Silk 106.9

Silk 106.9 is an Independent Local Radio serving Macclesfield and parts of East Cheshire, owned and operated by neighbouring station Dee 106.3.[1]

Silk 106.9
Broadcast areaMacclesfield and East Cheshire
Frequency106.9 MHz
Programming
FormatVariety Hit Radio
Ownership
OwnerDee 106.3
History
First air date
26 May 1998 (1998-05-26)
Technical information
Transmitter coordinates
53.2061°N 2.1007°W / 53.2061; -2.1007

It broadcasts a mix of current and classic hits alongside local news and sport.

History

Silk FM launched on 25 May 1998 with special guest Sammy McIlroy, then manager of Macclesfield Town Football Club. Past presenters have included Nick Wright, Jeff Cooper, Guy Morris, Paul Allen and Trevor Thomas.

The station was previously owned by The Local Radio Company before being sold to the owners of Dee 106.3 in June 2009. In January 2017 the station moved into a new studio complex at Adelaide House, Adelaide Street in Macclesfield.

In November 2012, the station was granted a significant transmitter power increase, partly to combat co-channel interference from the Heart North Wales transmitter at the Moel-y-Parc transmitting station, also broadcasting on 106.9 MHz FM. The transmitter site at Sutton Common BT Tower offers a line of sight across the Cheshire plain, meaning the signal can be heard into Lancashire, Shropshire and Merseyside with transmissions going as far east as Greater Manchester and Derbyshire.

Community

The station awards the title School of the Week to schools within its broadcast area.[2] Perhaps the most important awards it gives are the "Local Hero awards" which have been awarded since the stations inception.[3]

The annual Cheshire Show is one of the highlights in the Silk calendar, of which the station offers extensive coverage.[3]

Awards

In 2008, having been short-listed for the award in the previous year, Silk won Radio Station of the Year (under 300,000) at the Sony Radio Awards.[4] It is again short-listed for the 2009 award.[5]

In 2006, 2007[6] and 2008, Silk was named Radio Academy North West Station of the Year.[5]

Programming

Some of Silk 106.9's programming is produced and broadcast from its Macclesfield studios. Live programming airs from 6am-7pm on weekdays, 8am-6pm on Saturdays and 8am-8pm on Sundays. Other output is voicetracked, automated or networked from Dee 106.3.[7]

Silk 106.9 broadcasts hourly local news bulletins from 6am–6pm on weekdays and 10am–2pm at weekends. National bulletins from Sky News Radio are carried every hour at all other times.[7]

The station also airs weekly sports programming and Saturday afternoons, including regular coverage of Macclesfield Town.

References
  1. ""Radio Today" article: Silk FM sold to Dee 106.3". Radio Today. 2009-06-11. Archived from the original on 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-10-03.
  2. "Pupils raise voices – and cash". Crewe Chronicle. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
  3. "Public File". Silk FM. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  4. "Fruitful night for North West stations at Sony's". how-do.co.uk. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
  5. "Silk FM gets another award". how-do.co.uk. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
  6. "Nations & Regions Awards 2007". The Radio Academy. Retrieved 2008-12-29.
  7. Silk 106.9 public file


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