Metro Radio group

"Metropolitan Broadcasting" redirects here. For the now defunct U.S. radio and television broadcaster formerly known as Metropolitan Broadcasting, see Metromedia.

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.

The group originally consisted of:

• Metro FM (which later became Metro Radio, and is now Hits Radio North East).
• Radio Tees (now TFM Radio, and is now Hits Radio Teesside).
• Great North Radio (which later became Magic 1170 & Magic 1152).

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 December 1988, the Metro Radio Group was floated on the Unlisted Securities Market.

In October 1990, Metro Radio Group carried out a hostile takeover of Yorkshire Radio Network, a Sheffield based company. The Group thus expanded, and after the takeover the group also owned:

• Viking Radio (which later became 96.9 Viking FM).
• Pennine Radio (which later became The Pulse of West Yorkshire).
• Radio Hallam (which later became Hallam FM).
• Classic Gold (which, after the take over was changed to "Great Yorkshire Gold", it later became Magic 1161, Magic AM and Pulse Gold)

Then, in 1991, Metro Radio Group made a conditional agreement to sell Singapore Group.

In September 1995, Metro Radio was bought by Emap for £102 million. 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 Radio (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.

References

• Stewart Tendler. "Labour MP issues writ for slander against journalist". The Times. 4 September 1975. p 2.
• Our Labour Staff. "Radio dispute may spread to northern TV". The Financial Times. 18 September 1982. p 4.
• Raymond Snoddy. "Metro Radio makes approach to Forth". The Financial Times. 22 November 1989. p 31.
• John Ridding. "Advertising demand boosts Metro Radio". The Financial Times. 17 May 1989. p 26.
• John Thornhill. "Metro Radio advance puts 11p on the share price". The Financial Times. 16 May 1990. p 33.
• "Metro Radio up 35%". The Times. 16 May 1990. p 25.
• Jane Fuller. "Metro Radio falls 24% to £0.71m". The Financial Times. 29 May 1991. p 25.
• "Metro Radio 36% up at £2.2m". The Financial Times. 15 November 1990. p 34.
• "Interest turnaround hits Metro Radio". The Financial Times. 27 November 1991. p 23.
• Maggie Urry. "Metro Radio shares fall on drop to £670,000". The Financial Times. 3 June 1992. p 25.
• "Yorkshire boost as Metro advances 10%". The Financial Times. 4 December 1992. p 28.
• Raymond Snoddy. "TV-am places 16% stake in Metro Radio for £4m". The Financial Times. 7 January 1993. p 16.
• Chris Tighe. "Regional advertising helps Metro Radio rise". The Financial Times. 26 May 1993. p 23.
• Chris Tighe. "Growth in advertising boosts Metro Radio". The Financial Times. 3 December 1993. p 22.
• Chris Tighe. "Metro Radio doubles to £1.65m". The Financial Times. 25 May 1994. p 25.