BBC Radio Northampton

Infobox Radio Station
name = BBC Radio Northampton


city = Northampton
area = Northamptonshire
branding =
slogan =
airdate = June 16, 1982
frequency = 104.2 MHz, 103.6FM
share = 9.8%
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,
BBC East
website = [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/local_radio/index.shtml BBC Radio Northampton]

BBC Radio Northampton is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Northamptonshire. It broadcasts from its studios in Broadcasting House, Northampton (a listed building) on 104.2 (Northampton) and 103.6 (Geddington, between Kettering and Corby) FM. The station also has two studios in Daventry and Corby. It can be heard on the website [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/local_radio/] .

The current Managing Editor is Laura Moss, who joined the station in 2003.

Opening

The station was launched at 6:45am on June 16, 1982 on 1107 AM and 96.6 FM, with Jon Beynon's programme "Start the Day", the first piece of music being John Williams's "Superman" theme, followed by "Work that Body" by Diana Ross.

The first outside broadcast followed on June 17 1982, and the official opening was performed by the Duke of Gloucester.

The station was renamed "BBC Northampton" in 1990, but reverted to its original name on April 3, 2000.

Transmitters

The station has two transmitters, with 104.2 FM broadcast from the Boughton Green Road area of Northampton, and 103.6 FM broadcast from a mast near the village of Geddington. Listeners can tune in to 104.2 in the south and west of the county (including Northampton and surrounding area), whereas 103.6 serves the north and east (including Kettering and Corby).

Along the M1, the station can be heard on 104.2 FM from Milton Keynes to Copt Oak (near Leicester). There is no MW frequency, nor does the station currently broadcast on DAB. For the north-east of the county near Oundle, the Peterborough transmitter has Radio Cambridgeshire on DAB from a NOW Digital multiplex. The Northampton transmitter also has the GCap-owned commercial station Northants 96 on 96.6FM, and has national radio frequencies.

The transmitter at Daventry on Borough Hill has BBC DAB National, Digital One 11D and an MXR West Midlands 12A multiplex (since August 2001). This transmitter was the BBC's first Long wave transmitter, beginning 27th July 1925. It had not been previously used by the BBC since 1978.

DAB Licence

On October 11 2007, the DAB licence was [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2007/10/nr_20071011 awarded] to NOW Digital. MuxCo had also bid for the [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/dcr/applications/northamptonshire/northamptonshire/ licence] . NOW Digital expect to start broadcasting from the three transmitters at Northampton, Geddington and Daventry in September 2008.

Sports coverage

BBC Radio Northampton has extensive sports output, hosted by Geoff Doyle. Commentators include Tim Oglethorpe for Northampton Town, Paul Gadsby and Chris Barrett, who alternate Rushden and Diamonds coverage, and James Knight and James Burridge for Northampton Saints. Notable past Sports Editors include Mike Sewell, who as of 2007 is a sport reporter for BBC Radio Five Live.

Other contributors include Simon de Choisy, who reports on Kettering Town, Corby Town reporter Chuck Middleton, and Peter Bradley, who is their Rothwell Town reporter.

Behind the scenes at the studio, the show is kept on the airwaves by Mark Harrison.

The jingles are provided by [http://www.bespokemusic.co.uk Bespoke Music] of Penryn.

Current presenters

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/04/29/annabel_amos_profile_feature.shtml Annabel Amos]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/01/16/geoff_doyle_profile_feature.shtml Geoff Doyle]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2005/12/22/martin_heath_profile_feature.shtml Martin Heath]
*Pete Cooper
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/01/10/richard_jordan_profile_feature.shtml Richard Jordan]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/local_radio/planet_bern/index.shtml Bernie Keith]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/01/17/jona_kotnis_profile_feature.shtml Jona Kotnis]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2005/12/20/sue_marchant_profile_feature.shtml Sue Marchant]
*Richard Savage
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2006/01/24/kevin_saddington_profile_feature.shtml Kevin Saddington]
*Bob Walmsley
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2005/12/22/dave_watkins_profile_feature.shtml Dave Watkins]
*Kevin Fernihough

Past presenters

* [http://www.jimhawkins.co.uk Jim Hawkins] - former presenter of the weekday "Talk Show", now with BBC Radio Shropshire.
* Liz Kershaw - former breakfast show presenter; 2002: a presenter on BBC 6 Music; 2005: BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2005/12/20/anna_murby_profile_feature.shtml Anna Murby] Former presenter who started out " 'making the tea' " and stayed for 15 years, finished a two year stint at 6-8am weekdays but left 29th August 2008 " 'after spending two years getting up at 4.15am' "cite web|title = Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 2008-08-31: " 'Breakfast show presenter reveals why she had to leave" '|url = http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Breakfast-show-presenter-reveals-why.4442662.jp|accessdate = 2008-08-31] . Anna was educated at Campion School, Bugbrooke, Northants.
* [http://www.oliffmedia.com Richard Oliff] - former presenter of the daily lunch consumer show 2001-2005 now presents the Drive Show for * [http://www.harboroughfm.co.uk/presenters/index.htm#richard_oliff HFM] - 1500 to 1900 and occasionally [http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/local_radio/ BBC Radio Leicester]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/radiocambridgeshire/presenters/biog_steve_riches.shtml Steve Riches] - former breakfast show presenter, as of 2005 presents BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's breakfast programme
* Howard Stableford - went on to present the BBC television series "Tomorrow's World"
* [http://www.skynewsgreenroom.co.uk/SkyNewsGreenroom/presenters/4/biography.asp?id=1 Martin Stanford] - as of 2006 presents Sky News's "Sky News Today"
* David Saint - former presenter of 'Saint on Sunday' and the weekday afternoon programme.
* Jonathan Vernon-Smith - Now on BBC Three Counties Radio
* Andrew Radd - Former Drive Time presenter
* John Beynon - the first voice heard on Radio Northampton.
* Mervyn Gamage - presented the lunchtime discussion programme now on Moorlands Radio.
* Steve Taschini - now Executive Editor, BBC Oxford.

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/local_radio BBC Radio Northampton]
* [http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKNorthants.htm History of local radio in Northamptonshire]
* [http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/BKeithtracker.htm Bernie Keith]
* [http://www.oliffmedia.com Richard Oliff]
* [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/d.allen43/main_pages/bbc%20northampton.htm David's Transmitter World]
* [http://www.arar93.dsl.pipex.com/mds975/txmaps/northampton.html MDS975's Transmitter Map]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/geddington.php Geddington transmitter]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/northampton.php Northampton transmitter]

Audio clips

* [http://www.bespokemusic.co.uk/tracks/bbc-northampton-broad.mp3 Jingle package]
* [http://www.intervalsignals.net/files/ukg-bbc_radio_northampton_030402.m3u 2002 jingle]