Metro Radio group explained

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:

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.[1] [2] [3]

In October 1990, Metro Radio Group carried out a hostile takeover of Yorkshire Radio Network,[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] a Sheffield based company. The Group thus expanded, and after the takeover the group also owned:

Then, in 1991, Metro Radio Group made a conditional agreement to sell Singapore Group.[12]

In September 1995, Metro Radio was bought by Emap for £102 million.[13] [14] [15] 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[16] (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

Notes and References

  1. Fiona Thompson. "USM quote for Metro Radio". The Financial Times. 2 December 1988. p 34.
  2. "Float values Metro Radio at £10.4m". The Times. 2 December 1988. p 26.
  3. John Ridding. "Metro Radio exceeds flotation forecast". The Financial Times. 15 November 1989. p 30.
  4. Philip Pangalos. "Metro bids £13.5 million for Yorkshire Radio". The Times. 24 July 1990. p 24.
  5. The Times. 25 July 1990. p 26.
  6. Raymond Snoddy. "Metro Radio raises offer for Yorkshire Radio Network". The Financial Times. 18 September 1990. p 33.
  7. Maggie Urry. "Yorkshire Radio backs Metro Radio's 170p cash alternative". The Financial Times. 27 September 1990. p 25.
  8. Raymond Snoddy. "Metro on winning wave band". The Financial Times. 4 October 1990. p 29.
  9. "Metro wins radio battle". The Times. 20 October 1990. p 35.
  10. Raymond Snoddy. "Metro Radio overcomes last barrier in YRN bid". The Financial Times. Financial Times Weekend. 20/21 October 1990. p 8.
  11. http://www.mediauk.com/the_knowledge/i.muk/Metro_Radio_Group Metro Radio Group
  12. "Company News in Brief". The Financial Times. 9 April 1991. p 33.
  13. Eric Reguly. "Emap warning after 53% rise". 21 November 1995. p 26. And see p 28.
  14. Mokoto Rich and Christopher Price. "Shareholders in Metro Radio announce stake sale". The Financial Times. 6 June 1995. p 22.
  15. Martin Waller. "Emap casts acquisitive eye over radio station". The Times. 6 June 1995. p 31.
  16. Web site: Radio Tees - the Station . northeastradio.co.uk . 14 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071021095945/http://northeastradio.co.uk/Radio_Tees_The_Station.html . 21 October 2007 . dead.