Radio Aire was launched at 6am on 1 September 1981. Radio Aire’s studios were based on Burley Road, overlooking Kirkstall Road, next to Yorkshire Television’s headquarters – it was the first Independent Local Radio station to have purpose-built studios.
The station together with Magic 828 was bought by EMAP in 1995 and it became part of their Big City Network of stations.
It has maintained a generic branding with sister stations across Northern England since about 2000. Following the acquisition of EMAP Radio in 2008, the station was owned and operated by Bauer Radio as part of its ‘Big City Network’ (later known as ‘Bauer City 1’, and latterly, the Hits Radio Network).
