BBC Radio Manchester is back. After 18 years as BBC GMR, the station changed back to its original name at 7am today complete with a new line-up and station jingle package.
Terry Christian was the first presenter on the station welcoming Manchester to the new sound, and his new breakfast show. John Ryan is in charge of the new station and says: "We want to capture Manchester's unique tone of voice and report all of Manchester's communities – delivering BBC Local Radio values in a contemporary and engaging way for this amazing place."
The station currently achieves an 12.6% weekly reach (that?s 260,000 people) who listen on average for about eight and a half hours per week.
Anthony H Wilson was the last voice heard on BBC GMR ? with his take on why Manchester is home. The last song on BBC GMR was Litmus and their string quartet version of Joy Division?s Love Will Tear Us Apart. The first voice on the new BBC Radio Manchester was Terry Christian. The first song was Manchester, by the Beautiful South.
The music on the station is a big part of the output. The launch playlist includes:
Coldplay – The Hardest Part
Embrace – Nature's Law
Sugababes – Red Dress
Beverley Knight – Piece Of My Heart
Jack Johnson – Better Together
KT Tunstall – Another Place To Fall
James Blunt – Wisemen
The Feeling – Sewn
Madonna – Sorry
Corinne Bailey Rae – Put Your Records On