Radio Wave 96.5  Radio Wave 96.5 is a British Independent Local Radio station that serves the Blackpool and Fylde coast areas of Lancashire, owned and operated by Bauer Radio. The station broadcasts from a specially-constructed transmitter aerial atop Blackpool Tower. It was originally called Radio Wave and has also been known as The Wave 96.5. Bauer Radio announced on 27 May 2020 that Radio Wave will be rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio from early September 2020. In the late 1980s, local businessman John Barnett started lobbying the radio industry regulator for a distinct Independent Local Radio (ILR) licence for the Blackpool and Fylde area. The licence was awarded in 1992 and Radio Wave began broadcasting at 7 am on 25 May 1992 with an introduction from its founder. The first presenter on-air was Neil Sexton and the first record played was "The Best" by Tina Turner. The official launch took place on a specially erected stage in front of a live audience on the promenade by Blackpool Tower and featured Les Dawson and Derek Batey together with other local celebrities. In its first year of broadcasting the station won a Sony Radio Academy Awards "Gold Award" and was commended in the "Local Station of the Year" category. In August 1996, Radio Wave was confirmed by RAJAR as the most listened-to radio station in the area, ahead of fourteen other stations which were available including BBC Radio 1, which had half the number of listeners locally. In 2000 Barnett received an MBE for services to radio broadcasting. He is now the station's chairman. Radio Wave broadcasts from studios based on Mowbray Drive in the Layton area of Blackpool, with the signal coming from the top of the Blackpool Tower. The station can be heard from Fleetwood in the Wyre district, in the northwest corner of the Fylde, Preston to the east and Southport, west-southwest of Preston. Radio Wave can also be received as far north as Shap Fell in Cumbria. Local programming is produced and broadcast from Radio Wave's Blackpool studios from 6am to 7pm on weekdays, 6am to 6pm on Saturdays, and 8am to midday on Sundays. Networked programming originates from Signal 1's studios in Stoke-on-Trent. Presenters include Scott & Stacey from Radio Wave Breakfast, Chris Bovaird, Ian Shepherd and Travis Mitchell. Radio Wave broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6 am to 6 pm on weekdays and from 8 am to midday on weekends.