BBC Radio Berkshire
| File:RadioBerkshire.png | |
| Broadcast area | Berkshire, North Hampshire and South Oxfordshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 94.6 MHz, 95.4 MHz, 104.1 MHz, 104.4 MHz DAB: 12D Freeview: 719 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Local news, talk and music |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC Local Radio, BBC South, BBC London (E. Berks) |
| History | |
First air date | Tuesday 21 January 1992 |
| Links | |
| Website | BBC Radio Berkshire |
BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Berkshire, North Hampshire, and South Oxfordshire. Radio Berkshire broadcasts on 94.6 (Henley-on-Thames), 95.4 (Windsor), 104.1 (Hannington) and 104.4 (Reading) FM from its studios at Caversham Park near Reading. The station is also available on DAB, Freeview, and through live streaming on the internet, also on demand for thirty days after broadcast through the BBC iPlayer.
History
The station began on 21 January 1992, starting as a sister station of Radio Oxford, broadcasting for part of the weekday and weekend mornings. Due to financial cutbacks, BBC Director-General John Birt announced that it was to merge with BBC Radio Oxford on 9 April 1996 to become BBC Thames Valley FM. On 14 February 2000, the two stations became separate once again.
Awards
BBC Radio Berkshire was named Station of the Year in the 2012 Frank Gillard Awards, also winning in the Sports Coverage category for its coverage of olympic rowing at Eton Dorney. Andrew Peach won silver in both the Programme Presenter and The Ultimate Hot Seat categories.[1]
In the 2013 Sony Radio Academy Awards the Andrew Peach programme won bronze in the category Breakfast Show of the Year (under 10 million).[2]
Transmitters
The Hannington transmitter for BBC Radio Berkshire's 104.1 FM frequency is located on Cottington Hill (close to Watership Down). Along with the BBC's signal it also carries television channels and Heart Berkshire on 102.9 FM. The 104.1 FM signal can be heard over most of Hampshire, certainly more than BBC Radio Solent. The Fountain House transmitter carries Heart Berkshire on 97 FM and BBC Radio Berkshire on 104.4 FM since 1991. The Henley-on-Thames transmitter which carries BBC Radio Berkshire on 94.6 FM also carries Heart Berkshire on 103.4 FM. The Windsor transmitter carries BBC Radio Berkshire on 95.4 FM.
Since 31 July 2004, DAB broadcasts have come from the NOW Digital Berkshire & North Hampshire 12D multiplex from Coppid Beech (at the junction of the B3408 and A329(M) in west Bracknell), Hannington and Hemdean (just north of Caversham). The Basingstoke DAB transmitter (between Cliddesden and Winslade near the A339 in Hampshire) was added on 3 October 2005.
Since June 2016 BBC Radio Berkshire has been available on Freeview channel 719 from television transmitters in the region.[3]
The station essentially covers the M4 corridor.
Programmes
The majority of the station's programmes are produced and broadcast from Reading. During off-peak hours, BBC Radio Berkshire also carries regional programmes for the South and South East regions, produced from sister stations BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Kent and BBC Radio Oxford. As with all BBC Local Radio stations, it also airs the networked weekday evening shows, originating from BBC Radio Leeds and produced independently by Wire Free Productions. During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Berkshire simulcasts BBC Radio 5 Live overnight.
The station's weekday presenters include Steve Madden (early) Andrew Peach (breakfast), Sarah Walker (Monday - Thursday mornings), Tony Blackburn (Friday mornings), Bill Buckley (afternoons) and Phil Kennedy (drivetime). Weekend presenters include Paul Coia (Sunday breakfast) and Debbie McGee (Sunday mornings).
References
- ^ "Berkshire wins Gillard Station of the Year". Radio Today. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ "Sony Radio Academy Awards > The Winners 2013 > Breakfast Show of the Year (under 10 million)". The Radio Academy. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "BBC Local Radio services". Digital UK. Retrieved 1 July 2016.