BBC Three Counties Radio 569393 225413004 2008-07-13T15:33:02Z Hughpugh 4577782 {{Infobox Radio Station | name = BBC Three Counties Radio | image = [[Image:BBC Three Counties Radio.gif]] | city = [[Luton]], [[Milton Keynes]] | area = [[Bedfordshire]], [[Hertfordshire]] and [[Buckinghamshire]] | branding = | slogan = | airdate = [[24 June]] [[1985]] | frequency = 90.4FM, 92.1FM, 94.7FM, 95.5FM, 98.0FM, 103.8FM, 104.5FM, 630MW, 1161MW | share = 5.9% | share as of = March 2008 | share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php] | format = Local news, talk and music | power = | erp = | class = | callsign_meaning = | owner = [[BBC Local Radio]],<br>[[BBC East]] | website = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/local_radio/ BBC Three Counties Radio] }} '''BBC Three Counties Radio''' is the [[BBC Local Radio]] service for the [[England|English]] [[Counties of England|counties]] of [[Bedfordshire]], [[Hertfordshire]] and [[Buckinghamshire]] (referred to as ''Beds, Herts and Bucks''). Its main studios are on Hastings Street in [[Luton]]; the studios at [[Willen]] in [[Milton Keynes]] produce a separate breakfast show from 6am to 9am. ==History== [[Image:BBC Radio Bedfordshire.jpg|frame|left|Radio Bedfordshire logo]] It started as "Radio Bedfordshire" on [[24 June]] [[1985]], serving the whole of Bedfordshire plus (despite the name) North Bucks and the northern parts of Hertfordshire. Therefore, as well as Luton and [[Bedford]] (and the rest of Beds), Milton Keynes, [[Hemel Hempstead]], [[Harpenden]], [[St Albans]], [[Welwyn Garden City]], [[Letchworth]], [[Stevenage]] and [[Hitchin]] were served by the new station. Almost eight years later, the station changed to its present name on [[5 April]] [[1993]] to reflect the wider reach across the three counties and to give equal service to all. The editorial area was not, at that point, expanded but enhanced studio facilities and staff were devoted to Bucks & Herts. Since 1995, it has not played music during its weekday daytime output,instead relying on pure speech from 5am until 7pm, when specialist programming is broadcast. The studios at Willen have produced the separate breakfast show since October 2001, with a separate drivetime show from November 2004 until October 2005, before producing the separate lunchtime programme which ended in February 2007 with a revamp of the schedule. The station has won several Sony Gold Awards. New transmitters at Epping Green and [[Bedmond]] extended the coverage to [[Welwyn Garden City]], [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]] and west Hertfordshire in late 2005. ==Transmitters== BBC Three Counties Radio broadcasts on 90.4FM (Epping Green, near [[Hertford]]), 92.1FM (Bedmond, near [[Hemel Hempstead]]), 94.7FM (Quainton Hill, near [[Aylesbury]]), 95.5FM ([[Sandy Heath transmitting station|Sandy Heath]]), 98.0FM ([[High Wycombe]]), 103.8FM ([[Zouches Farm]], near Luton), 104.5FM ([[Bow Brickhill]], near Milton Keynes), 630 kHz [[Mediumwave|MW]] ([[Lewsey Farm]], near Luton), 1161 kHz ([[Kempston]], near Bedford), and streaming from the BBC 3CR website. BBC 3CR is not broadcast on digital radio; instead [[BBC London 94.9]] is carried by the London 2 ([[Switch London]]) multiplex which is transmitted from Zouches Farm and Bedmond. A Beds, Herts and Bucks digital multiplex, to be run by NOW Digital Ltd, will begin broadcasts in spring 2008. None of the transmissions are very powerful, but the Milton Keynes 104.5FM signal from Bow Brickhill is the strongest and can be received the furthest; it can be heard in [[Swindon]] and as far north as [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]] (where it begins to interfere with [[BBC Radio Derby|Radio Derby]]). The 630 kHz signal from Lewsey Farm can be heard clearly as far north as south [[Lincolnshire]], and it can interfere with the [[Voice of Russia]], which is on the [http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&w=129&p= same frequency]. ==Schedule== {{Advert|date=June 2008}} Wally Webb starts the day at 4am not only on BBC 3cr but also on all of the BBC local radio stations across East Anglia,Wally provides good music and conversation plus the lastest travel news. Gareth Lloyd presents Early Breakfast from 5am-6am looking at all the days news, sport, weather and travel plus speaking to people around the world . The 6-9am Breakfast Shows are presented by Stephen Rhodes in Beds, Herts and Bucks, and by Helen Legh in Milton Keynes on 104.5 F.M only. At 9am, Ronnie Barbour takes over. From 11am until 2pm everyday, JVS investigates listener's consumer problems. At 2pm Lorna Milton presents the afternoon show. From 4.30pm, Roberto Perrone presents the drivetime show, featuring local news and information. From 7pm BBC 3cr goes regional with Sue Marchant from 7pm with 3 hours of good music and chat, then at 10pm its Nick Risby with the Late Show. At the weekends Barry Hyde presents the 70's Album Show at 6pm, then its Keith Skues(Cardboard Shoes)Rock and Roll Heaven at 7pm music from the 50's and 60's. Richard Spendlove is on at 9pm with the longest running phone inn anywhere on U.K radio, BBC 3cr join with the rest of the BBC local radio sations in the South and East of England Richard is followed by BBC radio 2 legend [[Colin Berry]] who also does a shared regional programme the same as Richard ever Saturday from 11pm-1am,when Colin is on holiday Richard will be on between 9pm-1am,the same goes for Colin when Richard is off. Other weekend presenters include Ian Pearce with Melting Pot Sundays at 6am which is BBC 3cr's faith programme, A popular show over the weekend is Treasure Quest at 9am presented by Andy Gelder. Sunday lunchtime is hosted by Ernie Almond from 12pm and is a round table discussion with three guests, with topics of national and local interest. Listeners are encouraged to join in by text, email or phone. During the final hour, Ernie relays his visits - pre-recorded during the week - to villages in Beds, Herts & Bucks. Every Friday from 7pm BBC Three Counties Radio plays host to the national BBC Introducing... programme. Gareth Lloyd presents the one hour programme called BBC Introducing... in Beds, Herts & Bucks, which features the best local talent from across the three counties. Every week an unsinged local band get the chance to perform a live set on the radio. Recently they took a local Luton band to record a session at the BBC studios in Maida Vale. Gareth Lloyd hosts many different live music events across Beds, Herts & Bucks Three Counties Radio also broadcasts Rokker Radio, a show aimed at the travelling community, which had lots of national press attention when it was announced in March 2006. The show, presented by Jake Bowers, one of the UK's only Romany journalists, broadcasts on a Sunday evening from 5pm. Rokker Radio was expanded following popular demand in August 2006 across the BBC local radio stations in the East. Ian Pearce the presenter of Melting Pot, a programme for all faiths and none, on Sunday mornings,also commentates on Luton Town Football games as part of Saturday Sport from 2pm during the football season. He is popular former English teacher at Challney High School for Boys on Stoneygate Road in Challney, Luton. In August 2007, Mark Norman returned to Three Counties Radio as Editor,former managing editors who have run the station were Mike Gibbons he set the whole station up and opened it in 1985, Mike stayed until 1995. Andrew Wilson who used to be in charged at BBC radio Cambridgeshire came and took over the running of BBC 3cr in 1998. Former presenters who were very popular with the BBC 3cr audience are Simon Groom former Blue Peter presenter he used to present with Ian Pearce mid mornings and Susie Barnes who presented the afternoon show from 1989 until April 1993. ==External links== * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties BBC Three Counties Radio] * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/introducing BBC Introducing... in Beds, Herts & Bucks] * [http://www.myspace.com/bbcintroducinginbedshertsbucks BBC Introducing... in Beds, Herts & Bucks on Myspace] * [http://www.youtube.com/bbcintroducinginbhb BBC Introducing... in Beds, Herts & Bucks on Youtube] * [http://www.garethlloyd.com Gareth Lloyd from BBC Introducing.. in Beds, Herts & Bucks] * [http://www.mediauk.com/radio/273 Media UK - BBC Three Counties Radio] * [http://www.robertoperrone.co.uk Roberto Perrone] * [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon-smith Jonathan Vernon-Smith.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/bow-brickhill.php Bow Brickhill transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/epping-green.php Epping Green transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/hemelhempstead/index.php Hemel Hempstead (Bedmond) transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/high-wycombe.php High Wycombe transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/lewsey-farm.php Lewsey Farm transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/bedford-kempston.php Kempston transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/quainton-hill.php Quainton Hill transmiter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sandy-heath.php Sandy Heath transmitter.] * [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/zouches-farm.php Zouches Farm transmitter.] {{BBC Local Radio}} [[Category:BBC local radio|Three Counties Radio]] [[Category:Media in Hertfordshire]] [[Category:Media in Bedfordshire]] [[Category:Organisations based in Buckinghamshire]] [[Category:Luton]] [[Category:Hitchin]]