Hits Radio North East, formerly Metro Radio, is an

Independent Local Radio Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. As a result of the buyouts and mergers permitted by the Broadcasting Act 1990, and deregulation resulting from the Communications Act 2 ...

station, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Hits Radio network. The station launched in 1974 as Metro Radio. It broadcasts to County Durham, Northumberland, and

Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England. It borders Northumberland to the north and County Durham to the south, and the largest settlement is the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The county is ...

. As of September 2024, the station has a weekly audience of 338,000 listeners according to

RAJAR Radio Joint Audience Research Limited (RAJAR; ) was established in 1992 to operate a single audience measurement system for the radio industry in the United Kingdom. RAJAR is jointly owned by the BBC and Radiocentre. RAJAR's predecessor was c ...

History

Launch as Metro Radio

The 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 and the United Biscuits Network. The first show included messages of congratulations from

Kenny Everett Kenny Everett (born Maurice James Christopher Cole; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995) was an English radio Disc Jockey, DJ and television entertainer, known for his zany comedic style. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the m ...

at the equivalent local commercial station in London,

Capital Radio Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment as part of its national Capital (radio network), Capital Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Bri ...

Studios

The station transmitted from a studio in Swalwell, Gateshead, which in later years would be adjacent to the Metrocentre and is now Metropolitan House—a business centre providing serviced office accommodation. Metro, and sister station Magic 1152, moved in 2005 to the former BT building previously known as Swan Housenow known as 55° Northnext to the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle upon Tyne. In April 2021, it was announced that Metro Radio were relocating their studios once more. Later in 2021 as planned, they relocated their broadcasting studios to the Grade II listed building, Gainsborough House on Newcastle's Grey Street. Before the move, the studio had undergone a purposed fit-out which included 2 additional studios and a contemporary, flexible office space.

Football commentary

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.

TFM co-location

From 8 April 2013, all Metro Radio's programming has been shared with TFM. However, the Metro Radio branding was retained along with separate advertising and local news bulletins.TFM leaves Teesside to share with Metro
RadioToday, 5 April 2013 The two stations were able to co-locate without consultation, for the Metro Radio licence area is located in one approved broadcast area (north-east England).

Hits Radio rebrand

On 17 April 2024 at 6am, Metro Radio was rebranded to Hits Radio North East, officially marking the end of the end of the Metro Radio brand after nearly 50 years of broadcasting. The website for which had been replaced with the Hits Radio website earlier that morning. The station's local news and regional output will not be affected as a result of the relaunch. The rebranded was part of a network-wide relaunch involving 17 Bauer-owned local radio stations in England and Wales. From 10-14 February 2025, no local breakfast programming was broadcast from studios in Newcastle. Instead, London-based networked programming was relayed. This is because of the new Media Act which now allows 24/7 programming from outside the broadcast area. On 20 March 2025, Bauer announced it would end its regional Hits Radio breakfast show for the North East to be replaced by a new national breakfast show for England and Wales on 9 June 2025. Local news and traffic bulletins continue and the station's Newcastle studios were retained. The station's final regional programme aired on 6 June 2025 with breakfast presenters Steve Furnell and Karen Oxley moving to a national breakfast show on sister stations Hits Radio 90s, broadcast from Newcastle.

Programming

Hits Radio network programming is broadcast and produced from Bauer’s London headquarters or studios in Manchester & occasionally Newcastle.

News

Hits Radio North East broadcasts hourly from 6am-7pm on weekdays, and from 7am-1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins. National bulletins from other Bauer newsrooms or Sky News Radio are at other times.Hits Radio - Public File - North East
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Notable former presenters

Allan Beswick Allan Beswick (born 8 October 1948 in Warrington, Lancashire) is a retired radio broadcaster who is best known for his popular phone-in programmes on BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Lancashire and Red Rose Radio. Before ...

(later with BBC Radio Lancashire, now retired) * Rich Clarke ( Heart South) * Mark Goodier ( BBC Radio 2) * Pete Graves ( Sky Sports News) * Ingrid Hagemann * Lucy Horobin ( Heart Dance) * Jason King ( Heart London) * Gabby Logan * Jonathan Morrell ( BBC Radio Newcastle) * Anna Foster (broadcaster) ( BBC Radio Newcastle) * Jenny Powell (Greatest Hits Radio) * Alan Robson (later at Greatest Hits Radio, now on the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

) * Joel Ross ( Rock FM) * Lisa Shaw (deceased) * Bill Steel * Pip Tomson ('' Good Morning Britain'') * Clive Warren * James Whale ( talkRADIO) * Russ Williams ( Nation Radio UK)

References

External links

Official Website
*
Hits Radio North East - Cash for Kids
{{coord missing, United Kingdom Bauer Radio Hits Radio Radio stations in North East England Radio stations established in 1974 1974 establishments in England Contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom