100-102 Century Radio

Infobox Radio station


name=100-102 Century Radio
airdate= 1 September 1994
frequency=96.2 MHz,
96.4 MHz,
100.7 MHz,
101.8 MHz,
MXR North East DAB multiplex
and online [http://www.100centuryfm.com]
share = 8.4%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area= North East England
format = Adult Contemporary
owner = GMG Radio
website = [http://www.100centuryfm.com 100centuryfm.com]

100-102 Century Radio is an independent local radio station for North East England owned by GMG Radio. Its main competitors are stations Metro Radio and TFM Radio.

History

It was the first in the Century brand, which follows a 'personality' format, mixing speech and music. The station was originally housed in Gateshead beside the Tyne Bridge, but in 2008 relocated to Team Valley to share a building with GMG station Smooth Radio. It was originally called "Century Radio", not to be confused with the failed Irish station of the same name; it changed its name to use the FM branding, and then back to Radio in 2008.

The station was set up by the then owners Border Television, with John Myers as managing director and John Simons as programme director. Myers presented the breakfast show under the pseudonym of John Morgan. The first song played on air was 'A Star is Born' (also used to launch the North West's Century FM).

A 'listener's club' was formed, with parties at locations around the region attended by the station's presenters. The Jingling Gate in Stanley, County Durham was the most common location, but other events were held at the Stadium of Light and the Dolphin Centre in Darlington.

Late-night phone-in presenter Mike 'The Mouth' Elliott once caused controversy by walking out during his show. Elliot took an extended break after this controversy, during which time he appeared in the film "Billy Elliot" as boxing coach George Watson. He was also fired in January 2000 when bosses claimed that he was intoxicated on air. However, Elliott claims that he was "stoned out of his tree" on Benylin while trying to fight off a heavy cold. He was reemployed when Capital Radio took over the station. [http://www.lindisfarne.de/interviews/ivme0103.htm]

Ex-Metro Radio presenter Steve Coleman's highly marketed introduction to the breakfast show was very unpopular, and he was sacked after just three weeks in August 1996. It was revealed that audiences had decreased rapidly, and businesses had threatened to pull their advertising. Coleman is now at Magic Radio with a 60s show on Sunday. [http://www.daveporter.co.uk/steve/]

Jeff Stephenson replaced Myers as Managing Director, and John Caine replaced Simons. Simons left the station for talkSPORT, and Myers left Gateshead to concentrate on setting up 105.4 Century FM in Salford and relaunching 106 Century FM in Nottingham.

Border sold the Century brand to GCap Media, and Myers left the group to head GMG Radio, where he set up the similar Real Radio network. Simons rejoined Myers to establish the Real and Smooth FM regional stations. In October 2006 GMG Radio acquired the Century brand from GCap. [http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.1434.2] Paul Smith, a former BBC and commercial radio producer, immediately joined Century as Programme Director, and Sales Director Debbie Bowman was promoted to Managing Director.

Football coverage

The station broadcasts extensively on football, a passion in the north east, and has a particularly close relationship with Newcastle United and Middlesbrough F.C.. Two famous ex-players for local sides, Malcolm Macdonald, who played for Newcastle United and Bernie Slaven, who played for Middlesbrough are employed on the "Legends Football Phone-In". Eric Gates, who played for Sunderland was the third "Legend", but has not been heard on the show since reports surfaced in local newspapers that he had signed for rival station BBC Radio Newcastle. He has recently been replaced by FA Cup Final 1973 winner Micky Horswill. They have just lost the rights to Middlesbrough games and will now put Sunderland games on in the south of the region. Middlesbrough games will now broadcast extensively by BBC Tees.

If Both Newcastle and Sunderland play at the same time. Pete Graves would cover one game whilst Century North West's Head of Sport (also group head of sport) Chris Cooper would cover the other.

News

After 8pm GMG radio news bulletins are broadcast from the GMG news centre in Manchester, where 105.4 Century FM is based. Century Radio's weekend news bulletins are networked from 105.4 Century FM.

External links

* [http://www.centuryradionortheast.co.uk/ Official website]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/bilsdale/index.asp Bilsdale transmitter.]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/burnhope.asp Burnhope transmitter.]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fenham.asp Fenham transmitter.]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/newton.asp Newton transmitter.]
* [http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/music-radio-stations/century-radio-north-east-england DooYoo.]