Latest news about BBC Local Radio

Orchestra to perform BBC Local Radio’s Great Northern Playlist

BBC Local Radio listeners across the North of England are being asked to nominate the song that best symbolises their area, with the winners then being performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. An ensemble of up to 80 players will adapt and perform each of the 10 songs, with each individual part recorded from the musicians’ own homes. The final 10 songs will be selected by a presenter from each of the stations involved – which are Radio Merseyside, Radio Manchester, Radio Lancashire, Radio Cumbria, Radio Newcastle, Radio Tees, Radio Leeds, Radio York, Radio Humberside and Radio Sheffield...

What does the BBC’s Annual Plan say about Radio?

OPINION: The BBC is required to publish its annual plan each year. Just as with every broadcaster, however – and every industry – this year’s is atypical. Even when the COVID crisis abates, life will never be the same again. My notes here focus largely on radio, but it is worth citing the general headlines from the report, which bear out Ofcom’s latest research published yesterday: “As social distancing began in the UK in the third week of March, pan-BBC reach among adults peaked at 94%. That is: 94% of the British public used the BBC that week. 86% of young adults aged 16-34 used the BBC that week, up from 77% the week before”...

RAJAR Q1 2020: Regional and local radio facts and figures

XS Manchester has doubled its listening hours year-on-year after the station was saved from closure. The Communicorp station now has 132,000 weekly reach (last year 94,000) and 1.28 million hours (last year 546k), giving it more total hours than Manchester’s heritage station Hits Radio. Also in the north west, Radio City Talk, which will close at the end of this month, leaves with 32,000 weekly listeners, down from 45,000 a year ago. Sticking with Bauer, local stations are mostly on the up. Of the 15 local services for Greatest Hits Radio in Scotland and England, eight are up and seven are down...

Machynlleth Comedy Festival returns with BBC Radio Wales

BBC Radio Wales is to broadcast the previously cancelled Machynlleth Comedy Festival on the radio. Spread across the original dates for this year’s festival, 1st to 3rd of May, The Machynlleth Comedy Festival on the Radio will feature stand-up and cabaret. In addition, BBC Radio Wales will also look back on the first 10 years of the festival with a documentary retrospective, talking to some of the acts who have performed at the event. All of the programmes feature Welsh comedy talent, with a mix of performers from the rest of the UK and around the world...

Gary Barlow says thanks to BBC Radio Merseyside

Gary Barlow thanked BBC Radio Merseyside and all radio stations broadcasting during the coronavirus crisis in a chat with presenter Sean Styles. Speaking about his Crooner Sessions – where he duets with famous pals on social media to keep spirits up – Gary spoke of the importance of radio and entertainment in these times. He said: “It definitely makes a difference, everyone who is broadcasting right now – this is the time when they’re needed the most. It takes people out of the real world for that couple of hours that they’re listening – it’s such a lovely escape.”...

Temporary weekend schedule for Radio 6 Music

BBC Radio 6 Music will operate with an amended, streamlined weekend schedule, with longer shows starting this Saturday. The BBC says it is having to make temporary changes in order to keep schedules and stations going whilst dealing with unprecedented pressure on our resources, as a result of COVID-19. BBC Radio 1 and BBC Local Radio stations have already announced measures to streamline their schedules, whilst 5 Live is sharing programmes overnight...

BBC Radio 5 Live to take Radio London overnight shows

BBC Radio 5 Live will take BBC Radio London’s overnight shows for the foreseeable future In a bid to prioritise its resources, RadioToday can reveal. And as all other BBC local stations currently take 5 Live overnight, they will also relay the programmes of BBC Radio London instead. Dotun Adebayo is the weekday overnight host on BBC Radio London from 1am till 4am, but he is scheduled to move to 5 Live from April 5th. It is unknown at this stage what will happen at that point, but it is presumed Radio London will continue with live programmes around the clock for the foreseeable...

BBC local radio switches to news-led AM output

BBC local radio stations will switch to a more news-led service during breakfast and mid-morning shows, opening phone lines and airing expert advice for local communities between 6am and midday. The move comes as the BBC announces the extra measures it will be taking to offer more information and content during the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Under the umbrella Make A Difference, every local radio station will join up with local volunteer groups to help co-ordinate support for the elderly, housebound or at risk, making sure people know what help is available in their area...

Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2020 – Winners

The winners at the Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2020 have been revealed at an event at the London Palladium. The BBC took home 17 awards including Emma Barnett for Best Speech Presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James for Best New Show, The 1Xtra Breakfast Show with Dotty forBest Music Breakfast Show and Elis James and John Robins for Funniest Show on BBC Radio 5 Live. Bauer Media radio brands were recognised on the night with Absolute Radio winning Gold for their coverage for Mental Health Awareness Week as well as their regional station Forth 1 who won Best Local Radio Show...

talkSPORT and BBC win at Sports Journalism Awards

BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC World Service, talkSPORT and a number of BBC local radio stations picked up awards at the Sports Journalism Awards in London this week. talkSPORT won the blue ribbon Network of the Year award with Jim White and Natalie Sawyer’s mid-morning show, White & Sawyer winning Best Radio Show/ Audio of the Year. The station’s Bloodgate documentary was highly commended with a silver accolade for its investigation into the rugby fake blood scandal following talkSPORT’s move into specialist documentaries this year...