Century 106
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| Broadcast area | East Midlands |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Playing music you love |
| Frequency | RDS: Gem 106, 106.0 MHz (FM) NOW Nottingham (Nottingham), Block 12C, 128kbit/s (DAB) NOW Leicester (Leicester), Block 11B, 128kbit/s(DAB NOW Derbyshire (in Derbyshire from 2008) |
| First air date | 23 September 1997 |
| Format | Hot AC |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| Website | planetradio |
Gem 106 is an English regional radio station broadcasting to the East Midlands, owned and operated by Bauer Radio. The station is transmitted from the Copt Oak transmitter close to the M1 north of Leicester in the National Forest.
Radio 106 launched at 6am on Tuesday 23 September 1997. Billed as Radio for Grown Ups, the new regional station was led by ex-Radio Trent managing director Ron Coles with former Centre Radio MD Ken Warburton as programming controller. The first presenter on air was Dickie Dodd.
Radio 106's launch schedule included a heavy emphasis on speech content, including daily guests on mid-morning shows and a nightly 3-hour phone-in. Specialist music output featured country, soul and motown at weekends. The station's launch team included Kevin Fernihough, Mark Keen, Willie Morgan, Kenny Hague, Jake Yapp, Peter King and Sarah Graham.
Against competition from established BBC Local Radio and GWR-owned commercial stations, Radio 106 recorded positive listening figures for its first set of RAJAR audience figures, but within seven months of launch, the station's owners Border Radio Holdings opted for a complete relaunch.
In April 1998, John Myers took control of the station, which was rebranded as Century 106 and relaunched with a new team of presenters including Adrian Allen and Chris Ashley.
Former Radio Trent presenter David Lloyd became the station's Managing Director and Programme Controller with ex-Trent colleagues including Tony Lyman, Craig Strong, Gary Burton and Andy Marriott joining the presenting line-up. Other additions to the team included Steve Jordan (breakfast) and Bernie Keith (afternoons).
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