BBC Radio 2 (PatrZDZ's vision)

**BBC Radio 2** is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. The station broadcasts a wide range of content, the BBC Radio 2 about page stating: "With a repertoire covering more than 40 years, Radio 2 plays the widest selection of music on the radio—from classic and mainstream pop to a specialist portfolio including classical, country, folk, jazz, soul, rock 'n' roll, gospel, blues, organ music, big band and brass band."

Radio 2 broadcasts throughout the UK on FM between 88.1 MHz and 90.2 MHz from studios in Wogan House, adjacent to Broadcasting House in central London. Programmes are broadcast on FM radio, digital radio via DAB, digital television and BBC Sounds.

## Current position

The station's audience is now mainly adults over the age of 35 (82% of listeners) although in recent years it has attracted more younger listeners. Its daytime playlist features music from the 1960s to various current chart hits, album and indie music. The station's appeal is broad and deep, with accessible daytime programmes and specialist programmes of particular types or eras of music. In 2009, Radio 2 again won the Music Week Award for National Radio Station of the Year, an award it won for several consecutive years.

Weekday evenings have historically featured specialist music, including jazz, folk music, blues, country, reggae, classic rock, show tunes and biographies and documentaries on musical artists and genres. Previously, this specialist programming ran from 20:00–midnight, but now runs only from 21:00–22:00. Radio 2 hosts both the BBC Concert Orchestra and the BBC Big Band.

"Sounds of the 60s" remains a regular fixture on the Saturday schedule, as does Johnnie Walker's "Sounds of the 70s" on Sundays. On 5 October 2013, these two shows were joined by Sounds of the 80s, which was originally hosted by Sara Cox and broadcast on Friday from 20:00–midnight; in May 2018 Gary Davies took over this show, with Cox was hosting a live 22:00 to midnight slot Monday–Thursday, until she moved to drivetime on 14 January 2019.

On Sundays, the schedule reverts closer to its old style, with a focus on easy listening and show tunes, with programmes like Elaine Paige on Sunday and Sunday Night Is Music Night.

Radio 2 does not broadcast complete works of classical music or offer in-depth discussion or drama, although some book readings, comedy and arts coverage still remains on the station. Jeremy Vine's weekday lunchtime show covers current and consumer affairs in an informal manner, a style pioneered by Jimmy Young. Until the launch of Radio 5 in August 1990, Radio 2's long wave frequency carried BBC Radio's sports coverage.

Like all BBC domestic radio stations, Radio 2 is funded by the television licence fee and does not carry advertising.

The Greenwich time signal (also known as "the pips") is broadcast at 07:00, 08:00 and 17:00 on weekdays.

BBC Radio 2 moved its studios from Broadcasting House to the adjacent Western House (renamed Wogan House in 2016) in 2006. Although the majority of programming comes from London, some shows are broadcast from other cities around the UK, including Birmingham and Manchester. For many years, the network's overnight presenters, such as Janice Long and Alex Lester, were based in Birmingham, but made the move to London in April 2008.

Radio 2 broadcasts news bulletins every hour (except on Saturdays at 23:00 and Sundays at 21:00) from a studio in Wogan House. Headline updates are on the half-hour from 05:30 - 08:30 on weekdays during the early and main Breakfast Show, at 07:30 and 08:30 on Saturdays and at 07:30 on Sundays.

Bulletins are normally of three minutes duration. Extended five minute bulletins are broadcast on weekdays at 06:00, 07:00, 08:00, 13:00, 17:00 and 00:00, on Saturdays at 07:00 and 08:00 and on Sundays at 06:00, 07:00, 08:00 and 09:00.