BBC Radio Wales
 |
|
| City | Cardiff |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wales |
| Frequency |
FM: 93.9–95.9, 103.7 and 103.9 MHz AM: 657, 882 and 1125 kHz DAB: 10D, 12A, 12C and 12D Freeview: 719 (Wales only) Freesat: 714 Sky: 0117 (UK only) Virgin Media: 931 |
| First air date | 13 November 1979 |
| Format | News, Music, Sport, Entertainment |
| Language(s) | English |
| Audience share | 5.4% (June 2016, RAJAR) |
| Operator | BBC Cymru Wales |
| Owner | BBC |
| Sister stations | BBC Radio Cymru |
| Webcast | BBC iPlayer Radio |
| Website | www |
BBC Radio Wales is BBC Cymru Wales's national English language radio station. The station began broadcasting on 13 November 1978, following the demise of the 'Radio 4 Wales' service (previously the Welsh Home Service) and BBC Radio 4's transformation into a national network, moving from medium wave to long wave. The current editor of the station is Steve Austins.
In November 1978, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales were created as distinct stations on the former Radio 4 Scottish and Welsh medium wave opt-out frequencies of 810 and 882 kHz. They were part-time initially, broadcasting for only 20 hours per week, and relaying Radio 4 at other times; however the groundwork had been laid for the stations to become important, respected full-time services. Radio Wales now broadcasts for 19 1⁄2 hours each weekday and 20 hours on Saturday and Sunday with a simulcast of the BBC World Service after closedown every night.
BBC Radio Wales was preceded in the autumn of 1978 by four experimental local radio stations broadcasting for a week: Radio Wrexham, Radio Deeside, Radio Merthyr and Radio Rhondda. They were broadcast for just one week using an RTÉ Outside Broadcast transmitter. The first editor of BBC Radio Wales was Teleri Bevan, a former BBC Radio 4 Wales producer. Anita Morgan presented a breakfast show called AM, but this soon gave way to a more modern show for the period, presented by Chris Stuart. The other main presenters for the first decade were Mike Flynn, Vincent Kane, Noreen Bray and Alun Williams.
By 1985, Roy Noble was also a regular daily voice, presenting weekday magazine shows for the station for 27 years. Old Radio 4 type continuity studios were modified to become 'self operated' by the early 1980s. Outside broadcasts from different towns in Wales were also introduced, with Mike Flynn and Alun Williams hosting a weekly three-hour Friday morning live programme. BBC Radio Wales also started to embrace publicity similar to that used by UK commercial radio. Other early presenters included Wyn Calvin, Maureen Staffer, Sylvia Horn, G.V.Wynne Jones (Geevers), Claire Vincent, Piet Brinton, Jackie Emlyn and Princess Anne's biographer Brian Hoey.
...
Wikipedia