is an
Independent Local Radio station based in
Manchester . It has been part of the
Smooth FM brand of stations since
1 March 2004 .
The studios are in
Exchange Quays in
Salford . It was launched by Radio Investments Ltd on 1st September 1994 as
Jazz FM . It was purchased by the
Guardian Media Group in 2003, who rebranded it in March 2004. The station plays more modern music during the day, and mostly
Jazz at night. From March 2005, only Mike Chadwick's ''The Saturday Night Experience'' is networked from
102.2 Smooth FM with all other programming being produced and aired in the North West.
It has been available on the
Sky Digital platform since
14 February 2005 on channel 0128.
It is broadcast from the
Winter Hill Transmitter , near
Bolton . It is designed to cover
Manchester ,
Merseyside and
North Wales and to reach as far north as
Carnforth .
