Tameside Radio launched on 30 September 2007 but its roots began in a station called 8 Towns Radio, originally known as Heartbeat Radio, which broadcast to the patients and staff at Tameside Hospital, Ashton-under-Lyne, from 1983 until 1997. From October 1992, the station could be heard across the borough of Tameside in a series of 28-day 'trial' broadcasts, firstly on medium wave and later on FM. These special 'limited period' broadcasts helped to generate much-needed funds to keep the hospital radio service on the air and also gave Tameside its first taste of what a truly local, licensed radio station could offer to listeners of all ages, across the borough. The dream finally came true more than a decade later and a full-time community radio station was eventually launched in 2007 when Timperley superstar and singing sensation Frank Sidebottom switched on 103.6 FM Tameside Radio on the Market Ground in Ashton-under-Lyne, on Sunday 30th September in front of a packed crowd.
Today the station has a variety of presenters and broadcasts a wide variety of music 24 hours a day from its studios at Cavendish Mill. |
