Metro Radio

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}} {{Use British English|date=August 2011}} '''Metro Radio''' (also known as '''Metro''') is an [[Independent Local Radio|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 & Passion (Radio)|Bauer Place]] stations. ==History== {{Unreferenced section|date=October 2009}} 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 (shopping centre)|MetroCentre]]. In 2005 Metro, and sister station [[Magic 1152]] moved to the former [[BT Group|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 United F.C.|Newcastle]] and Sunderland games on sister station [[Magic 1152]]. The controversial DJ and TV presenter [[James Whale (radio)|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, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] & [[Tyne Tunnel]]), 102.6 (Shilbottle for [[Alnwick]]), 103 ([[Fenham]], west Newcastle) and 103.2 (Newton near [[Hexham]]). DAB is provided by the [[Bauer_Radio#Bauer_Digital_Radio|Bauer Digital Radio]] [http://www.emapdigitalradio.com/edr/m_tyneandwear.shtml 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 Academy Awards|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 upon Tyne|Newcastle]], with Saturday evenings syndicated on sister stations [[CFM Radio]] and [[TFM Radio]]. ''[[In:Demand]]'' and the overnight programmes are produced from [[Key 103]] in [[Manchester]]. ''[[The Vodafone Big Top 40]]'' is produced by [[Global Radio]] at [[Leicester Square]], [[London]] 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. 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 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. Current presenters at the station include: ===Local presenters=== {{col-start}} {{col-2}} *Anna Foster (Sunday to Friday breakfast) *Brian Moore (Weekday breakfast & Saturday afternoon) *[[Clive Warren]] (Sunday to Friday daytime) *Stuart Elmore (Weekday drivetime & Saturday morning) {{col-2}} *[[Alan Robson]] (''Night Owls'') *Dan Black (Saturday breakfast) *Stu Smith (Friday night, Saturday evening & Sunday afternoon) *''Metro Radio Takeover'' (Varying singer song-writers) {{col-end}} ===Networked presenters=== {{col-start}} {{col-2}} *Adam Brown (Weekend overnights) *[[Richard Clarke (radio personality)|Rich Clarke]] (''[[The Vodafone Big Top 40]]'') *Alex James (''[[In:Demand]]'') {{col-2}} *[[Kat Shoob]] (''[[The Vodafone Big Top 40]]'') *Matt Wilkins (Weekday overnights) {{col-end}} ==Former presenters== {{col-start}} {{col-2}} *Matt Bailey (''Night Owls'' producer, now with [[Capital North East]]) *Dave Burrows *Marjorie Lofthouse *Peter Sampson *[[Greg Burns (radio personality)|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 [[Sun FM|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)|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 of West Yorkshire|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 (radio)|Jason King]] *Mick Lowes (sports, now at [[BBC Newcastle]]) {{col-2}} *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) *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 (radio)|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 *[[Philippa Tomson]] (continues as [[Freelancer|freelance]] [[presenter]] and [[Broadcast journalism|broadcast journalist]]) *Michelle Dignan *[[Lucy Horobin]] {{col-end}} ==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". ==External links== * [http://www.metroradio.co.uk Metro Radio] * [http://www.twitter.com/metroradiouk Metro Radio] on [[Twitter]] * [http://www.metroradio.co.uk/sectional.asp?id=23960 Metro Radio - Cash for Kids] * [http://northeastradio.co.uk/Metro_Radio_Index.html History of the Radio Station] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/burnhope/index.php Burnhope transmitter] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fenham.php Fenham transmitter] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/newton.php Newton transmitter] {{Bauer Verlagsgruppe}} {{Radio stations in North East England}} {{coord missing|Tyne and Wear}}