Rebrand
On 20 October 2006, GMG Radio announced that it was requesting a change of format for Smooth FM from Ofcom, moving the station away from its daytime soul and R&B remit, instead offering easy listening music and speech for the over 50's and an improved local news service. Ofcom approved the changes on 8 December 2006, with the condition that GMG retained the 45 hours of jazz per week that constituted part of the former licence requirement.
Smooth FM trailed the forthcoming changes from the beginning of March 2007, promising 'more of London's smooth favourites mixed with the best songs from the past five decades'. The station closed at 6:02pm on Friday 23 March 2007 with newsreader Sam Gudger uttering the final words - "that was Smooth FM" - followed by a weekend of preview music, before the station's replacement, 102.2 Smooth Radio, launched on Monday 26 March.
Read more about this topic: 102.2 Smooth FM