Radio Tyneside is marking 75 years of broadcasting to hospital patients and the communities of Newcastle and Gateshead today.
The station began on October 6 in 1951 as the Tyneside Hospital Commentators Association, providing football commentaries from Newcastle United games at St James’ Park for hospital patients.
Its first commentary was Newcastle United against Wolverhampton Wanderers, a match Newcastle won 3 to 1, using equipment supplied by Rediffusion North East.
Music programming followed after female patients requested a music show, with Rediffusion providing a studio above its Blackett Street showroom. A Friday evening request programme began and the organisation adopted the Radio Tyneside name.
The station later moved into Newcastle General Hospital during the 1960s, initially broadcasting on a few evenings each week before increasing its output during the following decade as more volunteers joined.
In 2018, Radio Tyneside began broadcasting on FM after receiving a community radio licence, extending its service beyond hospital patients to staff, families and the wider community.
The same year, it received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, presented by Prince Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh.
A number of former Radio Tyneside volunteers have subsequently worked professionally in broadcasting, including Emil Franchi, who now presents weekend breakfast on BBC Radio 1, broadcaster Max Fosh and Ian White, who co-presents ITV Yorkshire’s Calendar and is now President of Radio Tyneside.
The station continues to be operated entirely by volunteers and will bring together past and present members for a reunion later in October.
