Gem 106 is an English regional radio stationbroadcasting to the East Midlands, owned and operated by Bauer Radio. The station is transmitted from the Copt Oaktransmitter close to the M1north of Leicester in the National Forest. Radio 106 launched at 6am on Tuesday 23 September 1997. Billed as Radio for Grown Ups, the new regional station was led by ex-Radio Trent managing director Ron Coles with former Centre Radio MD Ken Warburton as programming controller. The first presenter on air was Dickie Dodd.