Editing Time 106.8 (section)

==Background==
The radio station originally broadcast as Radio Thamesmead using the local [[Rediffusion]] cable television system (channel L). It was financed originally by the Home Office, due to a fear of flooding before the Thames Barrier was finished and featured weekly alarm 'rehearsals. The first studio was in the Ecumenical Centre and run by the Rev Patrick Forbes who presented a mainly classical music breakfast show. Nick Hennegan, broadcasting as Nick Mobbs, was a volunteer who took over the breakfast show after the Rev Forbes moved to another parish. Australian Frank Warren arrived back at his home in Thamesmead and worked with the voluntary sector to develop the station, turn it into a youth project and move to studios in Tavy Bridge. It was also broadcast in Greenwich for a time on a cable television service there.  Towards the end of the 1980s, new management were brought in by the stations backers (the Community Service Volunteers NGO and Thamesmead Town company) with a view to campaigning and applying for a permanent broadcast (FM) license.  The station was managed by Bob Smith (deceased<ref>{{cite web |title=Hospital Radio stalwart dies |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2008/07/hospital-radio-stalwart-dies/ |website=Radio Today}}</ref>) and David Stanley headed the engineering/technical side.  An [[Incremental Radio (IBA)|Incremental Radio]] license was applied for in 1989.  One other applicant, Greenwich Community Radio Meridian applied, but Radio Thamesmead won the license which it had long campaigned for.

The volunteers of the radio station were given the opportunity to vote on a new name for the station.  It was felt that the Thamesmead name should be dropped to reflect the much wider service area which covered a large part of south east London.  '''RTM Radio''' was the name chosen by the majority.

Following upgrading of the station's facilities to meet the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority|IBA]] engineering code, the station commenced broadcasts from its existing studios at Tavy Bridge, Thamesmead, as RTM Radio transmitting on 103.8 F.M. Transmission was from Shooters Hill,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1383|work=MB21 |author=<!-- not stated --> |title=The Transmission Gallery: Shooters Hill |date=2017 |access-date=5 January 2025}} — Information about the transmission tower and a gallery of pictures</ref> one of the highest points in London.  The station was the first broadcaster in the UK to use an independent company ([[Sound Broadcast Services]]) to provide its FM transmission systems.

The station negotiated a change in frequency from 103.8 to 106.8&nbsp;MHz following persistent interference from BBC local radio transmissions from Bedfordshire.  The station also changed from vertical polarisation to circular using a custom designed antenna from [[Sound Broadcast Services|SBS]].

RTM stayed at Tavy Bridge until moving to the Thamesmead Town offices in Harrow Manor Way during April 1994. The new studios and production facilities were designed and built in house by Frank de Pellette and Jon Lucas.

The station then moved to Basildon Road on the outskirts of [[Plumstead]], sharing its premises with sister station [[Time 107.3|South London Radio 107.3]].  By then, Time 106.8 was in the final five years of its life and was owned by the [[Sunrise Radio Group]].