Timeline of BBC Local Radio

This is a timeline ofBBC Local Radio.

1960s

• 1962
  • 27 June – ThePilkington Committee on Broadcastingpublishes its report and recommends that the BBC should extend its activities to the creation of local radio stations in order to prevent the introduction of commercial radio.
  • The BBC runs a series of closed circuit experiments in local radio from a variety of locations across England.

• 1966
  • A government White Paper paves the way for the launch of a small number (eight) of two-year experimentalBBC Local Radiostations.

• 1967
  • 8 November – At 12:45pm,BBC Local Radiolaunches when the first station,BBC Radio Leicester,starts broadcasting.
  • 15 November –BBC Radio Sheffieldlaunches.
  • 22 November –BBC Radio Merseysidelaunches.

• 1968
  • 31 January –BBC Radio Nottinghamlaunches and four days later the station hosts the UK's first ever radio phone-in.
  • 14 February –BBC Radio Brightonlaunches.
  • 14 March –BBC Radio Stokelaunches.
  • 24 June –BBC Radio Leedslaunches.
  • 3 July –BBC Radio Durhamlaunches.

• 1969
  • 10 July – The BBC publishes a report called "Broadcasting in the Seventies" proposing replacing regional broadcasting onBBC Radio 4withBBC Local Radio.
  • BBC Local Radiois made permanent after the two-year experiment is judged to have been a success.

1970s

• 1970
  • 4 September –BBC Radio Bristollaunches.
  • 10 September –BBC Radio Manchesterlaunches.
  • 6 October –BBC Radio Londonlaunches.
  • 29 October –BBC Radio Oxfordlaunches.
  • 9 November –BBC Radio Birminghamlaunches.
  • 18 December –BBC Radio Medwaylaunches.
  • 31 December –BBC Radio SolentandBBC Radio Teessidelaunch.

• 1971
  • 2 January –BBC Radio Newcastlelaunches.
  • 26 January –BBC Radio Blackburnlaunches.
  • 25 February –BBC Radio Humbersidelaunches.
  • 29 April –BBC Radio Derbylaunches.

• 1972
  • 25 August – When the government restricted the BBC to twenty local radio stations, the corporation responds by closingBBC Radio Durham.Its resources are transferred toCarlislewhere BBC Radio Carlisle, nowBBC Radio Cumbria,is formed.

• 1973
  • 8 October –BBC Local Radiofaces competition for the first time when the UK's firstIndependent Local Radiostation,LBC,launches.
  • 24 November –BBC Radio Carlislelaunches.

• 1974
  • 1 April – Following the formation of the county ofCleveland,BBC Radio Teessideis renamed BBC Radio Cleveland.

• 1975
  • No events.

• 1976
  • No events.

• 1977
  • No events.

• 1978
  • No events.

• 1979
  • No events.

1980s

• 1980
  • Summer – Due to the continued expansion ofBBC Local Radio,regional news and opt-out programming onBBC Radio 4ends, apart from in the south west as this is now the only part of England still without any BBC local station.
  • 11 September –BBC Radio Norfolklaunches.
  • 11 November –BBC Radio Lincolnshirelaunches.

• 1981
  • 4 July –BBC Radio Blackburnexpands to cover all ofLancashireand is renamed accordingly.
  • 23 November – BBC Radio Birmingham expands to cover theWest Midlands,South Staffordshire,northWorcestershireandnorth Warwickshireand is relaunched asBBC WM.

• 1982
  • 15 and 16 March –BBC Local Radiostarts broadcasting to theChannel IslandswhenBBC Radio GuernseyandBBC Radio Jerseylaunch.
  • 1 May –BBC Radio Cambridgeshirelaunches.
  • 25 May –BBC Radio Carlisleexpands to cover all ofCumbriaand is renamed accordingly and as part of the expansion,BBC Radio Furnesslaunches as an opt-out service for the south of the county.
  • 30–31 May –BBC Radio Yorkis given permission to provide a temporary service to coverPope John Paul II's visit toYork.The service, which runs for just over 24 hours, operates on what will become BBC Radio York's MW frequency when the station launches next year.
  • 16 June –BBC Radio Northamptonlaunches.
  • 31 December – The finalBBC Radio 4regional opt-out ends when the final edition ofMorning Sou'Westis broadcast, ahead of the launches ofBBC Radio DevonandBBC Radio Cornwall.

• 1983
  • 17 January –BBC Radio DevonandBBC Radio Cornwalllaunch.
  • 2 July –BBC Radio Medwayis expanded to cover all of the county ofKentand is renamed accordingly.
  • 4 July –BBC Radio Yorklaunches on a permanent basis.
  • 22 October –BBC Radio Brightonis expanded to cover all of the county of Sussex and is renamed accordingly.

• 1984
  • The BBC conducts five trials of citywide community stations inGreater Manchester.Each trial lasts for a few weeks and was on air for a few hours each day, opting out ofBBC Radio Manchester.The experiment has not been repeated.

• 1985
  • 23 April –BBC Radio Shropshirelaunches.
  • 24 June –BBC Radio Bedfordshirelaunches.

• 1986
  • 25 August – An early evening service of specialist music programmes launches on the BBC's four local radio stations in Yorkshire. The programmes are broadcast on weeknights between 6pm and 7.30pm.
  • 5 November –BBC Essexlaunches.

• 1987
  • September – The service of specialist music programmes broadcast on the BBC's four local stations in Yorkshire is expanded. Programmes are broadcast on six nights a week (Wednesday to Monday) and the length of each programme is increased by 30 minutes. Consequently, the four stations now stay on air into the mid evening as the programmes are transmitted between 7pm and 9pm.

• 1988
  • 11 April –BBC Somerset Soundlaunches as an opt-out station fromBBC Radio Bristol.It broadcasts on BBC Radio Bristol's former MW frequency of 1323AM.
  • 20 September – TheRadio Data System(RDS) launches, allowing car radios to automatically retune, display station identifiers and switch to local travel news.
  • 3 October –BBC Radio Gloucestershirelaunches.
  • 7 October – At 7pm, BBC Radio London closes and instead of handing over to Radio 2, the frequency immediately begins broadcasting test transmissions in preparation for the launch of its replacement, Greater London Radio (GLR).
  • 25 October – At 6.30am, BBC GLR launches.
  • 29 October –Network North Westlaunches, providing a nightly service of programmes from 7.30pm until midnight. Network North West is broadcast on the BBC's four north west stations.
  • 30 October – BBC GMR replacesBBC Radio Manchester.
  • By the end of 1988, regular evening programming on weeknights has launched in some areas. The programming is mostly regional rather than local with the same programme networked on all the stations in that area. Consequently, stations are now starting to provide local/regional programming on weeknights until midnight. Previously stations had ended local programming by mid-evening, handing over toBBC Radio 2until the following morning.

• 1989
  • 14 February –BBC Hereford and Worcesterlaunches.
  • 4 March –BBC Wiltshire Soundlaunches.
  • WM Heartlandslaunches as a mid-morning experimental opt-out from BBC WM. It serves the 'Heartlands' area of East Birmingham using the 1458MW frequency.
  • 29 May – TheBBC Night Networklaunches on the BBC's six local radio stations in Yorkshire and north east England. The service broadcasts seven nights a week from 6:05pm (6pm at the weekend) until 12midnight. Any local programming, including programming for minority communities, is broadcast on MW only with Night Network continuing on FM.
  • The Asian Networklaunches as a 70 hours-a-week service on the MW transmitters ofBBC Radio LeicesterandBBC WM.

1990s

• 1990
  • 17 January –BBC CWRlaunches.
  • 12 April –BBC Radio Suffolklaunches.
  • BBC Radio Northamptonis renamed BBC Northampton.

• 1991
  • Spring – TheBBC Night Networkis expanded to incorporate the BBC's four north west stations. Programmes now start at 7:05pm (7pm at the weekend).
  • 14 November –BBC Radio Surreylaunches.
  • BBC Radio Shropshirestops broadcasting on MW.
  • WM Heartlandscloses.
  • BBC Radio Furnessloses its separate branding but programme opt-outs for the South Lakes and Furness at breakfast and during the afternoon continue.

• 1992
  • 21 February –BBC Radio Berkshirelaunches, initially as a sister station ofRadio Oxford,broadcasting for part of the weekday and weekend mornings.
  • 17 April –BBC Radio Nottinghamends transmissions on one of its MW transmitters.BBC Radio Cleveland,BBC Radio NorthamptonandBBC Radio Oxfordalso stop broadcasting on MW in 1992.
  • TheBBC World Serviceis now broadcast when stations are not on the air. Previously,BBC Radio 2had been heard during station downtime.

• 1993
  • 5 April – BBC Radio Bedfordshire expands to cover the counties ofBuckinghamshireandHertfordshireand is renamedBBC Three Counties Radio.
  • 26 April –BBC Dorset FMlaunches as an opt-out service fromBBC Radio Devon.
  • Autumn –BBC GLRandBBC GMRstop broadcasting on MW. Their frequencies are reallocated to commercial radio.

• 1994
  • 7 January –BBC Radio SussexandBBC Radio Surreyare merged as BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, although the station had carried this name since the previous September.
  • 18 March –BBC Radio Kentstops broadcasting on 1035 kHz MW. The frequency is reallocated to commercial radio.
  • 1 August –BBC Southern Counties Radiolaunches as the firstBBC Local Radiostation to adopt an all-speech format. It replaces BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey.
  • TheFurnessopt-outs for southern Cumbria effectively end after 12 years as a result of cutbacks at the BBC.

• 1995
  • May –BBC CWRcloses as a stand-alone station and becomes an opt-out ofBBC Radio WM.

• 1996
  • March –BBC Dorset FMcloses and is replaced by a rebroadcast ofBBC Radio Solentwith localised news bulletins.
  • 9 April –BBC Radio OxfordandBBC Radio Berkshiremerge to formBBC Thames Valley FM.
  • 4 November – The Asian Network expands into a full-time station when it increases the number of hours on air from 80 hours a week to 126 hours a week (18 hours a day). The station, which broadcasts on the MW frequencies ofBBC Radio LeicesterandBBC WM,is renamedBBC Asian Network.Consequently, Radios Leicester and WM become available only on FM.

• 1997
  • 1 September –BBC Southern Counties Radiois relaunched. The all-speech format is dropped and the station reverts to a more traditional mix of music and speech.
  • For a brief period in 1997,BBC GMRis renamed GMR Talk.

• 1998
  • BBC Radio 5 Livereplaces theBBC World ServiceasBBC Local Radio's overnight downtime filler.

• 1999
  • No events.

2000s

• 2000
  • 14 February –BBC Thames Valley FMcloses andBBC Radio OxfordandBBC Radio Berkshirerelaunch as separate stations although Radio Berkshire operates as an opt-out service of Radio Oxford.
  • 25 March – BBC GLR closes and is relaunched asBBC London Live 94.9.
  • 3 April – BBC Northampton reverts to its original name ofBBC Radio Northampton.

• 2001
  • 1 October –
    • BBC London Livechanges its name to BBC London 94.9.
    • BBC London 94.9 becomes the first BBC local station to begin live streaming on the internet.
  • October –BBC Three Counties Radiolaunches opt-out programming for the county ofBuckinghamshire.

• 2002
  • 11 November –BBC Radio Swindonlaunches as an opt-out service from Wiltshire Sound which is renamedBBC Radio Wiltshire.

• 2003
  • No events.

• 2004
  • No events.

• 2005
  • 3 September –BBC Coventry & Warwickshirereturns as a stand-alone station after ten years of operating as an opt-out fromBBC WM.
  • late 2005 – The switching on of new transmitters at Epping Green andBedmondextendBBC Three Counties Radio's coverage area toWelwyn Garden City,Hatfieldand west Hertfordshire.

• 2006
  • 3 April – BBC GMR changes its name back toBBC Radio Manchester.

• 2007
  • BBC Local Radio introducesBBC Introducingto support local grassroots music.
  • 11 August – BBC Radio Cleveland is rebranded asBBC Teesdue to its broadcasting area no longer being associated with the name Cleveland.
  • 3 December – BBC Somerset Sound is rebranded asBBC Somersetand becomes available on FM for the first time.

• 2008
  • No events.

• 2009
  • 30 March –BBC Southern Counties Radiocloses resulting in the return ofBBC SurreyandBBC Sussexas stand-alone separate stations.
  • 4 April –BBC Radio Swindon,which had opted out of BBC Radio Wiltshire, is closed. The two stations are merged asBBC Wiltshire.
  • October – As part of a drive to create a more unified sound for BBC Local Radio, a genericjinglepackage produced by Mcasso Music Production begins to be gradually rolled out across the network.

2010s

• 2010
  • No events.

• 2011
  • No events.

• 2012
  • April – All BBC local stations are now using the Mcasso Music Production jingle package.
  • May –BBC Somersetlaunches as a full-time station.
  • 17 August – A five-week trial to find out if listeners will miss or complain about the lack of AM services begins whenBBC Radio Kent,BBC Radio Lincolnshire,BBC Radio MerseysideandBBC Radio Nottinghamstop broadcasting regular programmes on medium wave.
  • 2 October – The BBC decides that BBC Radio Nottingham's MW transmitter and Radio Kent's relay at Rusthall nearTunbridge Wells,will remain off-air after the BBC says that the trial switch-off attracted very few complaints from listeners.

• 2013
  • 5 January – TheBBC Local Radiostations begin a new Saturday evening show titledBBC Introducing.Hosted by a local presenter on each station, the programme's aim is to promote musicians from the area.
  • 7 January – The debut of the BBC's networked evening programme takes place, hosted by formerClassic FMpresenter Mark Forrest.The show replaces all local programming, apart from local sport coverage.
  • 8 July – After eight years,BBC Local Radioreturns toDorsetwhen a breakfast show for the county, as an opt-out fromBBC Radio Solent,is launched.

• 2014
  • No events.

• 2015
  • 3 March – Several BBC local radio stations are launched onFreeview,with ten of the 40 local stations in England now broadcasting on the platform. They can be found on channels 719 to 722.
  • 6 October – After 27 years, the nameBBC Radio Londonreturns to the airwaves following a name change from BBC London 94.9.

• 2016
  • 19 February –BBC Radio Bristolstops broadcasting on MW following the sale of the land, on which the transmitter was located, to developers.
  • 21 June – The BBC completes its roll-out of BBC Local Radio onFreeview.

• 2017
  • 8 October – In a speech marking the 50th anniversary of local radio, TheDirector-General of the BBC,Tony Hall,announces that the national evening show will be axed, resulting in local programming returning to weeknight evenings.

• 2018
  • 15 January – The MW transmissions of BBC Radios Sussex, Surrey, Humberside, Wiltshire, Nottingham, Kent and Lincolnshire end and MW coverage for BBC Devon, Lancashire and Essex is reduced. Altogether a total of 13 MW transmitters are switched off.
  • Summer – BBC local stations start reintroducing local weekday evening programmes with all stations broadcasting their own evening output by the end of September.

• 2019
  • No events.

2020s

• 2020
  • 6 January – The rollout of a new jingle package produced by ReelWorld Europe begins withBBC Radio Leicester.
  • 15 January –
    • The BBC announces a further switching off of BBC Local Radio MW transmitters. The switch-offs, being done as a cost-cutting measure, will see the end of MW transmissions of Radios Cornwall, Newcastle, Merseyside, Solent, Solent for Dorset,BBC Three Counties RadioandBBC Radio York.AlsoBBC Radio Cumbriawill stop broadcasting on MW inWhitehavenandBBC Radio Norfolk'sNorwichMW transmitter will go silent. The affected transmitters will broadcast a retune advice loop prior to full switch-off in early April.
    • In a speech at Cardiff,BBC Director-GeneralTony Hallconfirms plans to make major changes toBBC Local Radio.
  • 27 January –BBC Teesis rebranded as BBC Radio Tees.
  • 24 February –BBC Coventry & Warwickshirereverts to the BBC CWR name.
  • 9 March –BBC Wiltshirereverts to BBC Radio Wiltshire.
  • 23 March –
    • BBC Newcastlereverts to BBC Radio Newcastle.
    • All BBC Local Radio stations adopt a generic schedule during theCOVID-19 pandemicand all specialist shows being taken off the air. Each station broadcasts between 6am and 1am and overnight they simulcastBBC Radio Londonfollowing a decision to suspend overnight programmes onBBC Radio 5 Liveso that the BBC can broadcast a single UK-wide overnight programme.
  • 28 March – As part of the BBC's Make a Difference campaign,BBC Local Radioannounces that it has teamed up with manufacturers, retailers and the social isolation charityWaveLengthto give away freeDABradios to vulnerable people over the age of 70, beginning on 30 March.
  • 30 March –BBC SussexandBBC Surreyrevert to BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey respectively.
  • 27 April –BBC Somersetis rebranded as BBC Radio Somerset.
  • 11 May –BBC WM 95.6reverts to BBC Radio WM.
  • 2 July – The BBC announces that the changes that were introduced during the Coronavirus outbreak are to become permanent as part of a bid to save £25m by 2022.
  • 6 July – BBC Local Radio stations revert to broadcastingBBC Radio 5 Liveduring most of their overnight downtime although the BBC Radio London is broadcast on all stations between 5am and 6am.
  • 26 November –BBC Local Radioscraps plans to introduce a syndicated late show.
  • 7 December –BBC Radio Bradfordlaunches as a four-month temporary station, broadcasting on the MW frequency ofBBC Radio Leedseach weekday between 6am and 2pm.

• 2021
  • 15 January – Launch ofBBC Radio Wolverhamptonon DAB, a station broadcasting to Wolverhampton between 6am and 2pm.
  • 18 January – Launch ofBBC Radio Sunderland,on DAB, a station broadcasting to Sunderland between 6am and 2pm.
  • 31 March – BBC Radio Bradford, BBC Radio Wolverhampton and BBC Radio Sunderland stop broadcasting.
  • 2 April –BBC Local RadiolaunchesSquad Goals,a non-terrestrial service providing football updates and information that airs while local stations are providing match coverage for which they only have terrestrial broadcasting rights, and that replaces a looped message telling listeners onFreeview,BBC Soundsand smart devices they are unable to listen to live football because of rights issues.
  • 15 April – The BBC confirms that a further eight BBC Local Radio stations will switch off their mediumwave frequencies during May and June 2021. The stations that will no longer be available on AM areBBC Essex,BBC Radio Cambridgeshire,BBC Radio Devon,BBC Radio Leeds,BBC Radio Sheffield,BBC Hereford & Worcester,BBC Radio StokeandBBC Radio Lancashire.
  • 19 April – BBC Local Radio announces the launch of its "Make a Difference – Back to Business" initiative to support England's arts sector.
  • 10 May –BBC Radio Cambridgeshirestops broadcasting on MW.
  • 13 May –BBC Radio Hereford & Worcesterstops broadcasting on MW.
  • 17 May –BBC Radio Lancashirestops broadcasting on MW.
  • 20 May –BBC Essexstops broadcasting on MW.
  • 24 May –BBC Radio Stokestops broadcasting on MW.
  • 27 May –BBC Radio Sheffieldstops broadcasting on MW.
  • 1 June –BBC Radio Leedsstops broadcasting on MW.
  • 7 June –BBC Radio Gloucestershirestops broadcasting on MW to theStow-on-the-Woldarea.
  • 1 August –BBC Radio GuernseyandBBC Radio Jerseyare now available on DAB+ as well as BBC Radio Guernsey Xtra and BBC Radio Jersey Xtra which is a relay of the medium wave service with coverage of the States Assembly.
  • 3 August –BBC Radio Devonstops broadcasting on MW.
  • 1 December – The switching on of local multiplexes for north Cumbria and south Cumbria/north Lancashire results inBBC Radio Cumbriabeginning broadcasting on DAB. Consequently, for the first time, all 39 Local BBC Radio stations now broadcast on DAB.

• 2022
  • 31 October – Major cutbacks to BBC Local Radio are announced. Stations will only be local from 6am until 2pm on weekdays with all other programming, apart from live sport, being broadcast on neighbouring stations. The cuts will also see the return of a fully networked weeknight show, airing from 10pm.There is significant opposition to these proposals, including from within Parliament when a group of 26 MPs representing constituencies in Yorkshire write to the BBC Director-General,Tim Davie,to express their concerns about the proposed cuts to BBC Local Radio.

• 2023
  • 25 September – Regional programme sharing begins.BBC Radio Bristol,BBC Radio Somerset,BBC Radio GloucestershireandBBC Radio Wiltshirebecome the first stations to begin sharing content.The following months see regional programme sharing being rolled across all of England.
  • 8 October – The first edition of the England-wide networkedBBC Local Radiolate night show is broadcast.Becky Wantpresents Sunday to Thursday andJo Goodhosts Fridays and Saturdays.
  • 12 November – England-wide programming expands further when a new national programme, presented byDotun Adebayo,launches. It broadcasts on all BBC Local Radio stations each Sunday between 6pm and 10pm, replacing regional and local programmes which had previous been aired on Sunday evenings.

See also

• Timeline of BBC Radio London