Puneet Varma (Editor)

Classic Gold Digital Network

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Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189.

Contents

History

Most of the stations were originally the medium wave services of Independent Local Radio stations. For example, "Classic Gold 1359" in Coventry was originally part of "Mercia Sound" and was a full local service.

In the 1980s, FM/AM stations split (in this case to "Mercia FM" and "Xtra AM"), before the station was bought by GWR radio, and the AM station rebranded to "Classic Gold". Mercia FM is still on air today.

The stations were sold to UBC in 2 parts in 2000 and 2002; however in 2007 they came back under the control of GCap (formerly GWR & Capital). Most stations in the network carried the same programming, except for a local 4-hour afternoon programme from 3pm to 7pm.

Additionally the AM service operated by UTV Radio in West Yorkshire - Pulse Classic Gold carried programming supplied by the Classic Gold network (with additional localisation and programmes), although it was not owned by UBC.

In summer 2007, GCap Media agreed to acquire the 18 AM Classic Gold radio stations owned by Classic Gold Digital for a cash consideration of £3.95 million. GCap merged the network with its own existing Capital Gold network of stations to form one classic hits network. The acquisition, which included relevant DAB digital licences held by Classic Gold, was approved by Ofcom. The new network rebranded as 'Gold' launched at 7pm on Friday 3 August 2007.

Programmes

Weekdays

  • The Even Tastier Breakfast With Tony Blackburn & Erika North/Sandy Warr
  • The Morning Show with Graham Rogers
  • The Afternoon Show with Paul Burnett
  • Classic Gold Drivetime (local opt-out programme)
  • Classic Gold Evening Show with Paul Baker
  • Classic Gold Late Night with Tim Allen
  • The Overnight Express with Matthew Hardy

    • Weekends included

  • The Retro Countdown With Mark Dennison
  • Classic Gold Albums With Trevor Dann
  • Neil Sean's Star People
  • Saturday Night At The Movies with Steve Springett
  • The Essential Tony Blackburn

    • Presenters

  • Paul Baker
  • Jay Jay (Jason Rushworth)
  • Laura Frey (Laura Pittson)
  • Neal Bowden
  • Amanda Bowman
  • Paul Burnett
  • Matthew Hardy
  • Gary Crowley
  • Graham Rogers
  • Sandy Warr
  • Trevor Dann
  • Mark Dennison
  • Steve Springett
  • Pete Revell
  • Matt Jamison
  • John Griff
  • Geoff Hemming
  • David Baker
  • Nikki Cook
  • Adrian John
  • Paul Burrell
  • Andy Henly
  • Tony Wright
  • Colin Slade
  • Peter Greig
  • Conrad Alexander
  • Gordon Wray
  • Steve Fountain
  • Dave James
  • Rob Fielder

    • Past presenters

  • Erika North
  • Tony Blackburn
  • Jimmy Savile
  • Dave Lee Travis
  • Johnnie Walker
  • Mike Read
  • Noddy Holder
  • David Hamilton
  • Simon Bates
  • Emperor Rosko
  • Chris Hawkins
  • Gordon Wray
  • Geoff Barker
  • Chris Hopkins
  • Trevor Fry
  • David Hoffman

    • Regional stations

    These were the 20 stations in the Classic Gold Digital Network on 3 August 2007:

  • Classic Gold 1152, Plymouth
  • Classic Gold 1260, Bristol and Bath
  • Classic Gold 1332, Peterborough
  • Classic Gold 1359, Coventry and Warwickshire
  • Classic Gold 1359/1431, Essex
  • Classic Gold 1431/1485, Reading
  • Classic Gold 1521, Reigate and Crawley
  • Classic Gold 1557, Northampton
  • Classic Gold 666/954, Exeter and Torbay
  • Classic Gold 774, Gloucester
  • Classic Gold 828, Bournemouth
  • Classic Gold 828/792, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire
  • Classic Gold 936/1161, Swindon and West Wiltshire
  • Classic Gold 990/1017, Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Telford
  • Classic Gold Amber Norfolk and north Suffolk
  • Classic Gold Amber Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds
  • Classic Gold Digital: Humberside, Lancashire, Leeds, London, Merseyside, Sheffield, Teesside, & Tyne & Wear on DAB; it also broadcast on Sky Digital Channel 0189
  • Classic Gold GEM, Nottingham and Derby
  • Classic Gold Marcher, Wrexham and Chester

    • In addition, until 1 December 2008, the UTV Radio-owned Pulse Classic Gold in West Yorkshire broadcast programming supplied by the network, with additional localisation and programmes specific to West Yorkshire, this station has now relaunched as Pulse 2 - a completely local station.

    References

    Classic Gold Digital Network Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA