Radio 210
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| City | Reading |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Reading and Basingstoke |
| Branding | Heart |
| Slogan | More Music Variety – Give it some Heart |
| Frequency | 97.0, 102.9 and 103.4 MHz RDS: HEART___ |
| First air date | 8 March 1976 |
| Format | Hot AC |
Heart Berkshire (formerly 2-Ten FM) was an Independent Local Radio station, serving Berkshire and North Hampshire from studios in Reading.
Originally launching as Radio 210 (Two-One-Oh), the station commenced broadcasting in March 1976 on its medium-wave frequency of 210 metres (1431 kHz). It later became known as 2-Ten FM and by 2008, was part of The One Network group of stations owned and operated by Global Radio. The station was rebranded a year later as part of the Heart Network.
The original parent company, Radio Kennet had won the licence to broadcast as far back as 1974, but plans for the station to float on the as soon as it commenced broadcasting failed as it didn't raise enough cash. Radio Kennet returned in 1976 as Thames Valley Broadcasting.
Radio 210 first broadcast on 8 March 1976 at 6am. Former BBC Radio 2 DJ Paul Hollingdale played the Carpenters record "We've Only Just Begun" at the start of his four-hour Breakfast Show. Other early presenters were Steve Wright, Mike Read, Tony Fox (deceased), Steve Crozier, (Yer Man Croze), Mike Matthews, John Flower, Tony Holden, Steve Wood, Mike Quinn, Dave Glass, John Hayes (deceased), Gavin McCoy, Bob Morrison, Graham Ledger, Mike Sanderson ( The Folk Show ) and news editor David Addis. Rising stars Steve Wright and Mike Read co-hosted the Read & Wright Show at weekends before gaining daily shows and later pursuing high-profile careers on BBC Radio 1. Other presenters made the opposite move, leaving the BBC to join Radio 210, including Bob Harris and David Hamilton, the latter having defected from BBC Radio 2 because of changes in that station's music policy.
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