brmb
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| Broadcast area | Birmingham and the West Midlands |
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| Slogan | "Today's Best Music Mix" |
| Frequency | |
| First air date | 19 February 1974 |
| Format | CHR |
| Audience share | 4.1% (October 2011, [1]) |
| Owner | Orion Media |
| Website | brmb.co.uk |
brmb is a local radio station based in Birmingham, UK, owned and operated by Orion Media. The station broadcasts on 96.4 FM and DAB Digital Radio in Birmingham and surrounding areas and online. BRMB broadcasts a mix of chart, contemporary and classic hits alongside live football commentary, talk programming and news bulletins.
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[edit] History
Launched on 19 February 1974, on 261 metres medium wave, (1152kHz) and 94.8 MHz FM, BRMB was the fourth independent local commercial radio station to begin broadcasting in Britain after Capital Radio, LBC and Radio Clyde. Broadcasting a mix of popular music with local news, live football coverage, information and specialist output, the station became popular amongst residents in Birmingham and later changed its main frequency from 94.8 to 96.4 FM in 1986.
The station name, BRMB, is not an acronym (contrary to popular belief - some think it stands for Birmingham Radio - Midlands Broadcasting). Instead, the original company, Birmingham Broadcasting Ltd., wanted something that combined a US-style call-sign with the company name - e.g. Birmingham - (BRM) and broadcasting - (B); equalling BRMB.
Presenters such as Ed Doolan, Les Ross, Phil Upton, and Tony Butler became regulars on the station - Les Ross was the UK's longest-serving breakfast presenter, presenting BRMB's flagship weekday breakfast show from March 1976 to March 1989, followed by a second stint between August 1993 & September 2002. Orion Media's head of sport Tom Ross also found fame on the station when it began broadcasting live commentary of West Midlands football matches every Saturday afternoon. Ian Crocker was also involved in the coverage early on.
In 1988, as a response to government disapproval of the simulcasting of programming on both FM and mediumwave, a sister station was launched on the 1152 kHz frequency. Xtra AM became BRMB's 'gold' service, playing classic hits, while BRMB itself began to cater for a younger audience. At this stage, BRMB was part of Midlands Radio plc, which was bought out along with Radio Trent, Leicester Sound and Mercia Sound by Capital Radio in 1993. However, they sold the other stations to the GWR Group whilst Capital kept hold of BRMB and Xtra AM. Xtra was on the air for nine years until the majority of its programming was switched to London, where it was simulcast with Capital Gold.
BRMB was originally based in Aston Road North, in the Aston area of Birmingham, near the Spaghetti Junction. These were the former Alpha Television Studios, the home of ATV and ABC Weekend Television until 1970. The current headquarters are based in the Brindleyplace development, off Broad Street in Birmingham city centre, ironically just around the corner of the now-closed studios where ATV relocated to in 1970. The station provides network output for Orion Media's other stations in the West Midlands - Beacon, Mercia and Wyvern. Since August 2011, Mercia programming has been produced and broadcast from BRMB's studios.
On 8 August 2008, it was confirmed that due to competition 'conflict of interests' in the West Midlands (and in other areas), BRMB would be sold by Global Radio, along with other West Midlands owned GCap/Global stations Mercia FM, Wyvern FM, Heart 106 and Beacon Radio. In July 2009, the station was sold officially to a company backed by Lloyds TSB Development Capital and Phil Riley[1] which was named Orion Media.
[edit] Rebrand
On 9 January 2012, Orion Media announced that BRMB would be rebranded as Free Radio Birmingham from April 2012, along with its sister West Midlands stations Beacon, Mercia and Wyvern. The stations' owners say local programming will be retained at breakfast and weekday drivetime[2] with live football commentaries moved to Gold West Midlands on AM and DAB.[3]
[edit] Events
BRMB organises a number of annual public events including the Walkathon & the annual Live concerts at the LG Arena. The station also sponsors the Bupa Great Birmingham Run and the Acorns Midnight Walk.
[edit] Programming
[edit] Weekdays
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[edit] Weekday variations
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[edit] Saturday
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[edit] Sunday
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N.B. Weekday evening and weekend schedules vary during the football season, owing to live coverage of Aston Villa and Birmingham City matches.
[edit] News and Sport staff
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Head of News |
Head of Sport |
Broadcast Journalists |
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Travel Presenters |
Goalzone commentators |
[edit] Past presenters
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[edit] Official logos
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1984-1988
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1988-1991
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1991-1996
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1997-2001
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2001-2007
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2007-2010
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2010-present
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Radio Today
- ^ BRMB, Mercia, Beacon, Wyvern to be Free, Radio Today, 9 January 2012
- ^ Feature: Orion's Phil Riley on Free Radio, RadioToday, 11 January 2012
[edit] External links
- Official site
- MDS975's BRMB History & programme schedules & audio clips pages
- Remembering Xtra AM
- www.mds975.co.uk - More radio station & radio hobby pages
- Langley Mill AM transmitter masts
- Lichfield transmitter mast
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