2-Ten FM

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2-Ten FM

Broadcast area	Reading and Basingstoke
Frequency	97.0 MHz, 102.9 MHz and 103.4 MHz
First air date	8 March 1976
Format	Contemporary
Audience share	11.3% (September 2007, [1])
Owner	Global Radio
Website	www.2tenfm.co.uk

2-Ten FM is an Independent Local Radio station serving Berkshire and North Hampshire with studios in Reading. Originally called Radio 210 (Two-One-Oh) it commenced broadcasting in March 1976 on its medium-wave frequency of 210 metres (1431 kHz). It is now part of The One Network of stations run by Global Radio.

1 History
2 1987 schedule
3 Split frequencies
4 Slogans
5 2008 Schedule
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] History

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 London Stock Exchange 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". Amongst the early presenters were Steve Wright, Mike Read, Tony Fox (deceased), David Addis, Steve Crozier, (Yer Man Croze), Mike Matthews, John Flower, Tony Holden and Steve Wood. Some of these early presenters went on to gain national recognition.

Radio 210 initially only served Reading with a transmitter on 97.0 MHz FM on top of The Butts shopping centre; however that changed when it began broadcasting from the Hannington transmitter on a second frequency of 102.9 MHz at midday 1 January 1987 to serve a wider area of Berkshire and North Hampshire, with a Henley-on-Thames relay added in 1997.

Former logo

[edit] 1987 schedule

Radio 210 first became popular with listeners in the mid to late 70s with its dual DJ format - a partnership under the title of Read and Wright (Mike Read and Steve Wright). Working in a friendly partnership they had great banter and a good repartee together. They later became famous in separate careers on national radio and TV.

In 1987, you could hear Graham Ledger with the breakfast show between 5:30 and 8:00, before David Hamilton came on at 8:00 with the morning show (he had just left BBC Radio 2 because he thought it was too middle-of-the-road, he is now on Big L 1395). Radio 210 Sport was 'first with the action' with a regular sports bulletin 7 days a week: 8:30, 13:30 and 18:30 Monday to Friday and SportScene on Saturday afternoon with local and national fixtures presented by Bob Morrison for over eight years. Results and reports at 16:40 and a sport check at 16:55. Keith Butler presented the weekend Tea-Time slot from 17:15 on Saturday and from 17:30 on Sunday.

[edit] Split frequencies

In the early 1993 Radio 210 split frequencies (as required then to do so by Government due to a radio act recently passed to end simulcasting) to provide two services - Radio 210 FM and 210 Classic Gold Radio, today known as 2-Ten FM and Gold (Thames Valley).

Radio 210 claimed to be the only comprehensive travel service in the Thames Valley and North Hampshire. It had news bulletins on the hour every hour and also regional news during certain points throughout the day. 2-Ten FM is now owned by GCap Media.