36:
380:
In
January 1988, thirteen years after launch, Radio Tees was rebranded to TFM 96.60 after being taken over by Newcastle upon Tyne-based Metro Radio Group. This relaunch also helped modernise the brand. Shortly after this, in April 1989, its 257 metres/1170 kHz medium wave frequency was split and
428:
On Monday 8 April 2013, all programming began to be shared with sister station Metro Radio in
Newcastle although the TFM branding was retained along with separate news bulletins and advertising. The two stations were able to merge without consultation because both the TFM and Metro licence areas are
437:
were closed and remaining staff were moved to
Newcastle. Most on-air staff were made redundant, including breakfast presenters Wayne Tunnicliffe and Amy McConnell, due to them replaced by Metro Radio counterparts Steve Furnell and Karen Wight, although two journalists continued to be based locally
407:
In July 2007, 96.6 TFM was rebranded TFM Radio and re-adopted the slogan 'Today's
Favourite Music' which had first been used in the late 1990s. In 2008, EMAP plc was bought by Bauer Media, a privately owned German-based family business, with the radio group being renamed
482:
Bauer's
Newcastle newsroom broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6am-7pm on weekdays and from 7am-1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Headlines are broadcast on the half hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.
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Marketing itself as 'A Friend Who's Always Near' and 'The Sound of Home', Radio Tees offered unique and distinctive local output with a wide variety of programming and an emphasis on community involvement. Many of its presenters, such as
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Radio Tees also met and interviewed artists over the years both in mainstream and specialist music genres including soul music legend Bobby Womack interviewed in 1985 by the then
583:, the station briefly experimented with over-the-air software downloads for popular home computers of the time, usually broadcasting them after Robb's show finished at 1am.
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in which Radio Tees presenters would travel to destinations around the world and record reports interviewing local people and giving tourist advice and information.
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By the mid-1980s Radio Tees found itself in financial difficulties, and in 1986, its parent company, Sound
Broadcasting (Teesside) Ltd, was bought by
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Radio Tees reported at local events, broadcasting from the
Cleveland and Darlington Shows, the Teesside Air Show and the Teesside Steel Family Gala.
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It is in the areas of news and sport that Radio Tees has given well-known figures in the UK broadcasting industry their break, including
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At all other times networked programming airs via Bauer’s London headquarters or studios in
Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
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am every weekday evening in 1984. The show featured characters such as Rita the cleaner, Mad Tom the handyman, Ginger
Johnson (ex-
368:). In November, that year Radio Tees moved its FM frequency to 96.6 in a direct swap with BBC Radio Cleveland (currently known as
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are carried overnight with bespoke networked bulletins on weekend afternoons, usually originating from Bauer's Leeds newsroom.
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The station often organized its own outside broadcast events as well, many of which took place in John Walker Square, off
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Teesside from April 2024, as part of a network-wide relaunch involving 17 local radio stations in
England and Wales.
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385:(GNR). This was launched after broadcasting rules meant TFM could not broadcast on both FM and medium wave.
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Some former Radio Tees/TFM Radio presenters have gone on to work in the UK national media. These include
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The station's local news and regional output will not be affected as a result of the relaunch.
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reported an increase in weekly listener reach for TFM during the second quarter of 2013.
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As of March 2024, the station has a weekly audience of 138,000 listeners according to
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In 1992, TFM vacated its old Dovecot Street studios and moved to new, purpose-built
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On 10 January 2024, station owners Bauer announced TFM would be rebranded as
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MW: 1169 kHz (24 June 1975-23 November 1978), 1170 kHz (23 November 1978-end)
1443:
619:
73:
420:
856:"Bauer to rebrand heritage FM stations in England and Wales to Hits Radio"
674:, who went on to become BBC News' Europe Editor and North America Editor.
326:(1,169kHz) from the converted Water Board buildings at 74 Dovecot Street,
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576:) and Superstar Cecil, the proprietor of 'The Balloon and Feather' pub.
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a.m. show on BBC Radio 2 from 1990 to 2016, and then in 2020, joined
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345:. By the autumn of that year, Radio Tees was also broadcasting on 95
729:"Charity party to mark 40 years since Radio Tees hit the airwaves"
598:
High Street. For a few months during 1985, Radio Tees had its own
520:
516:
439:
302:
893:"Ex-Radio Tees and Razzmatazz star Alastair Pirrie dies, aged 62"
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Former DJ 'Goffy' hits out at TFM Radio and Metro Radio's merger
397:
349:- the first local radio station in the area to broadcast on FM.
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where he's currently presenting overnights from 1:00am-6:00am.
346:
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Greatest Hits Radio Scottish Borders and North Northumberland
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921:"Radio Tees set to return - but it won't broadcast from here"
776:
Leading MEP to demand action from Ofcom over TFM/Metro merger
512:, Mark Matthews and Graham Robb, derive from the local area.
519:
and country music shows, Radio Tees programmes included the
716:
https://www.radiocentre.org/files/music_week_supplement.pdf
805:
Backlash from listeners as Bauer moves TFM out of Teesside
322:
a.m. on Tuesday 24 June 1975, broadcasting on 257 metres
438:
for news-gathering in the TFM area. Despite the merger,
907:"Radio Tees and TFM DJS gather for reunion 40 years on"
830:"Fifteen local stations get set for Hits Radio rebrand"
396:. In 1995 Metropolitan Broadcasting was taken over by
1564:
Contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom
645:, 'The Big P on the Big T' – host of afternoon show
25:
Radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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471:) airs weekdays from Bauer’s Newcastle studios.
560:A notable programme from the Radio Tees era was
429:located in one OFCOM-approved broadcast area (
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958:
564:, presented by Graham Robb, which ran from 10
8:
1491:List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
28:
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965:
951:
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27:
622:, who briefly worked as a presenter for
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106:The Biggest Hits, The Biggest Throwbacks
1215:East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire
764:TFM leaves Teesside to share with Metro
683:
282:. The station is owned and operated by
817:Around the stations for RAJAR Q2, 2013
7:
1554:Radio stations in North East England
881:Hits Radio - Public File - Teesside
290:network. It broadcasts to areas of
1559:Radio stations established in 1975
1035:Herefordshire & Worcestershire
468:Steve & Karen's Breakfast Show
14:
337:and the first record played was "
34:
424:TFM logo used from 2013 to 2015
1381:Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
1318:Greatest Hits Radio North East
1040:Black Country & Shropshire
360:as it was known, for it owned
1:
745:. RadioToday. 25 October 2007
630:, who presented the 3–6
1323:Greatest Hits Radio Teesside
1168:Bristol & The South West
1050:Staffordshire & Cheshire
807:Prolific North, 8 April 2013
795:Chronicle Live, 7 April 2013
743:"Emap's network up and down"
550:show presenter, Mike Prior.
170:Greatest Hits Radio Teesside
1030:Coventry & Warwickshire
541:Trains and Boats and Planes
515:Alongside specialist soul,
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819:Radio Today, 1 August 2013
766:, RadioToday, 5 April 2013
15:
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354:Metropolitan Broadcasting
33:
16:For the BBC station, see
486:National bulletins from
1424:Newcastle Student Radio
1348:Nation Radio North East
1163:Bournemouth & Poole
655:between 1981 and 1987.
433:). The TFM studios in
272:Independent Local Radio
1241:Timeline of Hits Radio
666:presenter until 2023,
499:Radio Tees programming
465:Regional programming (
425:
318:Radio Tees opened at 6
206:Radio Tees (1975–1988)
188:; 49 years ago
1475:Minster Northallerton
1371:Nova Radio North East
1333:Hits Radio North East
423:
416:Loss of local studios
343:Chairmen of the Board
166:Hits Radio North East
110:Across The North East
1520:54.55889°N 1.30528°W
1231:Bauer Media Audio UK
339:Everything's Tuesday
284:Bauer Media Audio UK
278:, England, based in
214:TFMradio (2007–2013)
212:96.6 TFM (1998–2007)
152:Bauer Media Audio UK
1516: /
1353:Hits Radio Teesside
1298:BBC Radio Newcastle
1236:Greatest Hits Radio
636:Greatest Hits Radio
602:for traffic, named
579:Around the time of
446:Hits Radio Teesside
366:Newcastle upon Tyne
280:Newcastle upon Tyne
264:Hits Radio Teesside
256:Hits Radio Teesside
47:Newcastle upon Tyne
30:
29:Hits Radio Teesside
1525:54.55889; -1.30528
1308:Capital North East
1284:North East England
1282:Radio stations in
1085:North West England
1064:North East England
895:. 30 January 2017.
614:Notable presenters
494:Notable programmes
431:North East England
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224:Former frequencies
1499:
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1470:Great North Radio
1343:Smooth North East
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1009:Hits Radio London
923:. 2 January 2019.
862:. 10 January 2024
836:. 10 January 2024
780:The Northern Echo
626:in the 1980s and
587:Event programming
383:Great North Radio
358:Metro Radio Group
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186:24 June 1975
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1391:Spark Sunderland
1376:Radio Hartlepool
1328:Heart North East
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1156:Southern England
993:Hits Radio Pride
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731:. 27 March 2015.
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909:. 24 June 2015.
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81:: 96.6 MHz
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783:, 7 April 2013
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1428:Purple Radio
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1142:Northsound 1
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228:FM: 95.0 MHz
202:Former names
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1544:Bauer Radio
1523: /
1460:Alpha Radio
1313:Frisk Radio
1189:South Wales
1173:Oxfordshire
652:Razzamatazz
628:Alex Lester
624:BBC Radio 1
510:John Simons
461:Programming
410:Bauer Place
362:Metro Radio
324:medium wave
266:, formerly
218:(2013–2024)
116:Programming
1549:Hits Radio
1538:Categories
1508:54°33′32″N
1404:Zetland FM
1102:Lancashire
1092:Manchester
1071:North East
1025:Birmingham
974:Hits Radio
866:10 January
860:RadioToday
840:10 January
678:References
664:Sky Sports
606:, kept at
604:Flying Eye
452:Hits Radio
314:Radio Tees
288:Hits Radio
246:TFM Player
193:1975-06-24
137:Hits Radio
1511:1°18′19″W
1465:Durham FM
1444:Radio 270
1198:Yorkshire
1120:Clyde 1 (
1097:Liverpool
647:Pirrie PM
641:The late
620:Mark Page
548:Nightlife
533:Sidelight
210:(1988–98)
143:Ownership
74:Frequency
1487:See also
1395:Spice FM
1126:Ayrshire
1114:Scotland
1076:Teesside
1018:Midlands
535:and the
529:motoring
435:Thornaby
356:(or the
335:Les Ross
276:Teesside
270:, is an
208:TFM 96.6
102:Branding
1132:Forth 1
1122:Glasgow
1106:Cumbria
701:30 June
692:"RAJAR"
581:Late On
568:pm to 1
562:Late On
555:Late On
537:holiday
390:studios
309:History
252:Website
241:Webcast
191: (
176:History
133:Network
127:CHR/Pop
97:HITS TS
1147:Tay FM
1002:London
632:
570:
566:
527:, the
320:
122:Format
1182:Wales
834:Bauer
749:8 May
718:| Pg4
539:show
531:show
523:show
521:hi-fi
517:blues
440:RAJAR
341:" by
303:RAJAR
235:Links
148:Owner
868:2024
842:2024
751:2024
703:2022
662:, a
478:News
398:EMAP
372:).
294:and
216:TFM
65:and
1137:MFR
938:TFM
574:RAF
392:in
376:TFM
364:in
347:VHF
268:TFM
93:RDS
84:DAB
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