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BBC Radio 4 Extra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused withBBC Radio 4.

BBC Radio 4 Extra
Logo used since 2022
  • London
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom and Internationally via Satellite andBBC Sounds
Frequency
Programming
Language(s)English
Format
Ownership
OwnerBBC
BBC Radio 4
History
First air date
  • 15 December 2002;21 years ago(2002-12-15)(as BBC 7)
  • 2 April 2011;13 years ago(2011-04-02)(as BBC Radio 4 Extra)
Former names
BBC 7 (2002–2008)
BBC Radio 7 (2008–2011)
Technical information
Licensing authority
Ofcom
Links
WebsiteBBC Radio 4 ExtraviaBBC Sounds
BBC Radio
Nationwide
Digital-only

BBC Radio 4 Extra(formerlyBBC Radio 7) is a Britishdigitalradio stationowned and operated by theBBC.The sister station ofBBC Radio 4,it mostly broadcasts archived repeats ofcomedy,dramaanddocumentaryprogrammes. It is the principal broadcaster of the BBC'sspoken-word archive,and as a result the majority of its programming originates from that archive. It also broadcasts extended and companion programmes to those broadcast on Radio 4, and provides a "catch-up" service for certain programmes.

The station launched in December 2002 asBBC 7,broadcasting a mix of archive comedy, drama and current children's radio. The station was renamedBBC Radio 7in 2008, then relaunched as BBC Radio 4 Extra in April 2011. For the first quarter of 2013, Radio 4 Extra had a weekly audience of 1.642 million people and had a market share of 0.95%; in the last quarter of 2016 the numbers were 2.184 million listeners and 1.2% of market share.[1][2]

According toRAJAR,the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 1.5 million with a listening share of 1.3% as of March 2024.[3]

History

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Former branding as BBC 7 (2002) and BBC Radio 7 (2008). Both featured a smiling face motif. The latter was created by design company Fallon.[4]

BBC 7

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The station was initially launched as BBC 7 on 15 December 2002 by comedianPaul Merton.The first programme was broadcast at 8p.m. and was simulcast with Radio 4.[5]The station, referred to by the codename 'Network Z' while in development, was named without the word 'Radio' to reflect the station's presence on the internet and on digital television in addition to radio.[5][6]The station broadcast mostly archived comedy and drama, in that the programme was either three or more years old or had been broadcast twice on their original station.

The station also broadcast a themed section for Children's programmes. This section carried a variety of programmes, includingThe Little Toe Radio Show(later renamedCBeebies Radio), aimed at younger children and consisting of short serials, stories and rhymes, andThe Big Toe Radio ShowandArthur Storey and the Department of Historical Correctionwith phone-ins, quizzes and stories for the 8+ age group. The segment also hosted the only news programme on the network presented by theNewsroundteam.

The station won theSony Radio Academy Awardfor station sound in 2003,[7]was nominated for the Promo Award in 2004, and in 2005 received a silver for the Short-Form award, plus nominations in the speech and digital terrestrial station-of-the-year sections. Because of the station's archive nature the station was scheduled, produced and researched by 17 people, excluding presenters.[5]

The station was renamed on 4 October 2008 as BBC Radio 7 in an effort to bring it in line with other BBC Radio brands.[6]It also coincided with the introduction of a new network logo for the station.

By adding some inviting new programmes and variations of some old favourites, we will encourage more listeners to find and enjoy what this imaginative digital station has to offer.

Gwyneth Williams,controller of Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra[8]

During this later period, Radio 7 saw growth in its audience, with a growth rate of 9.5% annually in 2010, going from 931,000 listeners in the first quarter of that year[9]to 949,000 a quarter later, making it the second most listened to BBC digital radio station at the time.[10]However, despite this growth, the audience of children between 4 and 14 was reported to be only at 25,000, and in February 2011 theBBC Trustapproved a reduction in hours dedicated to children from 1,400 to 350.[11][12]

BBC Radio 4 Extra

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The original BBC Radio 4 Extra logo, used in 2011

The BBC announced their intention to relaunch the station on 2 March 2010[13]and following a public consultation, the proposal was approved by the corporation's governing body theBBC Trustin February 2011.[11][14]As a result, the station relaunched as BBC Radio 4 Extra on Saturday 2 April 2011. The relaunched station contained much of the same mix of programming with some new additions that reflected the new alignment with Radio 4, many of which were archive, or extensions or spin-offs of flagship Radio 4 programmes.

On 26 May 2022, as part of planned cuts and streamlining with a greater focus on digital, the BBC announced plans to discontinue Radio 4 Extra as a broadcast station. It will be supplanted byBBC Sounds.[15][16][17]

Broadcast

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BBC Radio 4 Extra originates fromBroadcasting Housein central London.

BBC Radio 4 Extra is broadcast from Broadcasting House in central London, although due to the nature of the channel very little of the channel's content is broadcast live from there; even the continuity announcements are pre-recorded. The channel uses ten continuity announcers to link between programmes. Notable announcers includeWes Butters,Kathy Clugston,Jim Lee,David Miles,Susan Rae,Alex Riley,Alan Smith,Chris Berrow and Steve Urquhart.[18]Previous presenters, including those presenting Radio 7, includeZeb Soanes,Penny Haslam, Helen Aitken, Rory Morrison and Michaela Saunders.[19]

The station is broadcast nationally ondigital radio– via theBBC National DABmultiplex – and online viaBBC Soundsand other services such asRadioplayer.It is also available on a number of digital television platforms;Freeview,Virgin Media,FreesatandSky.

Until 2019 the controller of the station, who is answerable to the Radio board in the BBC, wasGwyneth Williams.[20]BBC Radio 4 Extra is broadcast instereoon television and online, although many of the older archive programmes were only recorded inmono.On DAB, all programmes are broadcast in mono, as the maximum bit rate is only 80kbps.

Programming

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BBC Radio 7 playing

Although the current station is a rebranding of Radio 7 and contains a similar mix of archived programming, content has been brought further in line withBBC Radio 4with new additions based upon their schedule. These include extended versions of programmes such asThe News QuizandDesert Island Discs,the broadcast of archived editions of the latter asDesert Island Discs Revisited.It has also previously included the addition of the programmeAmbridge Extra,a more youth-orientated version of long-running radio soapThe Archers,[8]and an extended version ofThe Now Show.

Some programming is organised into programme blocks of similar programmes. The late nightComedy Clubsegment broadcasts "two hours of contemporary comedy" most nights of the week and is primarily hosted byArthur Smith.A long-standing segment that remained following the change from Radio 7, it was previously fronted byAlex RileyandPhil Williams.Comedy previously available as CDs on theLaughing Stocklabel is also broadcast.

Drama is also broadcast, notably inThe 7th Dimensionsegment. A long-running segment continued from Radio 7, the block airsspeculative fiction,science fiction,fantasyandhorrorstories presented byNicholas Briggs.The segment contains programmes includingDoctor Whoaudio dramas starringPaul McGannas theEighth Doctor,as well as programmes imported from overseas including American broadcastsThe Twilight ZoneandGarrison Keillor's Radio Showas well asStuart McLean'sVinyl Cafefrom Canada. The 7th Dimension was originally broadcast daily, but has now been reduced to weekends-only. With increasing repeats of old Radio 4 documentaries, interviews and "educational/cultural" programmes, some listeners[who?]are concerned that the station's original mandate to provide comedy, drama and entertainment is being increasingly sidelined.[citation needed]

Archive

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Much of the channels schedule is formed of repeats from classic comedy and drama. The schedule spansThe Goon Show(1950s) andRound the Horne(1960s), throughRadio 2favourites likeThe News Huddlines,Castle's On The AirandListen to Les,to recentRadio 4shows such asLittle BritainandDead Ringers.Some of this content is newly discovered, such as copies of the version ofDick Barton Special Agentthat were made for international distribution, and early episodes ofThe Goon Show.

Original programmes

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The station has broadcast original programmes.Newsjackis a topical news sketch show which encourages contributions from listeners.Spanking New on Sevenwas stand-up comedy, and theBBC New Comedy Competitiona competition for new comedians. Those who went on to have their own series on Radio 7 include John-Luke Roberts withSpatsand Miriam Elia withA Series of Psychotic Episodes.

The Mitch Benn Music Showfeatures comedy songs introduced byMitch Benn.TheColin and Fergus' Digi Radiocomedy sketch show ran for two series in 2005–2006.Serious About Comedyis a weekly show presented byRobin Incein which comedians and comedy critics discussed comedy television, radio, DVDs, and films.Tiltis a satirical look at the week's news of views other than the norm.Knockeris a sitcom about a market researcher, written by and starringNeil Edmond.

From April 2024,Yesterday In ParliamentandThe Daily Serviceboth moved to the station, as the BBC prepared to remove Radio 4 fromLong Wavetransmitters, making the existing opt-out from Radio 4's FM programme impossible.[21]

Original Radio 7 programmes

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While most shows on Radio 7 were repeats, original programmes included:

Original Radio 4 Extra programmes

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Original programmes made for Radio 4 Extra:

See also

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References

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  1. ^Williams, Gwyneth (16 May 2013)."Latest RAJARs for Radio 4 & 4 Extra".Radio 4 Blog.BBC.Retrieved24 May2013.
  2. ^"RAJAR".RAJAR.Retrieved19 April2017.
  3. ^"RAJAR".
  4. ^Plunkett, John (8 August 2007)."New logos for BBC Radio – cool or balls?".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  5. ^abcKalemkerian, Mary (25 March 2011)."BBC Radio 7 Newsletter".BBC.Retrieved25 May2013.
  6. ^ab"BBC 7 adds the magic word and becomes BBC Radio 7".BBC. 4 October 2008.Retrieved25 May2013.
  7. ^"Sony Radio Academy Awards 2003".The Guardian.London. 9 May 2003.Retrieved4 January2018.
  8. ^ab"About Radio 4 Extra".BBC.Retrieved25 May2013.
  9. ^Plunkett, John (4 February 2010)."Jazz FM, 6Music and Radio 7 are bright spots amid digital radio's gloom".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  10. ^Busfield, Steve (5 August 2010)."BBC 6 Music's audience rises again".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  11. ^ab"Service Review: BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 & BBC Radio 7".BBC Trust. 8 February 2011.Retrieved25 May2013.
  12. ^Dowell, Ben (17 March 2009)."Radio 4 ditches last remaining children's series".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  13. ^Plunkett, John (2 March 2010)."BBC confirms plans to axe 6 Music and Asian Network".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  14. ^Plunkett, John (8 February 2011)."Call for investigation into BBC Radio 7 rebranding".The Guardian.London.Retrieved25 May2013.
  15. ^"BBC to move CBBC and BBC Four online".BBC News. 26 May 2022.Retrieved26 May2022.
  16. ^Lodderhose, Diana (26 May 2022)."BBC To Close CBBC & BBC Four As Linear Channels; 1,000 Jobs At Risk As Public Broadcaster Begins Its" Digital First "Push".Deadline.Retrieved26 May2022.
  17. ^"Plan to deliver a digital-first BBC".BBC Media Centre.Retrieved26 May2022.
  18. ^"Radio 4 Extra Presenters".BBC.Retrieved19 February2024.
  19. ^"BBC Radio 7 – Presenters".BBC.Retrieved25 May2013.
  20. ^"Gwyneth Williams, Former Controller, Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra".About the BBC.Retrieved19 February2024.
  21. ^Thornham, Marc."End of an era for BBC despite Long Wave reprieve".RXTV.RXTVinfo.com.Retrieved6 August2024.
  22. ^"William Golding - Lord of the Flies: Fire on the Mountain".Programmes. BBC.Retrieved24 June2019.
  23. ^"About Neverwhere".Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere.BBC.Retrieved25 May2013.
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