BBC Radio 5 (former)
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| Broadcast area | UK - National MW |
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| Frequency | 693 kHz, 909 kHz (990 kHz in West Wales) |
| First air date | 27 August 1990 |
| Last air date | 27 March 1994 |
| Format | Sport, education, children's programmes |
| Owner | BBC |
BBC Radio 5, a BBC radio network, carried sport, children's and educational programmes from 1990 to 1994.
It transmitted via analogue radio on 693 and 909 kHz, and lasted for three years and eight months. The success of BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Gulf War of 1990-1991, on a service known as Scud FM, demonstrated the popularity of a 24-hour radio news service. A rolling-news and sport station, named BBC Radio 5 Live, replaced Radio 5 in March 1994.
BBC Radio 5 used the medium wave frequencies previously used to transmit BBC Radio 2 from 23 November 1978 to 14 August 1990. It owed its existence to the broadcasting policy of the Conservative government of the time, who wished the BBC to end its longstanding practice of simulcasting its services on both AM and FM frequencies. A number of programmes, which were previously broadcast as opt-outs on one frequency only, would otherwise have been left without a home.
The station officially launched at 9am on 27 August 1990, with five-year-old boy Andrew Kelly uttering the words:
Prior to this, the new station's frequencies broadcast a long sequence of programming trails linked by Jon Briggs (one of the station's launch presenting team) and pre-recorded sketches from comedians Trevor Neal and Simon Hickson (consisting of the two larking about in the studio amid the strains of "Sailing By", and Trevor suddenly being cut off while he was reading his so-called "Ode to Radio 5"). The official first programme was Take Five, a pre-recorded programme by Bruno Brookes.
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