The news of long-serving rock music radio station X FM going off the air took many of its loyal listeners by surprise last week Friday.
The Radio Africa owned station was moved to an online platform to make way for a new station dubbed Smooth FM. Reports indicate that the move was occasioned by financial constraints.
The new kid on the block Smooth FM officially went live on air on Monday and is accessible via the FM frequency 105.5. It is being touted as the home of soothing music, grooves and blues seven days a week.
Radio Africa executives note that the station’s target audience is listeners over 32 years old.
“The radio station is for the mature sophisticated audience that has been craving for this kind of music,” Radio Africa CEO Patrick Quarcoo said, adding, “There was always a gap in the market for this specific product. Smooth will fill that need perfectly.”
“Now, all the over 32-year-olds in Nairobi will have a music destination that caters to their every need.”
According to Quarcoo, “Nobody knows the presenters, as yet. For now, Smooth is all about the music.”
Smooth will be broadcast in and around Nairobi’s environs up to 80 km to 120 km.
Meanwhile, listeners of X FM will now experience the station in a new and exciting way on streaming app Songa by Safaricom. It is the first mainstream radio station to go 100% digital.
The radio promo for XFM’s new move reads, “This is not goodbye. Rather, we’re loading out here. And loading in full blast… with real nonstop music on Songa. So, let’s get real with XFM. Now online and on your mobile.”
