[1] Radio Tees opened at 6 a.m. on Tuesday 24 June 1975, broadcasting on 257 metres medium wave (1,169 kHz) from the converted Water Board buildings at 74 Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees.

The first presenter on air was breakfast show host Les Ross and the first record played was "Everything's Tuesday" by Chairmen of the Board.

[citation needed] Shortly after this, in April 1989, its 257 metres/1170 kHz medium wave frequency was split and this became Great North Radio (GNR).

On Monday 8 April 2013, all programming began to be shared with, and produced by, sister station Metro Radio in Newcastle, although the TFM branding was retained along with separate news bulletins and advertising.

Most on-air staff were made redundant,[7] including breakfast presenters Wayne Tunnicliffe and Amy McConnell,[8] although two journalists continued to be based locally for news-gathering in the TFM area.

Marketing itself as 'A Friend Who's Always Near' and 'The Sound of Home', Radio Tees offered unique and distinctive local output with a wide variety of programming and an emphasis on community involvement.

A notable programme from the Radio Tees era was Late On, presented by Graham Robb, which ran from 10 pm to 1 am every weekday evening in 1984.

The show featured characters such as Rita the cleaner, Mad Tom the handyman, Ginger Johnson (ex-RAF) and Superstar Cecil, the proprietor of 'The Balloon and Feather' pub.

The station often organized its own outside broadcast events as well, many of which took place in John Walker Square, off Stockton-on-Tees High Street.