BBC Local Radio

***BBC Local Radio*** is the BBC's local and regional radio service for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 40 stations. They cover a variety of areas; with some serving a city and surrounding areas, for example BBC Radio Manchester; a county, for example BBC Radio Norfolk; a conurbation, for example BBC WM; or a region, for example BBC Radio Solent.

The stations were launched progressively; starting with BBC Radio Leicester on November 8, 1967, with the last station to launch being the short-lived BBC Dorset FM on April 26, 1993. Since then, many local radio stations have been merged and renamed but no new stations have been created where no service previously existed as plans to launch stations in unserved areas, most notably in Cheshire, have come to nothing.

In addition to the 40 stations, there is an opt-out service covering Dorset (BBC Radio Solent). There were also opt-out services covering Milton Keynes (BBC Three Counties Radio), Peterborough and the Fens (BBC Radio Cambridgeshire), Plymouth (BBC Radio Devon), and Swindon (BBC Wiltshire); but these ceased in 2012 due to cutbacks as part of the BBC's 'Delivering Quality First' programme.

### Regional BBC Radio in the Devolved Nations

BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. The network has two local opt-out stations: BBC Radio Orkney and BBC Radio Shetland. BBC Radio nan Gàidheal broadcasts in Scottish Gaelic.

BBC Radio Wales is BBC Cymru Wales's national English language radio station. The network had two local opt-out stations. BBC Radio Gwent closed in 1991 and BBC Radio Clwyd closed in 1993.

BBC Radio Ulster is one of two Northern Ireland BBC radio stations, the other being BBC Radio Foyle located in the city of Derry.

### BBC Local Radio Stations Past and Present

#### November 8, 1967: BBC Radio Leicester

***BBC Radio Leicester*** is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Leicestershire and Rutland and was the first of the new wave of BBC Local Radio stations introduced in the 1960s. Radio Leicester began broadcasting at 12.45 pm on November 8, 1967 with the first local radio jingle, which was a version of the Posthorn Gallop.

* www.bbc.co.uk/radioleicester
* Find out more about the history of BBC Radio Leicester.

#### November 15, 1967: BBC Radio Sheffield

***BBC Radio Sheffield*** is the BBC Local Radio service for English metropolitan county of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. This includes the city of Sheffield, plus Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley, Chesterfield and surrounding areas. It was the second BBC local radio station, beginning on November 15, 1967 broadcasting from a large Victorian house in Westbourne Road in the Broomhill area of the city.

Notable past presenters include ex-Liverpool & England footballer Emlyn Hughes, late folk singer, comedian and actor Tony Capstick, and former Blue Peter presenter Simon Groom.

* www.bbc.co.uk/radiosheffield

#### November 22, 1967: BBC Radio Merseyside

***BBC Radio Merseyside*** is the BBC Local Radio service for Merseyside, England. It was the third BBC local radio station, launching at 12.30pm on November 22, 1967 with a specially composed jingle by Gerry Marsden, initially serving south west Lancashire.

Notable past presenters include ex-Brookside actor Simon O'Brien, rugby league commentator Eddie Hammings, and ex-Radio One DJ Janice Long.

#### January 31, 1968: BBC Radio Nottingham

***BBC Radio Nottingham*** is a BBC Local Radio station serving the English county of Nottinghamshire.

Notable past presenters include Simon Mayo and Richard Bacon.

#### February 14, 1968: BBC Radio Brighton

***BBC Radio Brighton*** was initially restricted to little more than the immediate Brighton and Hove conurbation, with the surrounding suburbs. However, coverage was extended to include Worthing in the late 1970s.

In common with much of the BBC's early local radio output, Radio Brighton broadcast only for limited daytime hours in its early years, relying on Radio 2 and Radio 4 for a sustaining service, but building to a full daytime service by the mid-1970s. In the early years, the emphasis was on structured programmes rather than the open-ended magazine shows which have since become more common. The flagship was the breakfast news programme 'Coastwise'.

In October 1983, the BBC moved to extend the local radio network and the station expanded to include the entire county. As a result, the 'Radio Brighton' name was dropped in favour of the more accurate BBC Radio Sussex.

#### December 18, 1970: BBC Radio Medway

The radio station that would eventually become ***BBC Radio Kent*** was launched in under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the Medway Towns. The station gained its current name when operations expanded to Kent on July 2, 1983 as part of the BBC's policy of operating countywide stations. Radio Medway was closed down by long serving staff member Rod Lucas, who was also the first voice to be heard on the new BBC Radio Kent.

#### July 2, 1983: BBC Radio Kent

***BBC Radio Kent*** is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Kent and parts of southeast London. The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the Medway Towns. The station gained its current name when operations expanded to Kent as part of the BBC's policy of operating countywide stations. Radio Medway was closed down by long serving staff member Rod Lucas, who was also the first voice to be heard on the new BBC Radio Kent.

The station's local presenters include Roger Day, Julia George, Dominic King and James Whale. Notable past presenters include Mo Dutta, who moved to BBC Radio 2 (1994-2009), and Adrian John, who came from BBC Radio 1 in 1989 and then moved to Capital Gold.

#### December 31, 1970: BBC Radio Solent

***BBC Radio Solent*** is the BBC Local Radio service for the Isle of Wight and the English counties of Hampshire and Dorset. The station is named after the Solent, the area of sea between Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. In 1996 Radio Solent expanded its coverage into West Dorset by taking over neighbouring BBC Dorset FM, which was formerly an opt-out of BBC Radio Devon.

Notable past presenters include Kenny Everett (1972), Richard Skinner (newsreader, left to join BBC Radio 1 in 1973), and Peter White (the BBC's Disability Affairs Correspondent, worked for Radio Solent from 1967-2006).

#### December 31, 1970: BBC Radio Teeside

The station was originally launched at 6 pm with a local news programme entitled Teesside Tonight, presented by George Lambelle, who later won five major programming awards.

On April 1, 1974 the station became known as Radio Cleveland, when the county of Cleveland was formed. In 2007 the station rebranded itself as ***BBC Tees***, due to its broadcasting area no longer being associated with the name Cleveland.

#### April 1, 1974: BBC Radio Cleveland

Previously Radio Teeside, the station became known as Radio Cleveland, when the county of Cleveland was formed. In 2007 the station rebranded itself as ***BBC Tees***, due to its broadcasting area no longer being associated with the name Cleveland.

#### April 9, 1996: BBC Thames Valley FM

BBC Radio Bristol

BBC Radio Manchester

BBC Radio London

BBC Radio Oxford

BBC WM

BBC Newcastle

BBC Radio Lancashire

BBC Radio Humberside

BBC Radio Derby

BBC Radio Cumbria

BBC Radio Norfolk

BBC Radio Lincolnshire

BBC Radio Jersey

BBC Radio Guernsey

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

BBC Radio Northampton

BBC Radio Cornwall

BBC Radio Devon

BBC Radio Shropshire

BBC Essex

BBC Hereford and Worcester

BBC Wiltshire

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

BBC Radio Suffolk

BBC Surrey

BBC Radio Berkshire

BBC Three Counties Radio

BBC Southern Counties Radio