BBC Radio Bristol

BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC Local Radio service for the English cities of Bath and Bristol, the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding area, which includes South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and North East Somerset. Both of these areas are also served by BBC Radio Somerset and BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Launched in September 1970,[1] it broadcasts from Broadcasting House in Bristol on FM frequencies 94.9 MHz (Dundry), 104.6 MHz (Bath), 103.6 MHz (Weston-super-Mare), and on DAB. The AM transmitter at Mangotsfield on 1548 kHz was closed in February 2016.

See also: BBC Natural History Unit, based in Bristol

BBC Radio Bristol
CityBath and Bristol
Broadcast areaBath and Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and North East Somerset
FrequencyFM 94.9 MHz (Dundry), 103.6 MHz (Hutton), 104.6 MHz (Bath)
DAB
Freeview channel 719
SloganThe sound of where we live, and all the music you love
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatLocal news, talk and music
Ownership
OwnerBBC Local Radio,
BBC West
History
First air date
4 September 1970; 50 years ago
Links
WebsiteBBC Radio Bristol

The Mendip transmitter, near Wells, used to broadcast BBC Radio Bristol on 95.5 MHz over a very large area but, from 3 December 2007, this was transferred to the new BBC Somerset service. Since the BBC relaunched BBC Somerset on FM, BBC Radio Bristol has been left free to concentrate editorially on Bristol, Bath and the rest of the former Avon area. On 11 December 2014, BBC Radio Bristol launched on Freeview channel 719, on the PSB 1 multiplex from the Mendip transmitter and its TV relays.[2]

Radio Bristol's main commercial competitors in its broadcast area are Heart West on 96.3 and 103 FM, Sam FM on 106.5 FM and Greatest Hits Radio on 107.2, 107.7 and 107.9 MHz.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 122,000 listeners and a 5.1% share as of December 2018.[3]

Programming

BBC Radio Bristol has local programmes from 0600–2200 Monday to Friday, 0600-1800 Saturday and 0600-2200 Sunday. It also carries the regional late night show presented from BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Saturday evening programmes originate from BBC Radio Wiltshire from 1800-2200 and BBC Radio Devon from 2200-0100. Sunday late nights 2200-0100 originate at BBC Radio Cornwall?

During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Bristol simulcasts BBC Radio 5 Live overnight on weekdays and BBC Radio London at the weekend.

Notable past presenters

Kate Adie and Michael Buerk produced and presented programmes for BBC Radio Bristol as part of the station's launch team in the 1970s – Buerk's voice was also the very first to be heard on the station.[1]

Another notable presenter during the early 1970s was Kenny Everett, who pre-recorded his shows from his farmhouse in Sussex.[4]

The comedian Chris Morris worked for the station in the late 1980s, presenting and producing his own weekend show, No Known Cure. He was dismissed from the station after "talking over the news bulletins and making silly noises".

One of the station's longest serving presenters was veteran local journalist Roger Bennett, who joined at launch as a reporter, before going onto present its flagship breakfast programme, Morning West, from 1974 to 2003. He continued to freelance at Radio Bristol until his death in July 2005.[5]

Other past presenters include Susan Osman who also co-presented Points West for 14 years, and John Turner, who spent almost 30 years on the station between 1978 and 2007.[6]

The presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Jenni Murray, started her BBC career with Radio Bristol,[7] as did the Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid.

John Howard, who produced and co-wrote the station's award-winning 1979 comedy programme That Was The West That Was, was a regular presenter on the station in the late 1970s and went on to be one of the main presenters of You and Yours on BBC Radio 4.

The doctor and comedian Dr Phil Hammond presented a Saturday morning show called Saturday Surgery for 12 years, but was taken off air in August 2018 after announcing his intention to stand for Parliament.[8]

Controversy

In November 2008, BBC Radio Bristol presenter Sam Mason was dismissed following an incident in which it was alleged that she had made racist remarks in an off-air phone conversation during a weekday afternoon show. Whilst phoning a taxi firm in order to send her 14-year-old daughter from Mason's Clifton home to her grandparents' home, she was said to have asked the company not to send an Asian driver.[9]

References
  1. "Radio Bristol – station history". BBC. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  2. "BBC launches Radio Bristol on Freeview". a516digital. 10 December 2014.
  3. "RAJAR". RAJAR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  4. "Kenny Everett: The BBC Local Radio Years press clippings – British Comedy Guide". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  5. "BBC mourns death of presenter Roger Bennett" (Press release). BBC. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  6. "John Turner announces retirement from Radio Bristol" (Press release). BBC. 10 July 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  7. "Jenni Murray". Woman's Hour. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  8. "BBC host Dr Phil Hammond leaves show over election bid". BBC News. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  9. "'Racism' row BBC host is replaced". BBC News. 11 November 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2009.

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