Metro Radio group
Encyclopedia
Metropolitan Broadcasting or the Metro Radio Group as it was more commonly known, was a group of Independent Local Radio
stations in North East of England
.
Between 1986 and 1987, Radio Tees relayed the programmes of Metro Radio in mono - originally their overnight programme, expanding it to include Alan Robson's Night Owls on weeknights and a music show with John Oley on Fridays - by the summer of 86, it was further extended to 7 pm to include Nicky Brown - resulting in Radio Tees being Radio Tees from 7 am to 7 pm and at night, "Metro And Tees Together!". This carried on when they became TFM in January 88 - the service was "Metro And TFM Together" - just before Easter, TFM became its own station - still remaining part of the Metro Radio group, but no longer broadcasting identical programme output.
In 1990 the Group expanded and took over the Yorkshire Radio Network
, the Sheffield
based company. Following this takeover the group also owned:
The Metro Radio Group was taken over by Emap
in 1996. Following this, nearly all of the group's radio stations including Metro Radio itself were brought and branded under Emap Radiohttp://northeastradio.co.uk/Radio_Tees_The_Station.html (with the exception of The Pulse, which was the subject of a management buyout by The Radio Partnership
). After the acquisition of Emap Radio, these stations were branded under Bauer Radio.
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
stations in North East of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The group originally consisted of:- Metro FM (which later became Metro RadioMetro RadioMetro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
) - Radio TeesRadio TeesRadio Tees was the original name of TFM Radio, the Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in North East England, serving Teesside and parts of County Durham and North Yorkshire....
(now TFM RadioTFM RadioTFM Radio is a Thornaby-on-Tees based Independent Local Radio station. Launched in June 1975 as Radio Tees, with the callsign "You've got a friend on 257" it was the first independent local radio station serving the area of the Tees Valley with parts of North Yorkshire and County Durham...
). - Great North RadioGreat North RadioGreat North Radio or G.N.R as it was sometimes called was formed in March 1989 using the AM frequencies of Metro Radio and Radio Tees . This happened after the Metro Radio group decided to split the FM and AM frequencies up.-Programming:...
(which later became Magic 1170Magic 1170Magic 1170 is an Independent Local Radio station which broadcasts to Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire from its studios in Thornaby. It is the AM sister station of TFM Radio.-History:...
& Magic 1152Magic 1152Magic 1152 is the name of an Independent Local Radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. It forms part of the Magic network owned by Bauer Radio. It shares a studio complex with sister station Metro Radio at the 55 Degrees North complex, next to the Tyne Bridge...
).
Between 1986 and 1987, Radio Tees relayed the programmes of Metro Radio in mono - originally their overnight programme, expanding it to include Alan Robson's Night Owls on weeknights and a music show with John Oley on Fridays - by the summer of 86, it was further extended to 7 pm to include Nicky Brown - resulting in Radio Tees being Radio Tees from 7 am to 7 pm and at night, "Metro And Tees Together!". This carried on when they became TFM in January 88 - the service was "Metro And TFM Together" - just before Easter, TFM became its own station - still remaining part of the Metro Radio group, but no longer broadcasting identical programme output.
In 1990 the Group expanded and took over the Yorkshire Radio Network
Yorkshire Radio Network
Not to be confused with Yorkshire Radio.The Yorkshire Radio Network was a group of three radio stations which shared programmes in the evening and at weekends...
, the Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
based company. Following this takeover the group also owned:
- Viking Radio (which later became 96.9 Viking FM96.9 Viking FM96.9 Viking FM is an English Independent Local Radio station which has broadcast music and local information to the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire since 1984. It is based in Kingston upon Hull...
). - Pennine RadioPennine RadioPennine Radio may refer to:* Pennine Radio Limited an electronics company in Huddersfield.* Pennine Radio - Former radio station in West Yorkshire, based in Bradford ....
(which later became The Pulse of West YorkshireThe Pulse of West YorkshireThe Pulse is a British Independent Local Radio station that serves the Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale areas of West Yorkshire. The station was originally known as Pennine Radio...
). - Radio Hallam (which later became Hallam FMHallam FMHallam FM is an independent local radio station serving South Yorkshire and the North Midlands from studios in Sheffield. The station is owned and operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations.-History:...
). - Classic GoldClassic GoldClassic Gold was a network of three "Gold" music formatted stations which broadcast on AM in Bradford, Hull and Sheffield. They were the Pennine Radio, Viking Radio and Radio Hallam's medium wave franchises...
(which, after the take over was changed to "Great Yorkshire Gold", it later became Magic 1161Magic 1161Magic 1161 is a commercial radio station which broadcasts to the East Riding of Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire in England since 1997.It is the AM sister station of Viking FM and is a part of the Magic Radio Network within the Bauer Radio group....
, Magic AMMagic AMMagic AM is a commercial local radio station which broadcasts to South Yorkshire and the North Midlands. The station forms part of the Magic Network and is owned by Bauer Radio...
and Pulse GoldPulse GoldPulse Gold was an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from Bradford. It broadcast alongside sister station The Pulse Of West Yorkshire.-History:...
)http://www.mediauk.com/the_knowledge/i.muk/Metro_Radio_Group.
The Metro Radio Group was taken over by Emap
EMAP
Emap Limited is a British media company, specialising in the production of business-to-business magazines, and the organisation of business events and conferences...
in 1996. Following this, nearly all of the group's radio stations including Metro Radio itself were brought and branded under Emap Radiohttp://northeastradio.co.uk/Radio_Tees_The_Station.html (with the exception of The Pulse, which was the subject of a management buyout by The Radio Partnership
The Radio Partnership
-About:Initially, the Metro Radio Group was acquired by East Midland Allied Press in 1996...
). After the acquisition of Emap Radio, these stations were branded under Bauer Radio.