Radio Tyneside

What Radio Tyneside does

Radio Tyneside is a UK registered charitable incorporated organisation (CIO number 1174808) founded in 1951 that operates as a volunteer-run community and hospital radio station serving Newcastle and Gateshead in North East England. The station broadcasts live scheduled programming on FM (93.6 FM) and DAB digital radio, streams online via its website, and delivers content directly to hospital bedsides at three major Newcastle hospitals — Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman Hospital, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital — through the Spark TSL entertainment system. Programming spans music shows, talk programmes, local and UK news aggregation from Chronicle Live, and Newcastle United football commentary, which was the station's founding service. An on-demand "Listen Again" archive of more than 99 episodes is hosted on Mixcloud across series such as Curtain Up, On The Way Up, and Let's Talk.

The station operates entirely on volunteer labour under a Board of Trustees, with Dave Nicholson OBE as Chairman and Richard Finch as Station Manager. Its revenue model is exclusively donation-based: contributions are accepted via PayPal, JustGiving, Easyfundraising, text giving, GoFundMe, and two lottery platforms (donr Mobile Weekly Lottery and Giving Lottery), supplemented by community fundraising events such as golf days and festival appearances. A £50,000 grant from Newcastle Hospitals Charity funded the station's digital transition. In April 2025 the studios relocated to Newcastle University Students' Union, establishing a strategic volunteer pipeline through NUSU Student Media.

Technology is conventional broadcast and web infrastructure rather than proprietary IP; no patents, trademarks, or AI capabilities are disclosed. The station has accumulated significant industry recognition, including the 2025 HBA Station of the Year Gold award, multiple prior HBA awards (2024, 2022), and the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service presented by HRH Prince Edward in 2018. Headcount is not disclosed beyond the volunteer operational model.

Name

Radio Tyneside

Legal name

Radio Tyneside

Website

https://radiotyneside.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radio Tyneside is a UK registered charity operating a volunteer-run community and hospital radio station in Newcastle and Gateshead, broadcasting on FM, DAB, and online with content delivered to hospital bedsides via Spark TSL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), Digital Radio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+, HD Radio) (MPAIAEAD)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Hospital radio service
• Volunteer community broadcasting
• Digital radio streaming
• Charity radio station

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle Upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Radio Tyneside accepts donations through PayPal, JustGiving, and text giving (Text TYNESIDE followed by amount to 70490). The station is a registered charity (CIO number 1174808) relying on public donations to sustain operations.
2. Mobile Weekly Lottery: Weekly lottery entry via mobile platform where supporters can win prizes while supporting the station.
3. Giving Lottery: Regular lottery entries with monthly prizes supporting the station through the Giving Lottery platform.
4. Fundraising Events: Golf days and other community events generate funds directly, such as the 75th Anniversary Charity Golf Day that raised over £3,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Radio Tyneside is a volunteer-run community radio station and registered charity (CIO 1174808) founded in 1951 that broadcasts music, talk, news, and community programming across FM (93.6), DAB, and online streaming to listeners in Newcastle and Gateshead. The station also delivers bedside radio entertainment to patients at three major Newcastle NHS hospitals through the Spark TSL entertainment system, and maintains an on-demand Listen Again archive hosted on Mixcloud.

Product overview

Radio Tyneside operates as a community radio station providing broadcast services across multiple platforms (FM 93.6, DAB, and online streaming) to patients in hospitals and the general community in Newcastle and Gateshead. The station offers live radio programming alongside an on-demand 'Listen Again' archive service, with content delivered to hospital bedside entertainment systems via Spark TSL. The organisation functions as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) run entirely by volunteers, with its studios now located within Newcastle University Students' Union.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Radio Broadcasting Multi-platform live radio broadcasting service delivering music, talk, news, sports commentary, and community programming to listeners across Newcastle and Gateshead via FM 93.6, DAB, and online streaming channels. Free-to-access service for individual community listeners and hospital patients.
• Hospital Radio Service Bedside radio entertainment service delivered to inpatients at three major NHS hospitals (Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman Hospital, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital) through the Spark TSL entertainment system. Provides companionship, comfort, music, and community programming to hospital patients at no direct cost.
• Listen Again Archive On-demand audio archive of Radio Tyneside programmes hosted on Mixcloud, allowing listeners to access previously aired shows and content at their convenience. Covers music programmes (Curtain Up, On The Way Up), talk shows (Let's Talk), and other station content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Winner of 2025 Station of the Year at National Hospital Radio Awards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Newcastle University Students' Union (NUSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2025Radio Tyneside relocated its studios to Newcastle University Students' Union in April 2025 after an extensive search. This partnership secures the future of the station and opens opportunities for collaboration with NUSU Student Media Volunteers, offering real-world experience to students.
• NHS EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter organization, indicating a relationship with NHS England.
• Gateshead Health CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter helping to fund hospital radio services.
• Spark TSLcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpark TSL provides the entertainment system through which Radio Tyneside delivers hospital radio service to bedsides at Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman, and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RadioTyneside
• Xx.com/rtdedications
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radio-tyneside

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Radio Tyneside