Classic Gold GEM
Encyclopedia
Classic Gold GEM was a United Kingdom
radio station, broadcasting to much of Nottinghamshire
, Derbyshire
, Leicestershire
, Rutland
and East Staffordshire
from studios in Dunstable
, Bedfordshire. In addition, regional news, weather, events and community information, local advertising (separate for Derby and Nottingham) and a four-hour live weekday regional programme came from a studio centre in Nottingham
, home also to Trent FM
.
The station, along with the rest of the Classic Gold
network, was replaced on 3 August 2007 by a new network called simply Gold, the result of the merger of the Classic Gold
and Capital Gold
networks under one owner, GCap Media.
frequencies. GEM was the offshoot of Radio Trent, which began to cater for a younger audience and became known as Trent FM upon the frequency split, and the new AM service was launched to much fanfare with a team of Olympic style runners completing a marathon from Leicester to Derby and finally to Nottingham (the three main areas to which GEM was to broadcast).
GEM's mediumwave broadcasts to Nottinghamshire
on 999 kHz and Derbyshire
on 945 kHz were initially supplemented by transmissions on 1260 kHz to Leicestershire
, but this last frequency was later given over to programming for Leicester
's large Asian population (Sunrise Radio
later Sabras Radio
).
In the mid 1990s, GEM's owners Midland Radio plc were bought, by expanding radio company GWR, which gradually networked the station's programming with that of other gold stations it had purchased elsewhere in the country. The station was subtly rebranded Classic Gold GEM and over time, it became more Classic Gold and less GEM, until only four hours of local programming was left.
By the end of the 1990s, Classic Gold GEM and GWR's network of other medium wave Classic Gold stations across the country were sold to media company UBC
, in order for GWR to comply with government rules of the time, restricting how much share of listening one company could own. This and the other stations in the group became known as Classic Gold Digital Network
.
Former Radio 1
presenter Tony Blackburn
co-presented a national breakfast show on the network until 2007.
, Andy Marriott, Tony Lyman
Graham Wright and Paul Robey. Many of these original presenters were later to be heard on a newer oldies and easy listening station broadcasting to the East Midlands, this time on FM. This was Saga 106.6 FM
, which came on air in 2003, and was later rebranded as 106.6 Smooth Radio
after it was acquired by GMG Radio
. The spirit of GEM-AM lived on throughout the Saga era with many of Saga 106.6 FM's jingles made by JAM
and Steve England
making reference to the Great East Midlands.
In the late 1980s on GEM-AM radio, a new South Asian Indian program was presented by Amarjeet Kooner, aka DJ Magnam, he brought extra listenership to GEM-AM from the large South Asian Indian community that lived in Derby & Nottingham.
after a merger, bought the network of stations back from UBC Media Group
.
Having two gold networks on its hands, GCap decided to merge them. In early August 2007, the Classic Gold and Capital Gold networks were joined under the new name Gold. To "streamline" the business even further, the last remaining live local programming on Classic Gold GEM was cut, and replaced with an automated daytime programme (where the presenter's links between the records are all pre-recorded but made to sound live), the bare minimum required to satisfy regulators Ofcom
. The decision resulted in the redundancy of long-time Classic Gold Gem presenter Geoff Hemming, as well as local presenters at Classic Gold stations nationwide.
The station has 4% audience reach in Nottingham, and 6% in Derby. In 1993 the reach was 24% in Nottingham, 23% in Derby. (*RAJAR ratings 1993/2006)
The dwindling audience tuning in to the station's crackly medium wave frequencies has in recent years been supplemented by those listening to a stream on the internet, and also on DAB
Digital Radio in Nottingham and Leicester. The bit rate for this broadcast was reduced in 2006 to accommodate more radio stations to the digital multiplex, it has since been increased back to stereo.
Regional news bulletins, recorded around 15 minutes before broadcast, are read at breakfast time and late afternoon weekdays by Global's news team in Nottingham
. Outside of these times, national news is provided by Global Radio from its Leicester Square studios.
After nineteen years broadcasting from the basement 'Studio B' at Radio Trent's Castle Gate headquarters, Classic Gold's Nottingham studios moved, along with Trent's, to the sixth floor of Chapel Quarter, an office building on the corner of Mount Street and Chapel Bar, in January 2007.
Nottinghamshire°N Derbyshire°W
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
radio station, broadcasting to much of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
and East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire
East Staffordshire is a local government district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It has two main towns, Burton upon Trent, famous for its breweries, and Uttoxeter, for its racecourse....
from studios in Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, Bedfordshire. In addition, regional news, weather, events and community information, local advertising (separate for Derby and Nottingham) and a four-hour live weekday regional programme came from a studio centre in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, home also to Trent FM
Trent FM
Trent FM was an Independent Local Radio station which broadcast to Nottinghamshire. The station merged with two other East Midlands stations, Leicester Sound and Ram FM to form Capital FM East Midlands on Monday 3 January 2011.-History:Launched on 3 July 1975 as Radio Trent and based in a...
.
The station, along with the rest of the Classic Gold
Classic Gold Digital Network
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.-History:...
network, was replaced on 3 August 2007 by a new network called simply Gold, the result of the merger of the Classic Gold
Classic Gold
Classic Gold was a network of three "Gold" music formatted stations which broadcast on AM in Bradford, Hull and Sheffield. They were the Pennine Radio, Viking Radio and Radio Hallam's medium wave franchises...
and Capital Gold
Capital Gold
Gold is a network of oldies radio stations which was formed by the merger of the Capital Gold network and the Classic Gold Network in August 2007...
networks under one owner, GCap Media.
History
The station began as GEM-AM in 1988 (the letters GEM standing for Great East Midlands). It was one of the most well-regarded gold-formatted stations to come to the British airwaves in the late 1980s and was launched as a response to government disapproval of the simulcasting of radio companies' FM programming on their mediumwaveMediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
frequencies. GEM was the offshoot of Radio Trent, which began to cater for a younger audience and became known as Trent FM upon the frequency split, and the new AM service was launched to much fanfare with a team of Olympic style runners completing a marathon from Leicester to Derby and finally to Nottingham (the three main areas to which GEM was to broadcast).
GEM's mediumwave broadcasts to Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
on 999 kHz and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
on 945 kHz were initially supplemented by transmissions on 1260 kHz to Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, but this last frequency was later given over to programming for Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
's large Asian population (Sunrise Radio
Sunrise Radio
Sunrise Radio is the United Kingdom's first Independent Local Radio station to cater specifically for the Asian community. Dr Avtar Lit is the chairman and chief executive of this media group which also operates kismat radio,buzz asia,punjabi radio as well as sunrise tv-Transmission:It initially...
later Sabras Radio
Sabras Radio
Sabras Radio is a commercial radio station in Leicester, England specialising in South Asian music and culture.The radio station itself is located within the Belgrave area of the city; broadcasting on 1260 kHz, DAB Radio and also via the net...
).
In the mid 1990s, GEM's owners Midland Radio plc were bought, by expanding radio company GWR, which gradually networked the station's programming with that of other gold stations it had purchased elsewhere in the country. The station was subtly rebranded Classic Gold GEM and over time, it became more Classic Gold and less GEM, until only four hours of local programming was left.
By the end of the 1990s, Classic Gold GEM and GWR's network of other medium wave Classic Gold stations across the country were sold to media company UBC
UBC Media Group
UBC Media Group is an independent supplier of services to the radio industry. It provides content to BBC and commercial stations, as well as private clients...
, in order for GWR to comply with government rules of the time, restricting how much share of listening one company could own. This and the other stations in the group became known as Classic Gold Digital Network
Classic Gold Digital Network
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.-History:...
.
Former Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
presenter Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
co-presented a national breakfast show on the network until 2007.
Presenters
Presenters on the station included many who were already established personalities in the East Midlands region. Among them were John Peters (who launched the station as he had done with Trent in 1975), Craig Strong (who drove the Trent outside broadcast van on the launch day of GEM, behind the "Olympic" runners), Amanda BowmanAmanda Bowman
Amanda Bowman is a British disc jockey.Her broadcasting career began in the mid 1980s while she was working for Radio Trent. Initially one of the station's Careline presenters, she went on to host a show at Trent in her own right, before later taking a career break in order to bring up her children...
, Andy Marriott, Tony Lyman
Tony Lyman
Tony Lyman is a British disc jockey, who currently presents the drivetime show on Nottingham based radio station 106.6 Smooth Radio.- Career :...
Graham Wright and Paul Robey. Many of these original presenters were later to be heard on a newer oldies and easy listening station broadcasting to the East Midlands, this time on FM. This was Saga 106.6 FM
Saga 106.6 FM
Saga 106.6FM was an independent radio station for the East Midlands, broadcasting to Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. Part of the Saga Radio Group, the regional station was broadcast from the Riverside Business Park in Nottingham, close to the old...
, which came on air in 2003, and was later rebranded as 106.6 Smooth Radio
106.6 Smooth Radio
106.6 Smooth Radio was an Independent Local Radio station for the East Midlands, which replaced Saga 106.6 FM at 6am on Monday 26 March 2007. In turn it replaced itself by the national Smooth Radio service which was launched on 4 October 2010...
after it was acquired by GMG Radio
GMG Radio
GMG Radio is the radio division of the Guardian Media Group. The group is based in Laser House, Salford Quays in Greater Manchester. The advertising division is in Old Trafford, Manchester. John Myers was the Chief Executive Officer, his deputy replaced him in April 2009...
. The spirit of GEM-AM lived on throughout the Saga era with many of Saga 106.6 FM's jingles made by JAM
JAM Creative Productions
JAM Creative Productions, Inc., is an American company that produces radio jingles, promo music for television, and commercial jingles for advertisers. It has made more radio jingles than any other jingle company and has become part of American pop culture....
and Steve England
Steve England
Steve England has spent over 35 years in radio production and at present runs a jingle production company in Leek, Staffordshire, which was established in 1997...
making reference to the Great East Midlands.
In the late 1980s on GEM-AM radio, a new South Asian Indian program was presented by Amarjeet Kooner, aka DJ Magnam, he brought extra listenership to GEM-AM from the large South Asian Indian community that lived in Derby & Nottingham.
GCap Media and Global Radio
In summer 2007, when ownership restrictions were relaxed, Classic Gold's original owners, now called GCap MediaGCap Media
GCap Media was a British commercial radio company formed from the merger of the Capital Radio Group and GWR Group. The merger was completed in May 2005. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. On 31 March 2008 the company agreed a takeover by...
after a merger, bought the network of stations back from UBC Media Group
UBC Media Group
UBC Media Group is an independent supplier of services to the radio industry. It provides content to BBC and commercial stations, as well as private clients...
.
Having two gold networks on its hands, GCap decided to merge them. In early August 2007, the Classic Gold and Capital Gold networks were joined under the new name Gold. To "streamline" the business even further, the last remaining live local programming on Classic Gold GEM was cut, and replaced with an automated daytime programme (where the presenter's links between the records are all pre-recorded but made to sound live), the bare minimum required to satisfy regulators Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. The decision resulted in the redundancy of long-time Classic Gold Gem presenter Geoff Hemming, as well as local presenters at Classic Gold stations nationwide.
The station has 4% audience reach in Nottingham, and 6% in Derby. In 1993 the reach was 24% in Nottingham, 23% in Derby. (*RAJAR ratings 1993/2006)
The dwindling audience tuning in to the station's crackly medium wave frequencies has in recent years been supplemented by those listening to a stream on the internet, and also on DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
Digital Radio in Nottingham and Leicester. The bit rate for this broadcast was reduced in 2006 to accommodate more radio stations to the digital multiplex, it has since been increased back to stereo.
Regional news bulletins, recorded around 15 minutes before broadcast, are read at breakfast time and late afternoon weekdays by Global's news team in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. Outside of these times, national news is provided by Global Radio from its Leicester Square studios.
After nineteen years broadcasting from the basement 'Studio B' at Radio Trent's Castle Gate headquarters, Classic Gold's Nottingham studios moved, along with Trent's, to the sixth floor of Chapel Quarter, an office building on the corner of Mount Street and Chapel Bar, in January 2007.
External links
- Classic Gold's Homepage
- Classic Gold GEM at Media UK
- Tribute site to GEM-AM
- History of local radio in Nottinghamshire
- Article about broadcaster John Peters (which includes recordings of him presenting on the station)
Nottinghamshire°N Derbyshire°W