Wear FM
The station was launched by the Sunderland Community Radio Station in 1990 and broadcast as Wear FM, based at the University of Sunderland. Wear FM gained international acclaim for its community programming and social inclusion and won the Sony Award for UK Radio Station of the Year in 1992. Wear FM ceased transmissions in 1995 when it was taken over by the Minster Sound Group, who relaunched the station as Sun City FM.
Sun City FM
Sun City took over when Wear FM ceased broadcasting in 1995. Sun City 103.4's operator was financially penalised in that year by the Radio Authority for not fully adhering to elements of their Promise of Performance.
Sun FM
A sale to Border Radio Holdings followed with the new owners rebranding the station as Sun FM. In January 1999, Brian Lister joined as managing director. Sun FM became part of the Capital Radio Group when they acquired Border Radio in April 2000 as part of a three-way deal with Granada TV.
The Sun FM logo during its UKRD Group ownership.
Final logo used from 2017 to 2018 before its sale to Nation Broadcasting. In March 2001, Radio Investments Limited purchased Sun FM and its parent company Bucks Broadcasting.
Nation Radio North East
On The 2nd April 2024, Nation Broadcasting announced that Sun FM will be rebranded to Nation Radio North East as of 1 May 2024. They will also expand the station onto the local DAB multiplexes across the North East to include Newcastle, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Bishop Auckland and Darlington.