Pulse 1
 | |
| Broadcast area | Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Today's Best Mix |
| Frequency |
FM: 97.5, 102.5 MHz DAB: 11B |
| First air date | 16 September 1975 |
| Format | Contemporary |
| Audience share | 5.6% (December 2012, ) |
| Owner | Wireless Group |
| Sister stations | Pulse 2 |
| Website |
www |
Pulse 1 is a British Independent Local Radio station that serves the Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale areas of West Yorkshire, England owned by Wireless Group. The station was originally known as Pennine Radio and The Pulse.
History
The station was part of the Yorkshire Radio Network which also owned Viking FM and Hallam FM, this was bought out by Newcastle based Metro Radio Group (owners of Metro Radio and TFM). Pennine Radio became Pennine FM in the late 1980s when the AM frequency was split off to create the original incarnation of Classic Gold. On 30 August 1991, in a bid to revive flagging fortunes, Pennine FM was rebranded as "The Pulse".
The Metro Radio Group itself was bought out by EMAP in 1996 and ownership rules at the time meant that as they already owned neighbouring Radio Aire in Leeds something had to be sold on, and that was The Pulse and its sister station Classic Gold which were purchased in a management buyout from senior staff and ex-Metro Group executives. The new company was called The Radio Partnership, it was at this time that the station moved to number one position in the West Yorkshire radio market for the first time in its history.
The Radio Partnership expanded over the years to include other stations, such as Signal Radio in Stoke-on-Trent. In 1999, Kelvin MacKenzie's Talk Radio UK bought The Radio Partnership and formed The Wireless Group to include the national broadcaster and a series of local stations. In July 2005 The Wireless Group was bought out by UTV Group.
Service area
The main 102.5 FM signal comes from the Vicars Lot transmitter close to the M62 between Scammonden Dam and junction 23, close to the Scammonden arched bridge. This signal covers a lot of West Yorkshire and can be heard as far south as Doncaster and Sheffield, and also in the other direction in Lancashire and Greater Manchester (although Lancashire and Greater Manchester isn't the intended broadcast area). The signal is much stronger, and the transmitter at a higher altitude than the Idle transmitter. The 97.5 FM signal covers Bradford, and comes from the Idle transmitter, which is on the top of Idle Moor, between Idle and Shipley. The Idle transmitter also carries national radio frequencies, Capital Yorkshire on 105.6FM, Sunrise Radio on 103.2FM and Heart Yorkshire on 107.6FM.
Programming
Local programming is produced and broadcast from Pulse 1's Bradford studios from 6am-7pm on weekdays, 6am-6pm on Saturdays and 8am-12pm on Sundays. Networked programming originates from Wireless Group's Signal Radio studios in Stoke-on-Trent. The Vodafone Big Top 40 is produced by Global Radio at its Capital studios in London for broadcast on 145 commercial radio stations in the UK.
The station's local presenters include Danny Mylo and Rosie Madison (The Danny Mylo Show), Paul Foster and Paul Griffiths (The Home Run).[1]
News and Sport
Pulse 1 broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 12pm on weekends. The news team consists of James Crossling and Ruth Etherington. Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows.[2] The station also simulcasts hourly Sky News Radio bulletins at all other times.
Pulse 1 also airs extensive local sports coverage, including live match commentaries on Bradford City matches, led by Jason Thornton and former City striker Ian Ormondroyd, and a weekly rugby league magazine show, presented by Bradford Bulls CEO Robbie Hunter Paul.[3]