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was added to the Radio
Authority's list of locations where so-called 'Sallie' (Small Scale Alternative Location Licence) licences would be advertised. This brought new impetuous and further RSLs were run in June and November 1995. Throughout this period, programming followed a mainstream commercial
325:
The move to FM saw a step change in the popularity of the station with the audience and advertisers. It was decided to repeat the broadcast during
November 1994, and the decision was made to change the station name from WFMR to Warrington FM. It was renamed again as Wire FM, to reflect Warrington's
312:
The decision was made to move 'indoors', sever the link with the
Festival, and switch to FM. This had significant risks, as costs for FM licences were higher, and new transmitters and studio equipment had to be bought. However, the broadcast went ahead during June 1994 from a 'Community House' on
308:
During 1994, the attraction of the caravan had waned. Funding for the
Warrington Festival of Music had also decreased with the demise of its main supporter, the Warrington & Runcorn Development Corporation. In the 1994 broadcast presenters were also heard to refer to WFMR as Warrington's
300:
The station was duly organised and went on air as
Warrington Festival of Music Radio (WFMR) for two weeks in May 1991. It broadcast from a borrowed portable cabin located behind the Warrington Town Hall Gates on 1602 kHz, with Matthew Newton & Mark Gabler among the presenting team.
361:
Kris
Burford and Ande McPherson. Competition for the licence was expected to be strong and significant resources were allocated to the bid resulting in more than 250 letters of support being received and comprehensive research being undertaken and analysed by the most respected research
304:
The station was successful in both audience response and commercial respects, and further RSL broadcasts were made in the spring of 1992 and 1993. Stephen
Armstrong-Smith and David Duffy joined the management team and a 14' touring caravan was converted into a mobile studio.
419:
was to another user. But Orange were in the process of securing planning permission for a new, higher tower on close by land owned by
Warrington Golf Course. A deal was struck and Orange were able to offer the station the prime antenna location at the top of the tower.
356:
During 1996, Cheshire was advertised as the location for two potential radio stations. The remaining members of Wire FM's management team, Philip
Houltby and David Duffy, assembled the bid in conjunction with IRG's licence bid team consisting of
569:
https://www.bauermedia.co.uk/newsroom/press-releases/cma-today-clears-the-acquisitions-of-lincs-fm-celador-radio-ukrd-and-wireless-local-stations CMA today clears the acquisitions of Lincs FM, Celador Radio, UKRD and
Wireless local
374:(Widnes and Runcorn) in the intended coverage area. To strengthen the bid in Halton, John Grindley (known on air as Phil Johnson) was invited to join the bid and bring his experience of the Halton FM RSL broadcasts to the team.
353:
by Tony Dewhurst and Jeff Graham, who also authored the licence application. By this point, Stephen Cooper had left the team, and Stephen Armstrong-Smith had joined IRG as their regional engineer.
552:. The station's local breakfast show was replaced by a regional drivetime show. Localised news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising were retained. The station's Orrell studios were closed.
386:
later indicated this was a key factor in awarding the licence. Application documents were submitted during May 1997 and the Radio Authority awarded the licence to Wire FM during November 1997.
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999:
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Following the licence award, problems with securing an antenna site caused a six-month delay in getting on-air. The original space secured on the High Warren tower operated by
545:
On 13 July 2020, local programming outside weekday breakfast was replaced by networked output from the GHR network, with Wire FM retaining its own branding.
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Following a review of the coverage pattern predicted for the High Warren Reservoir transmitter site, the strategic decision was made to include the
285:
Wire FM's origins began in 1990 when two presenters at Warrington's hospital radio station, Stephen Cooper and Philip Houltby, decided to run an
457:
In 1999, the owners of Wire FM, the Independent Radio Group, were brought by The Wireless Group in 1999. Six years later, TWG was taken over by
441:
476:
In early 2007, the station's owners approached UK media regulator OFCOM to ask permission to move the station's base from Warrington to the
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Phil Johnson was the first voice on the station, presenting its weekday breakfast show. The first track to be played on the station was
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During 1995, with the licence application pending, the Wire FM management team had initially formed an alliance with the
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The original plan was abandoned but from the autumn of 2009, all three stations were based at studios in the
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In September 2020, the station merged with several in the North West of England and North Wales, as
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There was much discussion on Widnes and Runcorn's acceptance of the name 'Wire', however, the
371:
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to bid for Warrington. However, Marcher were dropped in favour of the Independent Radio Group
137:
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349:(IRG), following their formation and subsequent successful bid for Wigan and St. Helens as
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The station launched under programme director Simon Wynne, who at the time was also PD of
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On 8 February 2019, Wire FM and the Wireless Group's local radio stations were sold to
488:
as part of a plan to co-locate with two other stations from the Wireless Group group:
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445:. Other launch presenters included Pete Pinnington (drive), Lee McGrath (evenings),
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In February 2019, Wire FM was sold, along with Wireless's other local stations, to
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Warrington – Radio Warrington (Warrington Collegiate Institute-led bid backed by
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Following its sale to Bauer Radio, the station was closed and merged with the
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format, along with regular community features and local news supplied by the
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Warrington – Warrington FM (local consortium, supported by David Rodgers of
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Bauer starts to roll out Hits and Greatest Hits to new radio stations
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63:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
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531:. The sale was ratified in March 2020 following an inquiry by the
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On 27 May 2020, it was announced that Wire FM will join Bauer's
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Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West (Warrington)
95:
Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West (Warrington)
28:
606:
Most of acquired Bauer stations to become Greatest Hits Radio
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Most of acquired Bauer stations to become Greatest Hits Radio
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station for the town. Cooper had previous RSL experience via
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Nora Street in the Howley area of Warrington, borrowed from
449:, John Seddon (sport) and Tony Johnson (Sunday night).
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432:in Manchester, and sales director Mark Collins.
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1000:Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom
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93:
608:Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 27 May 2020
596:Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 9 July 2020
584:Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 27 May 2020
79:Learn how and when to remove this message
268:
561:
7:
389:Competing applications were :
273:Wire FM logo used from 2010 to 2016
985:Radio stations established in 1998
281:Final logo used from 2016 to 2020.
25:
533:Competition and Markets Authority
33:
550:Greatest Hits Radio North West
1:
326:wire manufacturing heritage.
728:Republic of Ireland local FM
572:, Bauer Media, 12 March 2020
927:Radio in the United Kingdom
407:Halton – Fun FM (backed by
261:network in September 2020.
59:the claims made and adding
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980:Radio stations in Cheshire
329:At the beginning of 1995,
315:Warrington Borough Council
199:1 September 1998
461:(later Wireless Group).
922:Havelock House, Belfast
712:Northern Ireland DAB/FM
309:Favourite Music Radio.
236:Independent Local Radio
91:Radio station in Orrell
956:53.539099°N 2.699343°W
811:Great Britain local FM
780:Great Britain local AM
417:Mercury Communications
366:Extended coverage area
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961:53.539099; -2.699343
698:Virgin Radio Chilled
693:Virgin Radio Anthems
238:station serving the
995:Greatest Hits Radio
952: /
879:Sport (UK magazine)
703:Virgin Radio Groove
540:Greatest Hits Radio
343:Marcher Radio Group
336:Warrington Guardian
259:Greatest Hits Radio
220:Greatest Hits Radio
168:Greatest Hits Radio
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402:The Wireless Group
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44:possibly contains
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453:Ownership changes
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42:This article
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18:107.2 Wire FM
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893:UTV Internet
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430:1458 Lite AM
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158:Classic Hits
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26:
990:Bauer Radio
959: /
902:UTV Ireland
872:Other media
740:Cork's 96FM
683:Times Radio
679:talkSPORT 2
529:Bauer Radio
466:Bauer Radio
447:Bobby Prior
378:Licence bid
147:Programming
132:: 107.2 MHz
974:Categories
944:53°32′21″N
843:Signal 107
556:References
486:Merseyside
472:Relocation
395:Orchard FM
240:Warrington
230:(formerly
203:1998-09-01
53:improve it
947:2°41′58″W
675:talkSPORT
670:TalkRadio
542:network.
498:St Helens
459:UTV Media
295:Peterhead
250:areas of
174:Ownership
125:Frequency
57:verifying
915:See also
889:UTV Live
863:The Wolf
848:Tower FM
838:Signal 1
818:The Wave
792:Signal 2
570:stations
502:Tower FM
484:area of
331:Cheshire
291:Waves AM
252:Cheshire
232:Wire FM)
142:GRT_HITS
118:Cheshire
858:Wish FM
853:Wire FM
828:Pulse 1
823:Peak FM
787:Pulse 2
755:Live 95
490:Wish FM
478:Haydock
409:The Bay
351:Wish FM
265:History
248:Runcorn
216:Website
201: (
189:History
164:Network
51:Please
773:Former
517:Orrell
506:Bolton
500:) and
244:Widnes
234:is an
153:Format
116:North
104:Orrell
750:FM104
656:Radio
494:Wigan
211:Links
183:Bauer
179:Owner
897:u.tv
760:LMFM
745:C103
719:U105
510:Bury
508:and
496:and
246:and
884:UTV
512:).
480:or
439:'s
347:PLC
293:in
287:RSL
138:RDS
55:by
976::
535:.
468:.
338:.
317:.
297:.
254:.
242:,
130:FM
641:e
634:t
627:v
504:(
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205:)
82:)
76:(
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67:(
49:.
20:)
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