Signal 2
Signal 2 was a British Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from studios in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent to Staffordshire and Cheshire. The station was owned by Wireless Group and ran a "gold format" playlist. It was the sister station of Signal 1 and was based in the same studios. Wireless Group was sold to Bauer and was closed and replaced by the national station Greatest Hits Radio.
| City | Stoke-on-Trent |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Staffordshire and Cheshire |
| Frequency | MW: 1170 kHz DAB: 12D |
| Branding | signal2▶️ |
| Slogan | Greatest Hits of All Time |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| Network | Greatest Hits Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Bauer |
| History | |
First air date | 14 September 1992 |
Last air date | 1 September 2020 |
| Links | |
| Website | www.signal2.co.uk |
History
The station began as Signal Radio which first broadcast at 6 am, 5 September 1983, with DJ John Evington selecting Neil Diamond's "Beautiful Noise" as its first track.[1] The station initially broadcast on 104.3 MHz and 1170 kHz (a wavelength of 257 metres, with the phrase "2 5 7" becoming a distinctive leitmotif), changing to 102.6 MHz soon after. The station's name is derived from "Signal" the name of the newspaper in Arnold Bennett's local novels.
In the late 1980s broadcast regulators the IBA ordered stations to provide different services on their FM and AM outputs. Due to this, in 1992 a "Golden Breakfast Show" started on the 1170 AM frequency while for the rest of the day it would take the main Signal Radio service and on 18 January 1993 a full-time station, Signal Gold, was launched.
In February 2019, Signal 2 was sold to Bauer Radio.
On 27 May 2020, it was announced that Signal 2 was to close and be replaced by national station Greatest Hits Radio in September 2020.
Technical
Signal 2's 1170 AM transmitter is at Sideway, near to the A500 D Road, just south of the A50 junction. It transmits 0.2 kW of power and can be heard throughout most of Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Signal 2 also broadcasts on the local Stoke and Stafford DAB multiplex 12D, from transmitters at Alsagers Bank, Pye Green BT Tower, Sutton Common BT Tower and Tick Hill.
Programming
The majority of Signal 2's programming is produced and presented from its Stoke-on-Trent studios. The nightly late show is simulcast with Wireless Group's AM and FM stations while a syndicated show from Chris Country Radio airs on Sunday afternoons.
Signal 2 broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6 am to 6 pm on weekdays and from 8 am to 12 pm on weekends. Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside thrice daily showbiz bulletins.[2]
The station also simulcasts hourly Sky News Radio bulletins at all other times.
Signal 2 also broadcasts the bulk of Signal Radio's sports coverage, including live commentary on Stoke City matches and a weekly magazine show, Jumpers for Goalposts on Friday evenings.
See also
References
- "John Evington". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
- Signal 2 public file