| Broadcast area | South East Staffordshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 101.6 MHz (Lichfield and Tamworth) 102.4 MHz (Burton upon Trent) |
| First air date | June 6, 1998 |
| Format | Contemporary |
| Owner | CN Group |
| Website | [1] |
Centre FM was an Independent Local Radio station in Staffordshire, England. It was renamed on 29 April 2006 as Touch FM.
From studios at Aldergate in Tamworth town centre, it broadcast to Tamworth, Lichfield, Burton upon Trent and southern Derbyshire.[1]
The stations was broadcast from the Lichfield transmission station which has provided the signal since its launch day.[2]
The original line-up in 1998 was Sean Goldsmith at breakfast, Mike Vitti mid-mornings, Hayley Chapman afternoons and Antony Masters in the evening, with Mike Thomas as news editor. The strapline was 'One Great Song After Another'. Apart from Vitti, the original line-up had left by the end of 2000. Thomas left in 2001 for the launch of Saga 105.7 FM in Birmingham, but returned to the station between 2005 and 2007. No overnight presenters were employed, instead non-stop music was played straight from a computer.
Later, Centre FM's strapline was "We Only Play The Best Music".
In April 2002, it was acquired by The CN Group.[3] Under the new ownership, the station re-launched as Touch FM in 2006 leaving behind almost eight years of heritage in South East Staffordshire. The on-air launch at Coopers Square Shopping Centre in Burton-upon-Trent was hosted by breakfast presenter Dave James with an appearance by the Sugababes. The re-branding of Centre FM made it the 4th station to join the new Touch Radio Network. Kix 96.2 and The Bear re-branded earlier that year, with a new station for Banbury also launching Touch FM in 25th february 2006.[4]
In June 2009, Quidem purchased the Touch Radio group of stations for an undisclosed price.[5]