Broadcast area | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Slogan | Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio |
Frequency |
FM: 92.5–96.1 MHz, 103.5–104.9 MHz LW: 198 kHz MW: 603 kHz, 720 kHz, 774 kHz, 756 kHz, 1449 kHz, 1485 kHz DAB: 12B Freesat: 704 (FM), 710 (LW) Freeview: 704 (FM) Sky (UK only): 0104 (FM), 0143 (LW) Virgin Media: 904 (FM), 911 (LW) Virgin Media Ireland: 910 (FM) Various frequencies on analogue cable |
First air date | 30 September 1967 |
Format | News, talk, and drama |
Language(s) | English |
Audience share | 11.8% (September 2016, RAJAR – Quarterly Listening) |
Former callsigns | BBC Home Service |
Owner | BBC |
Sister stations | BBC Radio 4 Extra |
Webcast |
LW |
Website | www |
LW
BBC Radio 4 is a radio station owned and operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is Gwyneth Williams; and the station is part of BBC Radio and the BBC Radio department. The station is broadcast from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasting House, London.
It is the second most popular domestic radio station in the UK, broadcast throughout the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands on FM, LW and DAB; and can be received in eastern and south eastern counties of Ireland, the north of France and Northern Europe. It is also available through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media and on the Internet. Its sister station, BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7), complements the main channel by broadcasting repeats from the Radio 4 archive, extended versions of Radio 4 programmes and supplements to series such as The Archers and Desert Island Discs.
It is notable for its news bulletins and programmes such as Today and The World at One, heralded on air by the Greenwich Time Signal "pips" or the chimes of Big Ben.