Smoothfm
| Company type | Commercial radio network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Nova Entertainment |
| Headquarters | Sydney and Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide) |
| Products | Radio broadcasting (easy listening, adult contemporary) |
| Owner | Nova Entertainment |
| Website | www |
smoothfm represents an Australian commercial radio network under the ownership of Nova Entertainment. Established in 2012, the station originally emphasized a format of 'more music and less talk,' offering an easy-listening selection dominated by sentimental ballads. In February 2020, smoothfm transitioned its core programming to adult contemporary.
Vega
Vega commenced operations in 2005, aiming at the baby boomer audience (aged 40 to 60), blending talk segments with music spanning from the 1960s through to the 2000s. Its branding slogan was "On your wavelength," visually supported by a blue squiggle logo.
The network launched in August 2005 in Sydney and followed in September in Melbourne, featuring presenters such as Angela Catterns, Denise Scott, and Shaun Micallef. The inaugural track aired was Van Morrison’s "Wavelength."
Initial market shares were modest: 1.8% in Sydney and 1.2% in Melbourne, placing Vega near the lower end of ratings among surveyed stations. Management expected gradual audience growth due to the target demographic’s conservative approach to adopting new radio offerings.
In June 2006, programming diverged between Sydney and Melbourne, with both markets dropping the "40 years of music" tagline. Drive-time hosts Rebecca Wilson and Tony Squires joined Sydney breakfast host Angela Catterns. Ratings showed slight improvement, reaching 1.7% in Sydney and 1.8% in Melbourne.
By late 2006, Vega's audience share rose to 2.8% in Sydney and 3% in Melbourne.
In January 2007, Vega broadened its "Vega Variety" slogan to highlight hits from the ’70s, ’80s, and current tracks, supported by billboard and bus advertising campaigns aimed at attracting listeners.
Early surveys in 2007 indicated further growth: Sydney attained a 3% share while Melbourne reached 3.3%, with the strongest appeal among the 25–39 age bracket.
By late 2007, both cities exceeded a 4% share—Sydney at 4.6% and Melbourne at 4.4%. Within Sydney’s 40–54 demographic, Vega ranked as the second most popular FM station behind classic hits broadcaster WS-FM.
Mid-2008 saw Sydney’s Vega surpass a 5% audience share, closely challenging leading rivals Triple M and WS-FM. It became the top-rated FM station for listeners aged 40–54, overtaking WS-FM. During this period, Vega introduced the Sunday Session hosted by Mark Gable.
By mid-2009, Vega achieved approximately a 6% share among the 55+ demographic across Sydney and Melbourne.
Classic Rock
After failing to capture a substantial audience base, Vega underwent rebranding as Classic Rock in March 2010. Relaunched on 12 March, the station positioned itself against competitors such as Gold 104.3, 101.7 WSFM, and Triple M.
Classic Rock featured minimal on-air personalities with local Breakfast shows helmed by Maroon in Sydney and Ian "Dicko" Dickson alongside Dave O'Neil in Melbourne. The schedule included specialty programs like Cover to Cover with Barry Bissell and American Nights hosted by Alice Cooper.
By July 2010, cost reductions led to the dismissal of Dickson and O'Neil; subsequently, Classic Rock shifted to continuous classic rock music interspersed with regular news, weather updates, and sports bulletins.
smoothfm
On 21 May 2012, the network relaunched as smoothfm across Sydney and Melbourne markets, appointing Michael Bublé as its brand ambassador.
In February 2013, smoothfm expanded nationwide through DAB+ digital radio services to Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.
In April 2018, Sam Smith succeeded Bublé as the face of the network.
The year 2019 saw smoothfm introduce two digital-only stations: Smooth Relax and Smooth Chill.
On 16 February 2020, smoothfm repositioned itself as an adult contemporary station featuring an updated playlist; its slogan evolved from ‘your easy place to relax’ to ‘your feel good station’, with Robbie Williams becoming its new brand ambassador.
By September 2022, smoothfm increased live local programming for Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth audiences. Breakfast shows are hosted by Kate Mac (Perth), Nick Michaels (Brisbane), and Kelly Golding (Adelaide), fostering stronger regional connections. Furthermore, Smooth Chill was rebranded as Smooth Vintage featuring hits from the ’60s and ’70s; Smooth 80’s focuses exclusively on ’80s music; while Smooth Relax continues offering a Soft Adult Contemporary format.
Stations
| Callsign | Frequency | Branding | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2PTV | 95.3 MHz FM | smoothfm 95.3 | Sydney |
| 3PTV | 91.5 MHz FM | smoothfm 91.5 | Melbourne |
| N/A | DAB+ | smoothfm Brisbane | Brisbane |
| N/A | DAB+ | smoothfm Adelaide | Adelaide |
| N/A | DAB+ | smoothfm Perth | Perth |
| N/A | DAB+ | Smooth Relax | Sydney and Melbourne |
| N/A | DAB+ | Smooth Vintage | Sydney and Melbourne |
| N/A | DAB+ | Smooth 80s | Adelaide |
Announcers
Weekday Breakfast
- Bogart Torelli (smoothfm 95.3)
- Mike Perso (smoothfm 91.5)
- Nick Michaels (smooth Brisbane)
- Kelly Golding (smooth Adelaide)
- Kate Mac (smooth Perth)
Weekdays
- Ty Frost (Mornings)
- Simon Diaz (Afternoons)
- Byron Webb (Drive)
- Cameron Daddo (Nights)
Weekends
- Melissa Doyle (Breakfast)
- Richard Wilkins (Mornings)
- David Campbell (Afternoons)
- Kim Wilde smooth 80s Show (Saturday Late Drive)
- Cameron Daddo (Nights)
TV Channel
Foxtel Smooth was an Australian subscription television music channel accessible through Foxtel's satellite and cable platforms. It commenced broadcasting on 3 December 2013, specializing in easy listening and adult contemporary tunes. The channel aired for 18 hours each day until it discontinued operations on 1 July 2020.