GWR FM was a network of three radio stations in the south west of England broadcasting to Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and surrounding areas. All three stations were rebranded and joined the Heart Network on 23 March 2009.[1][2]
| Broadcast area | Bristol, Bath, and Wiltshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency |
|
| Programming | |
| Format | Hot Adult Contemporary |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | GWR FM Group. Then GCap Media. |
The stations in the network were:
- GWR FM Bristol which was launched in 1981 as Radio West. It relaunched as GWR in 1985
- GWR FM Bath - first broadcast as GWR Radio Bath in 1987, becoming the third station in the network and sharing some programming with the Bristol station
- GWR FM Wiltshire which launched in 1982 as Wiltshire Radio. In 1985, Wiltshire Radio relaunched as GWR, to coincide with the re-launch of the Bristol station
History
editThe GWR Radio brand started life in 1985 when Swindon-based Wiltshire Radio joined with Bristol's Radio West.[3]
The Mix Network
editIn 1992 a re-launch of the station saw The New GWR-FM become the hub of what was The Mix Network, a network of radio stations owned by the GWR Group (later GCap Media ) covering southern England and Wales. The radio station created a tightly formatted sound where popular Top 40 chart hits were blended with older hits. This led to its "Better Music Mix" format which was then utilised on other radio stations within the GWR Group, including Essex FM, Trent FM and Beacon Radio, creating a mini national network.
Each station within the Mix Network played a centrally produced playlist. Songs were broadcast almost at the same time as neighbouring group stations and each station adopted the "Better Music Mix" tagline which was announced by local presenters in between the music. Following the introduction of the Mix Network some programming, such as Late Night Love and The Request Fest, was syndicated across the whole network from the GWR Bristol studios.
Notable Presenters
edit- Scott Mills
- Peter Rowell
- Ralph Bernard
- Dave Barrett[4]
- Keith Francis
- Sandy Martin[5]
- Charlie Wolf
- Graham Torrington
- Johnnie Walker
References
edit- ^ AUTHOR: Andrew Rogers. "RW + WR = GWR". Transdiffusion. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ Donovan, Paul. The Radio Companion. ISBN 978-0-586-09012-1.
- ^ "GWR: a brief history". the Guardian. 2004-09-29. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "Tributes pour in for popular former GWR presenter Dave Barrett". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
- ^ "BBC Wiltshire presenter Sandy Martin dies". BBC News. 2011-03-18. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
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