Tempo FM is the local community radio station for
Wetherby
Wetherby () is a market town and civil parish in the City of Leeds district, West Yorkshire, England, close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire, and lies approximately from Leeds City Centre, from York and from Harrogat ...
,
Boston Spa
Boston Spa is a Village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Wetherby, Boston Spa is on the south bank of the River Wharfe which separates it from Thorp Arch. According to ...
, as well as the surrounding villages in the
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
and
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
areas. The radio station mainly plays
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
and is run entirely by volunteers as a "Not for Profit" company.
Background
The radio station was the idea of
Bob Preedy
Robert "Bob" Preedy is a broadcaster, a book author and was formerly a presenter on BBC Radio York and the chief continuity announcer for Yorkshire Television.
Career
Television
After joining the BBC in London as a trainee cameraman in 1970, ...
who applied for the licence. With the help of a team of volunteers, it commenced broadcasting on 107.4 MHz
on 11 September 2006
in
Wetherby
Wetherby () is a market town and civil parish in the City of Leeds district, West Yorkshire, England, close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire, and lies approximately from Leeds City Centre, from York and from Harrogat ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
. The station plays
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
music, during weekdays with specialist live and recorded programmes during the evenings. A wide range of music is played during the evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays presented by many local presenters. The radio station is funded partly by advertising, supplemented by donations and grants. The current Programme Controller is Steve France, who is also a member of the management team comprising:- Alan Everard, Eric Ovenden, Jon Beeson and Mike Davison.
In November 2011, Tempo FM presenter Wayne Bavin set a record by presenting a 60-hour-long radio show, raising some £1800 for "Children in Need" and beating the record set by Chris Moyles of Radio 1 by several hours. Similar broadcasting attempts have been made and all are subject to final confirmation by Guinness.
The current licence period for Tempo FM expires on 10 September 2026.
Broadcast Area
The station was originally based at the Engine Shed, Wetherby.
In October 2012 it moved to new purpose built studios in the One Stop Centre in Westgate, Wetherby. At the same time it moved its transmitter to higher ground near Collingham. It covers
Wetherby
Wetherby () is a market town and civil parish in the City of Leeds district, West Yorkshire, England, close to West Yorkshire county's border with North Yorkshire, and lies approximately from Leeds City Centre, from York and from Harrogat ...
,
Boston Spa
Boston Spa is a Village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Situated south of Wetherby, Boston Spa is on the south bank of the River Wharfe which separates it from Thorp Arch. According to ...
,
Collingham,
Tadcaster, and
Harewood, the station can also be heard in many places in the neighbouring county of
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
. The station also 'streams' on-line around the world.
Presenters
Steve France,
Mike Davison,
Eric Ovenden,
Tony Haynes,
John Appleson,
Paul Winn,
John Leetch,
Kevin Rouse,
Norah Barnes,
Gary Roberts,
Alex Foreman,
Nick Brown,
Jon Bee,
John Marley,
Pete Issett,
Andy Andrews,
Rob Allen,
Pete Willett,
Chris Helmes,
Emily Kerr,
(Big John) Burrows,
Beth Burrows.
Guest features by:
Wetherby Neighbourhood Policing Team,
Wetherby U3A Creative Writing Group,
Wetherby High School – Radio Academy,
Slogans
* ''Your easy connection to Wetherby and Boston Spa'' (2006–2008)
* ''Easy listening radio from Wetherby'' (2008 to 2009)
* ''Your Radio out of Wetherby'' (2009 to 2010)
* ''Wetherby's Brighter Radio Station'' (2010 to 2011)
* ''Good Times...Great Songs from the Heart of Yorkshire'' (2011 to October 2014)
* ''Good Times...Great Songs'' (October 2014 to present)
References
[
]
External links
Tempo FMKey commitments to OfcomOfcom service area map
{{coord , 53, 55, 48, N, 1, 23, 24, W, type:landmark_region:GB-LDS, display=title
Mass media in Leeds
Radio stations in Yorkshire
Wetherby