BBC Radio 2
238663
224298480
2008-07-08T06:07:59Z
90.199.168.71
/* Stand-in presenters */
{{Infobox Radio Station |
image = [[Image:BBC Radio 2.svg|175px|BBC Radio 2 logo]]||
name = BBC Radio 2 |
airdate = [[30 September]] [[1967]] |
share = 16.5%|
share as of = March 2008|
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]|
frequency = [[FM]]: 88.1 [[megahertz|MHz]] - 89.7 MHz <br /> [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 12B<br /> [[Freeview (United Kingdom)|Freeview]]: 702 <br /> [[Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)|Sky]]: 0102 <br /> [[Tiscali TV]]: 602 <br /> [[Virgin Media]]:0102<br />[[UPC Ireland]]: 908<br />[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio2.shtml?listen Live Stream] Real/WM|
area = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom|UK]] - National |
format = Adult-oriented Pop Music |
owner = [[BBC]] |
website = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/ www.bbc.co.uk/radio2]
}}
'''BBC Radio 2''' is one of the [[BBC]]'s national [[radio]] [[radio station|stations]] and the most popular station in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]. As well as having most listeners nationally, it ranks first in all regions above local radio stations. BBC Radio 2 played to 27% of the available audience in 2006<ref>[http://www.rajar.co.uk/INDEX2.CFM?menuid=9 Rajar national radio ratings ending December 2006]</ref>. It broadcasts throughout the UK on [[FM]] radio between 88 and 91 [[Megahertz|MHz]] from studios in Western House, adjacent to [[Broadcasting House]] in central [[London]]. Programmes are relayed on [[Digital radio in the United Kingdom|digital radio]] via [[Digital audio broadcasting|DAB]], [[Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)|Sky Digital]], [[Cable TV]], [[IPTV]], [[Freeview (United Kingdom)|Freeview]] and the [[Internet]]. The station's FM signal is broadcast on a network of transmitters of 250kW or less, the strongest signals in Europe on FM.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/radio/england_fm.shtml BBC (FM) radio transmitters in England]</ref>
==History==
[[Image:BBC Radio 2.png|thumb|Radio 2's previous logo.]]
===1967-1986===
The station launched at 5.30am <ref>[http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/radio2_history_page_60s.htm radiorewind.co.uk - Radio 2]</ref> on [[30 September]] [[1967]], and evolved from the [[BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]], with some of the Light's music shows transferring to the newly-launched [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]]. The first show had started at 5.30am (on the Light programme) but continued with ''Breakfast Special'' from Paul Hollingdale as Radio 1 split.
In early years, much programming and music was common to both stations, particularly on the shared FM frequency. Radio 1 was targeted at the audience of [[pirate radio]] stations whereas Radio 2 settled down as a [[middle-of-the-road]] station playing laid-back pop/rock, folk and country, jazz and big-band music, [[easy listening]], light classics, and oldies, with significant amounts of [[comedy]] and [[sport]]. Notable broadcasters on Radio 2 in the 70s and 80s were [[Ray Moore (broadcaster)|Ray Moore]] on early breakfast, [[Terry Wogan]] on breakfast, replaced by [[Ken Bruce]] and later [[Derek Jameson]]; [[Jimmy Young (disc jockey)|Jimmy Young]] and his lunchtime news and current affairs show; [[David Hamilton (broadcasting)|'Diddy' David Hamilton]] on mid-afteroons, [[John Churchill Dunn|John Dunn]] at what became known as drivetime. Radio 2 became the first 24-hour radio station in the UK in 1979.
===Frances Line: 1986-1996===
The station's policy remained stable with only minor changes until April 1986 when [[Frances Line]], head of music, repositioned the station. She would become controller in 1990. An increasingly ageing [[BBC Radio 1|Radio 1]] audience was sticking with that station; Line repositioned Radio 2 to appeal exclusively to older listeners and introduced older presenters and light music pitched at over-50s. As a result, [[David Hamilton]] quit the station at the end of [[1986]], claiming the music policy had become ''geriatric''; [[Terry Wogan]]'s replacement [[Derek Jameson]] also appealed to an older, downmarket demographic. Although popular with its audience, the policy alienated younger listeners who had listened to both Radio 1 and Radio 2; the station's audience fell, taking another hit when sport moved to [[BBC Radio 5|Radio 5]] in August 1990; the rise of album-rock commercial stations (particularly [[Virgin Radio]]), also hit Radio 2's audience, taking younger listeners.
===James Moir "The Nation's Favourite" - 1996 onwards===
Line was replaced by [[James Moir]] in 1996. Moir repositioned Radio 2 with a largely [[Album-oriented rock|AOR]]/contemporary playlist by day and more specialist broadcasting by experts in the evenings, moving many popular presenters from the increasingly youth-oriented Radio 1. Radio 2 is now "the nation's favourite", a title the BBC uses.
Radio 2 is the most listened to station in the UK, its schedule filled with broadcasters such as: [[Russell Brand]], [[Terry Wogan|Sir Terry Wogan]], [[Steve Wright]], [[Chris Evans (British broadcaster)|Chris Evans]], [[Ken Bruce]], [[Jeremy Vine]], [[Mark Radcliffe]], [[Stuart Maconie]], [[Janice Long]], [[Johnnie Walker (DJ)|Johnnie Walker]], [[Bob Harris (radio)|Bob Harris]], and [[Jonathan Ross (television presenter)|Jonathan Ross]].
==The current position==
The station now has adult listeners, mainly from 30 and up. In recent years it has attracted more younger listeners. Its daytime [[playlist]] features music from the 1960s to the 1990s as well as contemporary chart, album and [[indie music]]. The station's appeal is broad and deep, with accessible daytime programmes and specialist programmes of particular types or eras of music.
Weekday evenings feature specialist music, including [[jazz]], [[folk music]], [[blues]], [[country and western]], [[reggae]], [[classic rock]], [[showtunes]] and biographies and documentaries on musical artists and genres. This specialist programming typically runs 7-8pm, and 10pm-12midnight.
[[Brian Matthew]]'s "Sounds of the Sixties" remains on the Saturday schedule, [[Steve Harley]]'s shorter "Sounds of the Seventies" running midweek.
On Sundays the schedule reverts to closer its old style, with presenters like Malcolm Laycock and David Jacobs and long-standing programmes like [[Sunday Half Hour]].
Radio 2 does not broadcast complete works of [[European classical music|classical music]], the domain of [[BBC Radio 3|Radio 3]], or offer in-depth discussion or drama, the job of [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]]. [[Jeremy Vine]]'s weekday lunchtime show covers current and consumer affairs informally, a style pioneered Jimmy Young. Until [[BBC Radio Five Live|Radio Five Live]], Radio 2's medium wave frequencies carried the BBC's sports coverage. Radio 5 was created on Radio 2's [[mediumwave]] frequencies.
Like all BBC radio stations broadcasting to UK audiences, Radio 2 is funded by the [[television licence]] fee, and does not broadcast [[commercials]].
BBC Radio 2's last closedown was at 02:02am on [[27 January]] [[1979]]. Sarah Kennedy, who after her 1980s television career, has been a daily early-morning presenter since 1993 was at the Newsdesk after Brian Matthew finished "Round Midnight". From 2-5am the following night, listeners heard "You and the Night and the Music". Radio 2 has the longest period of continuous broadcasting of any national radio station in the UK.
The [[BBC Pips]] are broadcast at 7am and 8am on weekdays, then at 5pm.
BBC Radio 2 moved its studios from [[Broadcasting House]] to the adjacent Western House in 2005 [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/about/westernhouse]. Although the majority of programming comes from London, some shows are broadcast from other cities around the UK, including [[Birmingham]] and [[Manchester]]. For many years, the network's overnight presenters, such as Janice Long and Alex Lester, were based in Birmingham, but made the move to London in April 2008. Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie continue to present their show from Manchester.
In February 2007, Radio 2 recruited Jeff Smith, director of UK and International programming at Napster and a former head of music at Radio 1, as its new head of music. Smith joined the network on March 26. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/media/article/633710/radio-2-appoints-napster-exec-head-music/|title=Radio 2 appoints Napster exec as head of music}}</ref>
==Presenters and shows==
An alphabetical list of current presenters is below.
<div style="font-size: 90%">
{| margin="0"
|- valign="top"
|'''Daytime'''
*[[Michael Ball (singer)|Michael Ball]]
*[[Ken Bruce]]
*[[Chris_Evans_(presenter)|Chris Evans]]
*[[Mo Dutta]]
*[[Elaine Paige]]
*[[Dale Winton]]
*[[Brian Matthew]]
*[[Aled Jones]]
|<ul>
*[[Sarah Kennedy]]
*[[Jonathan Ross]]
*[[Jeremy Vine]]
*[[Johnnie Walker]]
*[[Terry Wogan]]
*[[Steve_Wright_(DJ)|Steve Wright]]
*[[Dermot O'Leary]]
*[[Paul Gambaccini]]
|}
{| margin="0"
|- valign="top"
|'''Evenings'''
*[[Russell Brand]]
*[[Bob Harris]]
*[[Mark Lamarr]]
*[[Steve Lamacq]]
*[[Alex Lester]]
*[[Mike Harding]]
*[[Bob Dylan]]
*[[Trevor Nelson]]
*[[Paul Jones]]
*[[Matthew Wright]]
*[[Brian D'Arcy]]
*[[Malcolm Laycock]]
*[[Suzi Quatro]]
|<ul>
*[[Janice Long]]
*[[Stuart Maconie]]
*[[Nigel Ogden]]
*[[Mark Radcliffe]]
*[[Pete Mitchell]]
*[[Desmond Carrington]]
*[[Jools Holland]]
*[[Clare Teal]]
*[[Frank Renton]]
*[[Alan Titchmarsh]]
*[[David Jacobs]]
*[[Russell Davies]]
|}</div>
===Newsreaders and travel presenters===
An alphabetical list of current newsreaders and travel presenters is below.
<div style="font-size: 90%">
{| margin="0"
|- valign="top"
|'''Daytime'''
*[[Colin Berry]]
*[[Lynn Bowles]] (travel)
*[[Charles Carroll (newsreader)|Charles Carroll]]
*[[Chandrika Chevli]]
*[[Dominic Cotter]]
|<ul>
*[[Alan Dedicoat]]
*[[Fran Godfrey]]
*[[Jim Lee (radio)|Jim Lee]]
*[[Ricky Salmon]]
*[[Alan Smith (radio)|Alan Smith]]
*[[John Marsh (newsreader)|John Marsh]]
*[[Charles Nove]]
*[[Andrew Peach]]
{| margin="0"
|- valign="top"
|'''Evenings'''
*[[Sally Boazman]] (travel)
*[[Fenella Fudge]]
*[[Andrew Peach]]
*[[Rebecca Pike]] (business)
|<ul>
* Bobbi Pryor (travel)
*[[Tom Sandars]]
*[[Jonny Saunders]] (sport)
*[[Andrea Simmons]]
|}</div>
==Notable programming==
===Weekday Breakfast Show===
Currently this slot is broadcast between 7:30am and 9:30am GMT, Monday to Friday and is hosted by [[Terry Wogan]] under the alternative title [[Wake Up to Wogan]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wogan/ Current 'Weekday Breakfast Show']</ref>
====Presenter history====
<div style="font-size: 95%">
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Years served !! Presenter
|-
|1967–1972|| [[John Dunn]]
|-
|1972–1984|| [[Terry Wogan]]
|-
|1985–1986|| [[Ken Bruce]]
|-
|1986–1991|| [[Derek Jameson]]
|-
|1991–1992|| [[Brian Hayes (broadcaster)|Brian Hayes]]
|-
|1993–present|| [[Terry Wogan]]
|}</div>
==Specialist programming==
====Mondays====
*[[Paul Jones (singer)|Paul Jones]] Blues
*[[Clare Teal]] ''Big Band Special''
*[[Jools Holland]]: Jazz
====Tuesdays====
*[[Desmond Carrington]] ''The Music Goes Round''
*[[Nigel Ogden]]: ''The Organist Entertains''
====Wednesdays====
*[[Mike Harding]] Folk Music
*[[Trevor Nelson]] Soul Music
====Thursdays====
*[[Bob Harris (radio)|Bob Harris]] ''Country''
*[[Bob Dylan]]: ''Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour''
====Fridays====
*[[Friday Night is Music Night]]'': [[light music]]
*''[[Frank Renton]] ;Listen to the Band''
*[[Matthew Wright]]: ''The Weekender'' (arts programme)
====Saturdays====
*[[Paul Gambaccini]]: ''America's Greatest Hits''
*[[Brian Matthew]]:''Sounds of the 60s''
====Sundays====
*[[Aled Jones]]: ''Good Morning Sunday'' (religious-themed breakfast show)
*[[Elaine Paige]] - [[show tunes]]
*[[Alan Titchmarsh]] ''Melodies for You'' (from 28th January)
*[[Brian D'Arcy]]: ''[[Sunday Half Hour]]'' ([[hymn]]s)
*[[Russell Davies]]: ''Sunday Evening'' (from 28th January)
*[[Malcolm Laycock]] - Celebrating ''The Age of Swing''
*[[David Jacobs (disc jockey)|David Jacobs]] ''The David Jacobs Collection'' (musicals, film music)
*[[Dale Winton]] ''Pick of the Pops'' (nostalgia)
===Others===
*''[[It's Been a Bad Week]]'' - Comedy starring [[Punt and Dennis|Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis]].
*''[[The Day the Music Died (radio)|The Day the Music Died]]'' - music comedy series starring [[Jon Holmes]] and [[Andrew Collins (broadcaster)|Andrew Collins]]
*Book Sequence
*Stand-in presenters heard when a regular presenter is away
===Stand-in presenters===
* [[Richard Allinson]]
* [[Nikki Bedi]]
* [[Tim Smith (DJ)|Tim Smith]]
* [[Liza Tarbuck]]
* [[Nemone]]
* [[Liz Kershaw]]
* [[Emma Forbes]]
* [[Matthew Bannister]]
* [[Gideon Coe]]
* [[Simon Mayo]]
* [[Janey Lee Grace]]
* [[Lulu (singer)|Lulu]]
* [[Claudia Winkleman]]
* [[Richard Hammond]]
* [[Lauren Laverne]]
* [[Sally Lindsay]]
* [[Julian Worricker]]
* [[Shaun Keaveny]]
* [[Clive Anderson]]
==Past presenters==
*[[Jimmy Young]]: 1973-2002
*[[John Churchill Dunn|John Dunn]]: 1967-1998
*[[Alan Dell]]: 1967-1995
*[[Gloria Hunniford]]: 1981-1995
*[[Debbie Thrower]]: 1995-1997
*[[Benny Green]]
*[[David Hamilton]]1975-1986
*[[Anne Robinson]] 1988-1993 & briefly returned in 1996 sitting in for [[Jimmy Young]].
*[[Jim Lloyd (broadcaster)|Jim Lloyd]]: "Folk on 2" (1970-1997)
*[[Ray Moore (broadcaster)|Ray Moore]] 1980-1988
*[[Ed Stewart]] 1980-1984 & 1991-2006
*[[Des Lynam]] 1998-1999
*[[Katrina Leskanich]] 1998-2000
*[[Lynn Parsons]] 1998-2003
*[[Sybil Ruscoe]] 2003-2004
*[[Don Maclean]] 1990-2006
*[[Humphrey Lyttelton]] 1967-2008
*[[Roger Royle]] 1991-2008
== Controllers ==
<div style="font-size: 95%">
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Years served !! Controller
|-
|1967–1968|| [[Robin Scott (BBC)|Robin Scott]]
|-
|1968–1976|| [[Douglas Muggeridge]]
|-
|1976–1978|| [[Derek Chinnery]]
|-
|1978–1980|| [[Charles McLelland]]
|-
|1980–1984|| [[David Hatch]]
|-
|1984–1990|| [[Bryant Marriott]]
|-
|1990–1995|| [[Frances Line]]
|-
|1996–2003|| [[James Moir]]
|-
|2004–present|| [[Lesley Douglas]]
|}</div>
==Logo History, Travel Reporters and Newsreaders==
<gallery>
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1967.jpeg|1967-1970
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1970.jpeg|1970-1978?
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1985.jpeg|1978?-1990
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1992.jpeg|1990-1994
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1996.jpeg|1994-1997
Image:BBC Radio 2logo 1998.jpeg|1997-2000
Image:BBC Radio 2.png|2000-2007
Image:BBC Radio 2.svg|2007-present
</gallery>
Logo images from TV & Radio Bits
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/ Official BBC Radio 2 website]
*[http://www.mediauk.com/radio/310 Media UK's BBC Radio 2 site including scheduled programming]
*[http://www.r2ok.co.uk/ R2OK! the Radio 2 Preservation Society]
*[http://www.r2ok.co.uk/R2_timeline.htm Radio 2 Timeline/History]
{{BBC Radio 2}}
{{BBC Radio}}
{{London radio}}
{{Birmingham radio}}
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[[Category:British radio DJs|*]]
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