Radio Aire
 |
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| Broadcast area |
Leeds West Yorkshire |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Your Music, Your Life |
| Frequency | FM: RDS __AIRE__ MHz96.3 DAB: 12D |
| First air date | 1 September 1981 |
| Format | CHR/Pop |
| Audience share | 5.1% (June 2016, RAJAR) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 53°44′08″N 1°34′42″W / 53.7356°N 1.5782°WCoordinates: 53°44′08″N 1°34′42″W / 53.7356°N 1.5782°W |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| Sister stations |
Radio Aire 2 Radio Aire 3 |
| Webcast | whatsON |
| Website | www.radioaire.co.uk |
Radio Aire is an Independent Local Radio station serving Leeds and West Yorkshire. It is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's City 1 network of stations.
The station was launched on 1 September 1981 by presenter Graham Thornton and the first song played was Pilot of the Airwaves by Charlie Dore. Radio Aire originally broadcast on 362 metres medium wave (828 kHz AM) and 94.6 VHF but was moved to 96.3 FM (VHF) in 1986.
Radio Aire is situated on Burley Road (Kirkstall Road) next to Yorkshire Television's studios and was the first Independent Local Radio station to have studios specially built for the purpose of radio transmission. In the late 1980s, the studios were used for The James Whale Radio Show, which was a late night TV show, broadcast on ITV, Radio Aire and Red Rose Radio.
On 17 July 1990, Radio Aire split frequencies, forming Aire FM and Magic 828. In 1992, the name was changed to Radio Aire FM and then, 96.3 Aire FM in 1995. A change of format in 1996 saw another station name change to The New 96.3 Aire FM before The New was dropped in 1998. By March 2001, Radio Aire had reverted to its original name.
The station, together with Magic 828 was bought by EMAP in 1995 and it became part of their Big City Network of stations and has maintained a generic branding with sister stations across Northern England since about 2000. Following the acquisition of EMAP Radio, the station is now part of Bauer Radio.
The station's FM transmission is radiated at the Tingley site in Morley, close to the A653 and junction 28 of the M62. The adjacent mast, known as Morley, is former home of the station's FM transmissions. It continues to broadcast sister station Radio Aire 2 on medium wave, and the Leeds DAB multiplex, which also carries Radio Aire 3.
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