
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Old 27-02-2014, 21:45
Amara
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It's all very well some posters continually saying 'this is what the listeners want', but what about the loyal listeners to the old Smooth Radio?

I used to be one. (Old) Smooth was always on in my house and car. Now they have alienated me (nearly) What do I listen to in the car with a bog standard (non DAB) radio? (At home is not a problem)

Also at work. (Old) Smooth used to be on all day. Now the radio changes channels most days as there is too much repetitiveness, and the incessant adverts!! Do listeners really want all these ads? Did the 'market research' tell Global to play all these bloody adverts? How do other commercial stations seem to manage their ads so they do not take over?

This 're-launch' will be my last gasp with Smooth. I hope it works.
I wouldn't hold your breath, They don't care about us (Old) Smooth listeners the Global posters on here have made that quite clear.
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Old 27-02-2014, 21:51
Jimmy Connors
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I wouldn't hold your breath, They don't care about us (Old) Smooth listeners the Global posters on here have made that quite clear.
I get that feeling too Amara. We have been cast aside like an old pair of boots.
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Old 27-02-2014, 22:03
PhilH
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I meant they're always on brand. They belong on the station, are appropriate to the audience and are big songs. You might not like very single song, but you don't get the unevenness that Wave 105 sometimes suffers from.
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Old 27-02-2014, 22:13
Rich Tea.
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I meant they're always on brand. They belong on the station, are appropriate to the audience and are big songs. You might not like very single song, but you don't get the unevenness that Wave 105 sometimes suffers from.
But it's wave, aren't they supposed to be uneven? Sorry couldn't resist it.

What constitutes an uneven playlist then? Give us an example in a list of tracks to illustrate your point. Once again I find it very subjective.
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Old 27-02-2014, 22:14
Rich Tea.
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I get that feeling too Amara. We have been cast aside like an old pair of boots.
Make that a pair and a half JC.
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Old 27-02-2014, 22:35
Jimmy Connors
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Make that a pair and a half JC.
Consider it done RT.

They could have easily got around this by leaving Smooth 70s alone. I would have been as happy as pig in you know what .... but that's gone too.
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Old 27-02-2014, 23:56
Rich Tea.
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Consider it done RT.

They could have easily got around this by leaving Smooth 70s alone. I would have been as happy as pig in you know what .... but that's gone too.
It's just not tennis is it......oh hang on, it kind of will be when Castle gets on air.


I began listening to Smooth when I noticed Andy Peebles on the evening show, a time I found convenient to listen most, and discovered a likeable show with him. With what appears to be the new set up there is absolutely nobody whose name would draw me in to listen to "their" show.
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Old 28-02-2014, 03:47
Jimmy Connors
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It's just not tennis is it......oh hang on, it kind of will be when Castle gets on air.


I began listening to Smooth when I noticed Andy Peebles on the evening show, a time I found convenient to listen most, and discovered a likeable show with him. With what appears to be the new set up there is absolutely nobody whose name would draw me in to listen to "their" show.
The Andy Peebles show was a great listen.

I am terrible with dates, but can remember listening to Russell Pockett on drive-time (must have been around 2004/5) It may have been called Jazz FM back then. I have been a loyal listener until late last year - especially Smooth 70s.

Loyalty means nothing.
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Old 28-02-2014, 06:28
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I wouldn't hold your breath, They don't care about us (Old) Smooth listeners the Global posters on here have made that quite clear.
They're not running a charity for old listeners! Don't Age UK have a DAB radio station? It'scalled 'The Wireless' I think, David Hamilton and Graham Dene are on it.
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Old 28-02-2014, 06:29
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According to his Twitter, Carlos is on the evening show for another couple of weeks before Chris Skinner takes over.

He must be moving to present one of the regional shows in Manchester or Birmingham, as others have predicted.
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Old 28-02-2014, 07:17
Jimmy Connors
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They're not running a charity for old listeners! Don't Age UK have a DAB radio station? It'scalled 'The Wireless' I think, David Hamilton and Graham Dene are on it.
Unfortunately I can't get that in the car.
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Old 28-02-2014, 07:45
hanssolo
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Unfortunately I can't get that in the car.
The Wireless is DAB London, but outside the London area you could use a phone with a radio app like UK radioplayer or Tunein and an unlimited 3g contract to link the audio into the car stereo?

The Wireless used to take Smooth news but now has another news supplier!
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Old 28-02-2014, 08:01
mfr
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Mention was made of a heap of advertising and promotion of Smooth Radio in connection to its new appearance. But why has this not been going on already with as much vigour? I'm not aware of any advertising selling the Smooth Radio station anywhere. Is it advertised on the side of London buses for example? If not, why not?

Presumably because the change isn't complete. They have new presenters on their way and, outside London, new local shows.
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Old 28-02-2014, 08:11
Jimmy Connors
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The Wireless is DAB London, but outside the London area you could use a phone with a radio app like UK radioplayer or Tunein and an unlimited 3g contract to link the audio into the car stereo?

The Wireless used to take Smooth news but now has another news supplier!
Thank you hanssolo.
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Old 28-02-2014, 08:15
AL89
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Could Simon Bates be taking Andrew Castles weekend breakfast on LBC?
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Old 28-02-2014, 08:38
PhilH
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What constitutes an uneven playlist then? Give us an example in a list of tracks to illustrate your point. Once again I find it very subjective.
Yes, maybe it is subjective, but here's an example: they've playlisted the new Mike Oldfield single. I heard them play it the other day and it's alright, but I doubt it'll be a hit and I can't think of many other stations that would play it.

Now you may think that's a good thing, but I thought it stuck out like a sore thumb.
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Old 28-02-2014, 14:51
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Unfortunately I can't get that in the car.
Well, Amara, who I was responding to, doesn't live in an area where Smooth is on FM anyway.
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Old 28-02-2014, 15:20
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According to his Twitter, Carlos is on the evening show for another couple of weeks before Chris Skinner takes over.

He must be moving to present one of the regional shows in Manchester or Birmingham, as others have predicted.
There are quite a few weekend changes starting tomorrow but according to their website the only change on Monday is Kate Garraway at 10am
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Old 28-02-2014, 16:05
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Smooth takes over the Gold AM frequencies from March 24th 2014 - just three weeks on Monday
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Old 28-02-2014, 16:50
Ridgieman
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If Chris Skinner is not starting his weekday show until 24th March i wonder if he will be on with his new Saturday programme tomorrow night?
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Old 28-02-2014, 18:14
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If Chris Skinner is not starting his weekday show until 24th March i wonder if he will be on with his new Saturday programme tomorrow night?
Yes it's on the schedule for tomorrow night.
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