Metro Radio

Metro Radio

Former Metro Radio logo
City of license	Newcastle
Broadcast area	Tyne and Wear County Durham Northumberland
Slogan	Non Stop Hits and More Music Variety
Frequency	RDS: METRO 102.6 MHz (Alnwick) 103.0 MHz (Fenham) 103.2 MHz (Hexham) 97.1 MHz (Tyne Tunnel Relay) 97.1 MHz (Newcastle upon Tyne)[1]
First air date	15 July 1974
Format	Contemporary hit radio, news, speech & talk
Audience share	9.90% (March 2011, [2])
Owner	Bauer Radio
Sister stations	CFM Radio Hallam FM Key 103 Radio City 96.7 96.3 Radio Aire 97.4 Rock FM TFM Radio 96.9 Viking FM
Webcast	whatsON
Website	Metro Radio

Metro Radio (also known as Metro) 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. Metro Radio is owned by Bauer Radio and forms part of the Bauer Place stations.

History

This Newcastle based station, broadcasting to North East England, launched on 15 July 1974. The first Breakfast Show was presented by Don Dwyer, an Australian radio presenter formerly at ABC, Giles Squire, James Whale, Peter Wraight, Peter Sampson and Harry Rowell were also there from the beginning. The first show also included messages of congratulations from Kenny Everett at the equivalent local commercial station in London, Capital Radio, and from the station's first managing director Bruce Lewis.

The station originally transmitted from a studio in Swalwell, Gateshead, which, in later years, would be adjacent to the MetroCentre. In 2005 Metro, and sister station Magic 1152 moved to the former BT building, previously known as Swan House, now known as 55° North, in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Until 2005 the station broadcast live football commentary for the region's two biggest clubs — Newcastle United and Sunderland. In an attempt to boost ratings, the football commentary was stopped. However, a negative response from football fans prompted the owners to cover all Newcastle and Sunderland games on sister station Magic 1152.

The controversial DJ and TV presenter James Whale launched his radio career on Metro, presenting the Night Owls Show on the station between 1974 and 1980. Other well known names include Mark Goodier, Gabby Logan, Jenny Powell, Jeremy Vine and Mark Forrest.

Present

Since 2 July 2005 Metro Radio has broadcast from the 55° North complex, next to the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The station is currently the principal sponsor of the Metro Radio Arena, formerly the Telewest Arena.

The station currently broadcasts on four analogue frequencies to a potential audience of 1.4million. These frequencies are on 97.1 (Burnhope for Sunderland, Newcastle & Tyne Tunnel), 102.6 (Shilbottle for Alnwick), 103 (Fenham, west Newcastle) and 103.2 (Newton near Hexham). DAB is provided by the Bauer Digital Radio Tyne and Wear 11C multiplex from Burnhope and Fenham. Metro Radio's live broadcast can also be listened to from the website along with famous past shows

Metro Radio has won many awards including the Sony Radio Gold Award for Sport, and a finalist award for Creative Services at the New York awards and Station of the Year at the EMAP Radio Awards.

Production

The majority of programming is presented and produced locally from Metro Radio studios based in Newcastle although In:Demand and the overnight programmes are produced from Key 103. The Vodafone Big Top 40 is produced by Global Radio at the 95.8 Capital FM studios for broadcast on over 130 commercial radio stations across the UK.

On 19 September 2011, the station changed it's name to Radio Gaga, as part of a station promotion. Over the following two weeks, listeners have to spot the daily Gaga stunt and text to win a £500 prize.^[3] This saw a special edition of In:Demand produced for Metro Radio based upon Lady Gaga.

Programming

After repeatedly falling audience figures breakfast presenter Tony Horne was removed from his on air position in July 2011, before the end of his contract. Controversy followed as it was revealed that he had presented most of his broadcasts from studios in Manchester (near to his home in Lymm, where he had lived since 2001) rather than Newcastle ^[4] Anna Foster and Brian Moore are providing interim cover. On 25 September 2011, it was announced that breakfast presenters on rival station Capital North East, Steve Furnell and Karen Wight, would join Metro Radio in Spring 2012 once their contract with Capital ends.^[5]

From 1 November 2011 the Metro Radio schedule is:^[6]

Monday–Friday

Time	Main presenter(s)	Location
0200 – 0600	Matt Wilkins	Manchester
0600 – 1000	Metro in the Morning: Anna Foster & Brian Moore	Newcastle
1000 – 1400	Clive Warren (including The Top 10 at 10 until 1100) [7]
1400 – 1500	Metro's Most Wanted (automated)
1500 – 1900	Metro Radio's Homerun: Stuart Elmore
1900 – 2200	In:Demand: Alex James	Manchester
2200 – 0200	Alan Robson's Night Owls: Alan Robson [7]	Newcastle

Friday variation

Time	Main presenter(s)	Location
2200 – 0200	Floorfillers: Stu Smith	Newcastle

Saturday

Time	Main presenter(s)	Location
0200 – 0600	Adam Brown	Manchester
0600 – 0900	Dan Black	Newcastle
0900 – 1200	Stuart Elmore
1200 – 1400	Metro Radio Takeover (voice-tracked)
1400 – 1700	The North East's Most Wanted: Brian Moore (voice-tracked)
1700 – 2200	Saturday Night Party: Stu Smith
2200 – 0200	Alan Robson's Night Owls: Alan Robson [7]

Sunday

Time	Main presenter(s)	Location
0200 – 0400	Early Sunday (automated)	Manchester
0400 – 0600	Adam Brown
0600 – 1000	Chilled Sunday: Anna Foster	Newcastle
1000 – 1300	Clive Warren (including The Top 10 at 10 until 1100) [7]
1300 – 1600	Stu Smith
1600 – 1900	The Vodafone Big Top 40: Rich Clarke & Kat Shoob [8]	Leicester Square, London
1900 – 2200	Metro Radio Takeover (repeat)	Newcastle
2200 – 0200	Alan Robson's Night Owls: Alan Robson [7]

News team

Simon Conway (Broadcast Journalist & Breakfast newsreader) Joe Daunt (Broadcast Journalist) Rebecca Dixon (Broadcast Journalist) Joel Goldman (Broadcast Journalist & Deputy Editor)

Anna Harding (Broadcast Journalist) Kelly Hinch (Broadcast Journalist; freelance) Justin Kings (News Editor; also stand-in for Alan Robson)

Notes

• Richard Allen (Magic 1152 presenter) occasionally cover presents on Metro Radio.
• Wayne Allen (TFM Radio presenter) occasionally cover presents on Metro Radio.
• Captain Marky Mark is the travel presenter for Metro Radio and appears from 0600 – 0900 and 1600 – 1900 weekdays.

Former presenters

Matt Bailey (Night Owls producer, now with Capital North East) Dave Burrows Marjorie Lofthouse Peter Sampson Greg Burns (now at 95.8 Capital FM) Steve Colman (now at sister station Magic 1152) John Coulson (deceased) Graham Courtney (Currently at Talk Sport) Tony Crosby (now a lawyer in his own practise) Mark Goodier (now at Smooth Radio) Gabby Logan Judie McCourt (now at TFM Radio) Dave Porter Mark Forrest (now at Classic FM) Mark Thorburn (now at 103.4 Sun FM) Harvey "Big Phil" Phillips Simon Crabtree (journalist and SAFC commentator now working for Premier League) Kenny D (now the station Events Manager) Andrew Dalby (journalist) Lee Finan (now at Real Radio North East) Giles Squire (now Managing Director of Thru The Mill Ltd.) Andrew Gascoigne (now at CFM Radio) Paul Gough (runs own company, Goffy Media) Andy Grahmme Pete Graves (now at Sky Sports News) Marc Henry (now at The Pulse) Charles Harrison (journalist) Ingrid Hagemann (Sky Sports Netball Superleague Anchor) and BBC Newcastle Nick Jordan (now at Alpha 103.2) Steve King Jason King Mick Lowes (sports, now at BBC Newcastle)

George Lucas Paddy MacDee (now at BBC Newcastle and BBC Tees) Scott Makin (now at TFM Radio) Ken McKenzie (now a video producer and media consultant)[9] Guy Mowbray (now with BBC Sport) Jonathan Morrell (emigrated to Australia) Marc Paul (deceased) Stuart Paul David Perry Jenny Powell (now with BBC Breakfast) David Prever Simon Pryde Steve Randall Alex Roland (now Programme Director of TFM Radio) Joel Ross Lisa Shaw (now at Real Radio North East) Ana Schofield Ian Thompson (was known as Dogsbody) Greg Upwards James Whale (now at LBC) Russ Williams (now at Absolute Radio) John Stoker Mike Taylor Peter Wraight Jeremy Vine (now at BBC Radio 2) Nicky Brown Vicky Warham (now with 96.9 Viking FM) Dan Wood (now at Orion Media) Tony Horne [10] Philippa Tomson (continues as freelance presenter and broadcast journalist) Michelle Dignan [11] Lucy Horobin

Charity

The official charity of both Metro Radio and its sister station Magic 1152 is Cash for Kids. The station organise events to raise money for this charity, for example an evening with Jason Donovan and a "cooks fun run".

References

1. ^ Metro Radio Media UK
2. ^ Listening - Quarterly Listening RAJAR
3. ^ Metro Radio goes Gaga for promotion Radio Today, 21 September 2011
4. ^ Tony Horne exits Metro Radio breakfast, RadioToday, 14 July 2011
5. ^ Capital FM breakfast team join Metro, Radio Today, 25 September 2011
6. ^ Metro Radio - On Air
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} Schedule changes at Metro Radio Radio Today, 5 January 2010
8. ^ About Us | Meet Rich and Kat Big Top 40
9. ^ McKenzie Media
10. ^ Tony Horne exits Metro Radio breakfast, RadioToday, 14 July 2011
11. ^ Bauer’s Michelle Dignan joins 5 live Radio Today, 2 November 2011

External links

• Metro Radio
• Metro Radio on Twitter
• Metro Radio - Cash for Kids
• History of the Radio Station
• Burnhope transmitter
• Fenham transmitter
• Newton transmitter