Ridings FM


Ridings FM is the Independent Local Radio station serving the Wakefield District of West Yorkshire since 3 October 1999. It is owned and operated by Bauer Radio.
The station was originally based at Thornes Office Park in Wakefield before co-locating with sister station Dearne FM at Zenith Park on Whaley Road, Barugh Green, in the north-west of Barnsley in 2009.
Following a sent to Ofcom, which stated that the station has never made a profit although being a technical success, Ridings FM was moved to Doncaster where it shares a building with Trax FM, Dearne FM and Rother FM.

Transmission

The station's transmitter is located at Wakefield House in Wakefield city centre. Ridings FM broadcasts on 106.8 FM on 500 watts of power. From July 2001, it was made available on the Bauer Leeds DAB multiplex. This service was discontinued in 2013 as it was a significant cost and covered areas outside of Wakefield with an uneconomically small potential audience. Ridings FM streams online via its website, mobile app and Radioplayer.

FM licence

Prior to being awarded the Wakefield licence, the station ran a trial service which ran from 11 October 1997 on 87.7 FM.
By the closing date of 8 September 1998, WF 107 Ltd, Henna FM Ltd and Ridings FM had applied to the Radio Authority for the licence. Ridings FM was later awarded the licence on 7 January 1999.

Programming

The station's output includes a weekday breakfast show. The station's news team won a Sony Bronze award in May 2000. At off peak times the station uses the feed from Independent Radio News. As well as news, Ridings FM covers local sports teams from the Wakefield Trinity, Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers in rugby league, to Ossett United and Frickley Athletic in football.
The station currently uses the strapline "The Music You Love for the Wakefield District".