Broadcast area | North East England |
---|---|
Branding | This is Heart |
Slogan | Turn up the Feel Good! |
Frequency |
FM: 101.8 MHz (Main) FM: 96.2 MHz (Fenham) FM: 96.4 MHz (Hexham) FM: 100.7 MHz (Teesside) DAB |
First air date | 1 September 1994 (as Century Radio) |
Format | Adult contemporary |
Transmitter coordinates | 54°49′19″N 1°42′52″W / 54.8220°N 1.7145°WCoordinates: 54°49′19″N 1°42′52″W / 54.8220°N 1.7145°W |
Owner | Global |
Sister stations |
Capital North East Smooth North East |
Website | Heart North East |
Heart North East is a regional radio station owned and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart network. It broadcasts to North East England from studios in Newcastle.
Century Radio was the first regional station for North East England and also was the first to use the Century brand, which followed a 'personality' format, mixing speech and music. The station was originally based beside the Tyne Bridge in Gateshead, before relocating to Team Valley in 2008 to share a building with GMG stations Smooth Radio and Rock Radio. The station was originally called Century Radio, before changing its name to Century FM and finally reverting to the original moniker in 2008.
The station was set up by Border Television, with John Myers as managing director and John Simons as programme director. Myers presented the breakfast show under the pseudonym of John Morgan. The first song played on air was "A Star is Born" (also used to launch the North West's Century FM).
A 'listener's club' was formed, with parties at locations around the region attended by the station's presenters. The Jingling Gate in Stanley, County Durham was the most common location, but other events were held at the Stadium of Light and the Dolphin Centre in Darlington.