BBC Radio Northampton
Coordinates: 52°14′23″N 0°53′24″W / 52.239662°N 0.890092°W
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| City of license | Northampton |
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| Broadcast area | Northamptonshire |
| Frequency | 104.2 MHz, 103.6FM |
| First air date | 16 June 1982 |
| Format | Local news, talk and music |
| Language | English |
| Audience share | 11.5% (March 2011, [1]) |
| Owner | BBC Local Radio, BBC East, BBC South (S. N/Hants) |
| Website | BBC Radio Northampton |
BBC Radio Northampton is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Northamptonshire. It broadcasts from its studios in Broadcasting House, Northampton (a listed building) on 104.2 (Northampton) and 103.6 (Geddington, between Kettering and Corby) FM. The station also has two studios in Daventry and Corby. It can be heard on the website [2].
The current Managing Editor is Laura Moss, who joined the station in 2003.
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[edit] Opening
The station was launched at 6:45am on 16 June 1982 on 1107 AM and 96.6 FM, with Jon Beynon's programme Start the Day, the first piece of music being John Williams's Superman theme, followed by Work that Body by Diana Ross.
The first outside broadcast followed on 17 June 1982, and the official opening was performed by the Duke of Gloucester.
The station was renamed BBC Northampton in 1990, but reverted to its original name on 3 April 2000.
[edit] Transmitters
The station has two transmitters, with 104.2 FM broadcast from the Boughton Green Road area of Northampton, and 103.6 FM broadcast from a mast near the village of Geddington. Listeners can tune in to 104.2 in the south and west of the county (including Northampton and surrounding area), whereas 103.6 serves the north and east (including Kettering and Corby).
Along the M1, the station can be heard on 104.2 FM from Milton Keynes to Copt Oak (near Leicester). There is no longer a MW frequency, nor does the station currently broadcast on DAB. Radio Northampton was originally available on 1107 kHz MW across the County from a transmitter at Kings Heath; this was reallocated to Virgin Radio using 1233 kHz. For the north-east of the county near Oundle, the Peterborough transmitter has Radio Cambridgeshire on DAB from a NOW Digital multiplex. The Northampton transmitter also has the Global Radio-owned regional commercial station Heart FM on 96.6FM, and has national radio frequencies.
The transmitter at Daventry on Borough Hill has BBC National DAB, Digital One 11D and an MXR West Midlands 12A multiplex (since August 2001). This transmitter was the BBC's first Long wave transmitter, beginning 27 July 1925. It had not been previously used by the BBC since 1978.
[edit] DAB Licence
On 11 October 2007, the DAB licence was awarded to NOW Digital. MuxCo had also bid for the licence. NOW Digital expected to start broadcasting from the three transmitters at Northampton, Geddington and Daventry in September 2008. However there is still no known launch date (August 2011).
[edit] Sports coverage
BBC Radio Northampton has extensive sports output, hosted by Geoff Doyle. Commentators include Tim Oglethorpe for Northampton Town, Mark Harrison and Chris Barrett, who alternate Rushden and Diamonds coverage, and James Knight and James Burridge for Northampton Saints. Notable past Sports Editors include Mike Sewell, who as of 2007 is a sport reporter for BBC Radio Five Live.
Other contributors include Simon de Choisy, who reports on Kettering Town, Corby Town reporter Chuck Middleton, and Peter Bradley, who is their Rothwell Town reporter.
[edit] Branding
The jingles were provided by Bespoke Music of Penryn. As of Monday 25 July 2011, BBC Radio Northampton now use the generic BBC Local Radio jingles by Mcasso Music Production.
[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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[edit] Reporters
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[edit] Past presenters
- Jim Hawkins - former presenter of the weekday Talk Show, now with BBC Radio Shropshire.
- Liz Kershaw - former breakfast show presenter; 2002: a presenter on BBC 6 Music; 2005: BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.
- Anna Murby Former presenter who started out 'making the tea' and stayed for 15 years, finished a two year stint at 6-8am weekdays but left 29 August 2008 'after spending two years getting up at 4.15am' .[1] Anna was educated at Campion School, Bugbrooke, Northants.
- Richard Oliff - former presenter of the daily lunch consumer show 2001-2005 now presents the Drive Show for *HFM - 1500 to 1900 and occasionally BBC Radio Leicester
- Dave Watkins
- Bob Walmsley
- Steve Riches - former breakfast show presenter, as of 2005 presents BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's breakfast programme
- Howard Stableford - went on to present the BBC television series Tomorrow's World
- Martin Stanford - as of 2006 presents Sky News's Sky News Today
- David Saint - former presenter of 'Saint on Sunday' and the weekday afternoon programme.
- Jonathan Vernon-Smith - Now on BBC Three Counties Radio
- Andrew Radd - Former Drive Time presenter
- John Beynon - the first voice heard on Radio Northampton.
- Mervyn Gamage - presented the lunchtime discussion programme now on Moorlands Radio.
- Steve Taschini - now Executive Editor, BBC Oxford.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- BBC Radio Northampton
- History of local radio in Northamptonshire
- Bernie Keith
- Richard Oliff
- David's Transmitter World
- MDS975's Transmitter Map
- Geddington transmitter
- Northampton transmitter
[edit] Audio clips
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