BBC Radio Leeds

Infobox Radio station
name = BBC Radio Leeds


city = Leeds
area = West Yorkshire
branding =
slogan =
airdate = 24 June 1968
frequency = 92.4, 95.3, 102.7, 103.9 MHz, 774 kHz & DAB Digital radio
share = 6.5%
share as of = March 2008
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
format = Mainly local news and talk
power =
erp =
class =
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = BBC Local Radio,
BBC Yorkshire
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/local_radio BBC Radio Leeds]
affiliations =

BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.

Frequencies

It broadcasts from its studios at St. Peters Square in Leeds on 92.4 (Holme Moss), 95.3 (Luddenden, two miles west of Halifax & Wharfedale, two miles north of Otley), 102.7 (Keighley, on Rombalds Moor near Riddlesden) 103.9 (Beecroft Hill, in Bramley near Leeds) FM, 774 (New Farnley, near the A58) AM and DAB.

Transmitters

Initially Radio Leeds had a low powered transmitter in Meanwood Park, on 96.4 MHz. [ [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/topics/broadcasting/document/vhfreplan/annexh.htm VHF Broadcast Re-planning ] ] This was at a time when VHF receivers were not widespread. At this time the station covered Leeds exclusively (and was funded by Leeds City Council, rather than the Licence Fee) rather than the whole of West Yorkshire.

The main VHF/FM transmitter moved Holme Moss on 92.4 MHz, covering most of the county of West Yorkshire. Unusually this transmitter also transmits neighbouring services Radio Manchester and Radio Sheffield from separate directional aerials on the mast.

Radio Leeds is also carried on the Wharfedale and Luddenden transmitters on 95.3 MHz, from Keighley on 102.7 and from Beecroft Hill (West Leeds) on 103.9 MHz to fill in areas which are screened from Holme Moss by the topology of the area.

The medium wave service on 774 kHz is transmitted from Farnley (also known as Leeds MF). BBC Asian Network is carried on this frequency during the week between 7pm and 1am. The MW service was added when Radio Leeds service area increased to cover the whole of the county of West Yorkshire.

Since 2001 Radio Leeds has been carried on the EMAP Leeds DAB multiplex, and since October 2002 on the UTV EMAP Bradford, Huddersfield and Halifax Multiplex.

Live streaming is available from the station's website.

tudios

Along with BBC Yorkshire's television output, it moved, also in 2004, from the old studios on Woodhouse Lane to a new broadcasting centre in St Peter's Square, near the West Yorkshire Playhouse. It also has offices and studios at the National Media Museum in Bradford.

Former Presenters

*John Boyd (former weekday morning presenter)
*Alex Hall (now on BBC Radio Tees)
*Martin Kelner
*Bob Walmsley (now on BBC Radio Northampton)
*Julie Langford (now stand-in)
*David Smith (now on BBC Radio Gloucestershire)

Programmes

In 2004, BBC Radio Leeds became the second BBC local radio station in England, after BBC London 94.9, to broadcast 24 hours a day. However, the station has recently reverted back to carrying BBC Radio 5 Live's "Up All Night" overnight. Five Live's early morning news programme "Morning Reports" is also simulcast on Saturday.

Weekdays

*0400-0600 Jonathan I'Anson
*0600-0900 Andrew Edwards and Georgey Spanswick
*0900-1200 Graham Liver
*1200-1400 Liz Green
*1400-1600 Paul Carrington
*1600-1900 'Steve' Stephen D Bailey
*1900-2100 :Monday: 1900 Live Lounge with Sally Fairfax, 2000 Big Band Show:Tuesday-Thursday: 1900 Shourjo Sarkar
*2100-0100 Russell Walker
*0100-0400 Radio 5 Live: "Up All Night"

Friday variations

*1600-1830 'Steve' Stephen D Bailey
*1830-1900 Eddie Gray and Adam Pope
*1900-2200 West Yorkshire Sport
*2200-0100 Glitterball
*0100-0300 Down in the Grooves
*0300-0500 Radio 5 Live: "Up All Night"

aturday

*0500-0600 Radio 5 Live: "Morning Reports"
*0600-0900 Shourjo Sarkar
*0900-1200 Graham Liver
*1200-1400 "Flashback" with Daragh Cocoran
*1400-1800 "West Yorkshire Sport" (times may vary)
*1800-2100 TBC
*2100-0000 "Phil Butler's Late Show"
*0100-0300 "Glitterball"
*0300-0500 Radio 5 Live: "Up All Night"

unday

*0500-0600 "Gospel Inspiration
*0600-0900 Trevor Gibbons
*0900-1100 Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden
*1100-1500 "Paul Carrington on Sunday"
*1500-1800 "West Yorkshire Sport"
*1800-2100 Roopa Rajani (FM and DAB only from 1900)
*1900-2000 Ali Hasan (AM only)
*2000-2100 "The Dubervilles"
*2000-2200 Mussarrat Abbasi (AM only)
*2100-0100 "Chris Marsden's Love Songs" (simulcast with Radio York and Radio Sheffield, FM only until 2200)
*0100-0400 Radio 5 Live: "Up All Night"

Former Networked Programmes

One of the station's most successful shows was the "Alex Hall Late Night Phone-In". The programme was networked on all of the BBC stations in the old BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region from 10:00 p.m - 1:00 a.m. Sunday to Thursday. Listeners from would call in with their observations or problems (sometimes of a bizarre nature). Alex moved to BBC Tees. Her programme was filled by Russell Walker on BBC Radio Leeds, while the other BBC stations concentrated on their own programming. Walker's programme is now networked to BBC Radio Sheffield and BBC Radio York.

Another popular presenter Martin Kelner who also broadcast a regular Friday & Saturday late show on the BBC Night Network recently left the BBC. It is thought that the Programme Controller wanted a more female friendly presenter in his slot. Martin now broadcasts on commercial radio station Real Radio.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/local_radio BBC Radio Leeds]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/content/articles/2006/07/17/wired_radio_leeds_feature.shtml The history of BBC Radio Leeds]
* [http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKYorks.htm History of local radio in Yorkshire.]
* [http://www.sdbailey.co.uk Steve Baileys Personal Site.]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ainley-top.php Ainley Top (Digital).]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/holmemoss/index.php Holme Moss transmitter (coverage map).]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/d.allen43/main_pages/BBC%20Leeds.htm David's Transmitter World]

References