ITV and BBC staples part of sport radio station backed by Zac Goldsmith
ITV and BBC staples Mark Pougatch and Sonja McLaughlan are part of the sports radio station backed by a multi-million pound investment by Tory peer Zac Goldsmith.
Goldsmith and his brother, Ben, are major investors in Track Radio, which will launch next month.
ITV Sport regular Pougatch and BBC Six Nations specialist McLaughlan have been confirmed for the project, with the former presenting the Drive Time show and the latter the Daytime slot.
Track Radio boasts John Inverdale as an advisor while Iain Macintosh will lead the project, which is owned by Track Record Corporation. It will play music.
“Track Radio provides a home for sports fans and music lovers alike,” a statement read, “an escape from the polarised debates and relentless news cycle that dominate the media landscape.”
New sport radio era
Pougatch and McLaughlan will be joined by sports broadcaster Vassos Alexander, Daily Mail sports reporter Charlotte Daly and presenter Sanny Rudravajhala, with further announcements due.
The station, backed to the tune of a seven-figure investment, will broadcast from 7am to 7pm on weekdays. “The station is committed to covering men’s and women’s sports equally, without segregating women’s coverage into isolated shows,” the station insisted.
“We want to celebrate the passion and energy that makes us all sports fans in a way that is welcoming, engaging, and credible,” Macintosh said. “We can’t wait to launch Track Radio next month and build a space where listeners are at the heart of the conversation, able to call in, take part, and enjoy great sporting debate—all soundtracked to some fantastic music.
“This is a top-class presenter team, and I am sure there will be plenty more to come as we grow, expand, and offer even more for fans and listeners.”
Added Inverdale: “I’m absolutely delighted to be part of this fresh, vibrant new station. I meet so many people for whom sport and music are the central tenets of their lives, and we are really excited to bring both of these aspects together.”