BBC Radio Manchester launched at 6am on 10 September 1970 as the first local radio station in the city of Manchester. Initially broadcasting from studios at Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre, the station's long-standing home was New Broadcasting House on Oxford Road. Radio Manchester originally broadcast only on 95.1 VHF ; the frequency of 275 metres, on the AM / medium wave band was added approximately 2 years after the station first went on air. The first voice on air was Alan Sykes. Other presenters included Roy Cross, Sandra Chalmers, Mike Riddoch and Alex Greenhalgh. In the mid 1970s, Radio Manchester was notable for the "Midway through the Day" programme which introduced strip programming and ran from lunchtime until 7pm. Presenters changed throughout the day and it was the precursor of the now common chat and music format. At the same time Radio Manchester began an evening programme from 10pm to midnight which often repeated interviews from "Midway through the Day".
Opt-out stations
In 1983 and 1984 the radio station ran a series of experimental community stations, each of which used the 1296 kHz AM frequency in turn. The stations were BBC Radio Bury, BBC Radio Oldham, BBC Radio Rochdale, BBC Radio Trafford and BBC Radio Skelmersdale . The stations were part-time services which opted out from the main BBC Radio Manchester service. The experiments were never repeated.
BBC GMR (1988–2006)
From October 1988 until 3 April 2006, the station was named BBC GMR and, for a brief period in 1997, GMR Talk. Programmes included a phone-in with Allan Beswick, late-night music and comedy show Michelle Mullane around Midnight and GMR Brass, a brass band music programme. GMR was part of the BBC Night Network. In 1996, BBC GMR began broadcasting from a second transmitter from Saddleworth on 104.6 FM,. This meant areas of the Upper Tame Valley including Saddleworth and Tameside, down to Hyde saw improved coverage, which was poor at times from Holme Moss especially indoors.
BBC Radio Manchester relaunch (2006–present)
After 18 years the station reverted to its original name, Radio Manchester. The first voice on the relaunched station was that of Tony Wilson followed by long-time local personality and breakfast presenter Terry Christian, the first song was Manchester by the Beautiful South. At 6am on Saturday 8 October 2011, the station ended its transmissions from its Oxford Road studios and began broadcasting from MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. The final show from Oxford Road was presented by Darryl Morris and the first from the new studios by Andy Crane.
Programming
Most of BBC Radio Manchester's programming is produced and broadcast from Salford Quays. During off-peak hours, BBC Radio Manchester also carries some shared programming with sister stationBBC Radio Lancashire. During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Manchester simulcasts BBC Radio 5 Live programming. Notable presenters include Mike Sweeney, Becky Want, Stephanie Hirst and Mike Shaft.
