GWR FM: Difference between revisions
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'''GWR FM''' was a [[Broadcast network|network]] of three [[Radio broadcasting|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 (radio network)|Heart Network]] on 23 March 2009. |
'''GWR FM''' was a [[Broadcast network|network]] of three [[Radio broadcasting|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 (radio network)|Heart Network]] on 23 March 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=AUTHOR: Andrew Rogers |title=RW + WR = GWR |url=https://transdiffusion.org/2001/08/15/radiowest/ |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Transdiffusion |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Donovan |first=Paul |title=The Radio Companion |isbn=978-0-586-09012-1}}</ref> |
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{{Infobox radio station |
{{Infobox radio station |
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| name = GWR FM |
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*Vic Morgan |
*Vic Morgan |
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*Stuart Mac |
*Stuart Mac |
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*Charlie Wolf |
*[[Charlie Wolf]] |
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*Andy Westgate |
*Andy Westgate |
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*Gary Vincent |
*Gary Vincent |
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*Lucy Matthews |
*Lucy Matthews |
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*Graham Torrington |
*[[Graham Torrington]] |
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*Susannah Batemen |
*Susannah Batemen |
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*Clive Fisher |
*Clive Fisher |
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*Mel Everett |
*Mel Everett |
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*Trevor Fry |
*Trevor Fry |
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*Mark Seaman |
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*Johnnie Walker |
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*[[Johnnie Walker (DJ)|Johnnie Walker]] |
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*Paris Troy |
*Paris Troy |
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*Andy Bush |
*Andy Bush |
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Revision as of 11:16, 28 August 2022
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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
GWR Name
The initials GWR have an association with the Great Western Railway especially in the South West of England, and there is a popular misconception with listeners that the station stands for Great Western Radio. Indeed, neighbouring GWR Wiltshire was called Wiltshire Radio (WR) before its merger with Radio West. However, according to group management, the letters GWR did not stand for anything. In fact the station management at the time did try to secure the name Great Western Radio, however it was already the trading name of a Bristol electronics shop, who refused to relinquish the title.
History
The GWR Radio brand started life in 1985 when Swindon-based Wiltshire Radio joined with Bristol's Radio West.[3]
The Mix Network
In 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 intoduction 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
- Roo Green
- Louisa Lewis
- Howard Taylor
- Jez Clarke
- Andy Styles
- Andy Henly
- Steve Fountain
- Scott Mills
- Tim Smith
- Mark Franklin
- Julia Simpson
- Peter Rowell
- Ralph Bernard
- Simon Cooper
- Alan Burston
- Sue Carter
- Matt Rogers
- Henrietta Creasey
- Shaun Skinner
- Steve Colman
- Neil Carter
- Paul Webber
- Ian Timms
- Dave Barrett[4]
- Steve Orchard[5]
- Sandy Martin[6]
- Shaun Hodgetts
- Vic Morgan
- Stuart Mac
- Charlie Wolf
- Andy Westgate
- Gary Vincent
- Lucy Matthews
- Graham Torrington
- Susannah Batemen
- Clive Fisher
- Tony Wright
- Matt Lisack
- Rob Smith
- Mel Everett
- Trevor Fry
- Mark Seaman
- Johnnie Walker
- Paris Troy
- Andy Bush
- Paulina Guilispe
- Phil Phear
 | This article related to radio is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- ^ 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.
- ^ www.nationalbereavementpartnership.org https://www.nationalbereavementpartnership.org/steve-orchard. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "BBC Wiltshire presenter Sandy Martin dies". BBC News. 2011-03-18. Retrieved 2022-08-27.