47:
391:
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
439:
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
448:
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
418:
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
493:
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.
514:
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
1571:
1281:
1345:
557:
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
594:, 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
602:
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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485:
At all other times networked programming airs via Bauer’s London headquarters or studios in
Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
583:
am every weekday evening in 1984. The show featured characters such as Rita the cleaner, Mad Tom the handyman, Ginger
Johnson (ex-
379:). In November, that year Radio Tees moved its FM frequency to 96.6 in a direct swap with BBC Radio Cleveland (currently known as
432:
501:
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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94:
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396:(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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468:
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)
1451:
630:
84:
431:
867:"Bauer to rebrand heritage FM stations in England and Wales to Hits Radio"
685:, who went on to become BBC News' Europe Editor and North America Editor.
337:(1,169kHz) from the converted Water Board buildings at 74 Dovecot Street,
345:
286:
587:) 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
400:
356:. By the autumn of that year, Radio Tees was also broadcasting on 95
740:"Charity party to mark 40 years since Radio Tees hit the airwaves"
609:
High Street. For a few months during 1985, Radio Tees had its own
531:
527:
450:
313:
904:"Ex-Radio Tees and Razzmatazz star Alastair Pirrie dies, aged 62"
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804:
Former DJ 'Goffy' hits out at TFM Radio and Metro Radio's merger
408:
360:- the first local radio station in the area to broadcast on FM.
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957:
649:
where he's currently presenting overnights from 1:00am-6:00am.
357:
1346:
Greatest Hits Radio Scottish Borders and North Northumberland
953:
932:"Radio Tees set to return - but it won't broadcast from here"
787:
Leading MEP to demand action from Ofcom over TFM/Metro merger
523:, Mark Matthews and Graham Robb, derive from the local area.
530:
and country music shows, Radio Tees programmes included the
727:
https://www.radiocentre.org/files/music_week_supplement.pdf
816:
Backlash from listeners as Bauer moves TFM out of Teesside
333:
a.m. on Tuesday 24 June 1975, broadcasting on 257 metres
449:
for news-gathering in the TFM area. Despite the merger,
918:"Radio Tees and TFM DJS gather for reunion 40 years on"
841:"Fifteen local stations get set for Hits Radio rebrand"
407:. In 1995 Metropolitan Broadcasting was taken over by
1572:
Contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom
656:, 'The Big P on the Big T' – host of afternoon show
36:
Radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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344:The first presenter on air was breakfast show host
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681:, who went on to become Director of BBC News, and
482:) airs weekdays from Bauer’s Newcastle studios.
571:A notable programme from the Radio Tees era was
440:located in one OFCOM-approved broadcast area (
1275:
969:
575:, presented by Graham Robb, which ran from 10
8:
1499:List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
39:
1282:
1268:
1260:
976:
962:
954:
38:
633:, who briefly worked as a presenter for
430:
117:The Biggest Hits, The Biggest Throwbacks
1223:East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire
775:TFM leaves Teesside to share with Metro
694:
293:. The station is owned and operated by
828:Around the stations for RAJAR Q2, 2013
7:
1562:Radio stations in North East England
892:Hits Radio - Public File - Teesside
301:network. It broadcasts to areas of
1567:Radio stations established in 1975
1044:Herefordshire & Worcestershire
479:Steve & Karen's Breakfast Show
25:
348:and the first record played was "
45:
435:TFM logo used from 2013 to 2015
1389:Radio Sunderland for Hospitals
1326:Greatest Hits Radio North East
1049:Black Country & Shropshire
371:as it was known, for it owned
1:
756:. RadioToday. 25 October 2007
641:, who presented the 3–6
1331:Greatest Hits Radio Teesside
1176:Bristol & The South West
1059:Staffordshire & Cheshire
818:Prolific North, 8 April 2013
806:Chronicle Live, 7 April 2013
754:"Emap's network up and down"
561:show presenter, Mike Prior.
181:Greatest Hits Radio Teesside
1039:Coventry & Warwickshire
552:Trains and Boats and Planes
526:Alongside specialist soul,
1588:
830:Radio Today, 1 August 2013
777:, RadioToday, 5 April 2013
26:
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365:Metropolitan Broadcasting
44:
27:For the BBC station, see
497:National bulletins from
1432:Newcastle Student Radio
1356:Nation Radio North East
1171:Bournemouth & Poole
666:between 1981 and 1987.
444:). The TFM studios in
283:Independent Local Radio
1249:Timeline of Hits Radio
677:presenter until 2023,
510:Radio Tees programming
476:Regional programming (
436:
329:Radio Tees opened at 6
217:Radio Tees (1975–1988)
199:; 49 years ago
1483:Minster Northallerton
1379:Nova Radio North East
1341:Hits Radio North East
434:
427:Loss of local studios
354:Chairmen of the Board
177:Hits Radio North East
121:Across The North East
1528:54.55889°N 1.30528°W
1239:Bauer Media Audio UK
350:Everything's Tuesday
295:Bauer Media Audio UK
289:, England, based in
225:TFMradio (2007–2013)
223:96.6 TFM (1998–2007)
163:Bauer Media Audio UK
1524: /
1361:Hits Radio Teesside
1306:BBC Radio Newcastle
1244:Greatest Hits Radio
647:Greatest Hits Radio
613:for traffic, named
590:Around the time of
457:Hits Radio Teesside
377:Newcastle upon Tyne
291:Newcastle upon Tyne
275:Hits Radio Teesside
267:Hits Radio Teesside
58:Newcastle upon Tyne
41:
40:Hits Radio Teesside
18:TFM (radio station)
1533:54.55889; -1.30528
1316:Capital North East
1292:North East England
1290:Radio stations in
1094:North West England
1073:North East England
906:. 30 January 2017.
625:Notable presenters
505:Notable programmes
442:North East England
437:
235:Former frequencies
1507:
1506:
1478:Great North Radio
1351:Smooth North East
1257:
1256:
1019:Hits Radio London
934:. 2 January 2019.
873:. 10 January 2024
847:. 10 January 2024
791:The Northern Echo
637:in the 1980s and
598:Event programming
394:Great North Radio
369:Metro Radio Group
272:
271:
197:24 June 1975
16:(Redirected from
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1529:
1525:
1522:
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1461:Defunct stations
1407:Darlo Fans Radio
1399:Spark Sunderland
1384:Radio Hartlepool
1336:Heart North East
1284:
1277:
1270:
1261:
1164:Southern England
1004:Hits Radio Pride
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742:. 27 March 2015.
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619:Teesside Airport
607:Stockton-on-Tees
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413:Big City Network
405:Thornaby-on-Tees
339:Stockton-on-Tees
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97:: 11B (Teesside)
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1371:Community radio
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1213:South Yorkshire
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920:. 24 June 2015.
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707:www.rajar.co.uk
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654:Alastair Pirrie
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517:Alastair Pirrie
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307:North Yorkshire
297:as part of the
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171:Sister stations
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92:: 96.6 MHz
74:North Yorkshire
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943:External links
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794:, 7 April 2013
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611:light aircraft
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999:Hits Radio UK
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875:. Retrieved
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239:FM: 95.0 MHz
213:Former names
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1552:Bauer Radio
1531: /
1468:Alpha Radio
1321:Frisk Radio
1197:South Wales
1181:Oxfordshire
663:Razzamatazz
639:Alex Lester
635:BBC Radio 1
521:John Simons
472:Programming
421:Bauer Place
373:Metro Radio
335:medium wave
277:, formerly
229:(2013–2024)
127:Programming
1557:Hits Radio
1546:Categories
1516:54°33′32″N
1412:Zetland FM
1111:Lancashire
1101:Manchester
1080:North East
1034:Birmingham
985:Hits Radio
877:10 January
871:RadioToday
851:10 January
689:References
675:Sky Sports
617:, kept at
615:Flying Eye
463:Hits Radio
325:Radio Tees
299:Hits Radio
257:TFM Player
204:1975-06-24
148:Hits Radio
1519:1°18′19″W
1473:Durham FM
1452:Radio 270
1206:Yorkshire
1106:Liverpool
658:Pirrie PM
652:The late
631:Mark Page
559:Nightlife
544:Sidelight
221:(1988–98)
154:Ownership
85:Frequency
1495:See also
1403:Spice FM
1123:Scotland
1085:Teesside
1027:Midlands
546:and the
540:motoring
446:Thornaby
367:(or the
346:Les Ross
287:Teesside
281:, is an
219:TFM 96.6
113:Branding
1155:West FM
1135:Forth 1
1130:Clyde 1
1115:Cumbria
712:30 June
703:"RAJAR"
592:Late On
579:pm to 1
573:Late On
566:Late On
548:holiday
401:studios
320:History
263:Website
252:Webcast
202: (
187:History
144:Network
138:CHR/Pop
108:HITS TS
1150:Tay FM
1013:London
643:
581:
577:
538:, the
331:
133:Format
1190:Wales
845:Bauer
760:8 May
729:| Pg4
550:show
542:show
534:show
532:hi-fi
528:blues
451:RAJAR
352:" by
314:RAJAR
246:Links
159:Owner
879:2024
853:2024
762:2024
714:2022
673:, a
489:News
409:EMAP
383:).
305:and
227:TFM
76:and
1140:MFR
949:TFM
585:RAF
403:in
387:TFM
375:in
358:VHF
279:TFM
104:RDS
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