smoothfm to become Foxtel music channel

Listening radio station smoothfm is to see its format extended to television, with the launch of a new music channel on Foxtel.

The move is also a sign of the growing closeness between Lachlan Murdoch’s DMG Radio and Foxtel, which is jointly owned by News Corp and Telstra. Ten has reportedly been in talks to merge its sales operation with that of Foxtel’s sales house MCN.

The new channel will launch in a month’s time, on December 3.

Paul Jackson, DMG Radio’s Group Program Director said: “This is a fantastic opportunity, a unique partnership between smoothfm and Foxtel to launch smoothfm’s new channel that really underlines the strength of the easy listening format.”