BBC Regional Programme

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The BBC Regional Programme was a BBC radio station from the 1920s until the outbreak of World War II.

1 Foundation
2 Original regional stations
- 2.1 Relay stations
3 The Regional Scheme
4 Regional transmitters
5 Closure
6 Inheritance
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links

[edit] Foundation

When the BBC first began transmissions on 14 November 1922, the technology for both national coverage and joint programming between transmitters did not exist. Whilst it was possible to combine large numbers of trunk telephone lines to link transmitters for individual programmes, the process was expensive and not encouraged by the General Post Office as it tied up large parts of the telephone network. Therefore, the stations that followed the establishment of 2LO in London were autonomously programmed using local talent and facilities.

By May 1923, simultaneous broadcasting was technically possible, at least between main transmitters and relay stations, but the quality was not felt to be high enough to provide a national service or regular simultaneous broadcasts.

In 1924, it was felt that technical standards had improved enough for London to start to provide the majority of the output, cutting the local stations back to providing items of local interest.

[edit] Original regional stations

Each of these stations broadcast at approximately 1 kW.

Airdate	Station ID	City
14 November 1922	2LO	London
15 November 1922	5IT	Birmingham
15 November 1922	2ZY	Manchester
24 December 1922	5NO	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
13 February 1923	5WA	Cardiff
6 March 1923	5SC	Glasgow
17 October 1923	6BM	Bournemouth
16 November 1923	2FL	Sheffield
28 March 1924	5PY	Plymouth
14 September 1924	2BE	Belfast

[edit] Relay stations

Each of these stations broadcast at approximately 120 W

Airdate	Station ID	City	Relay of
1 May 1924	2EH	Edinburgh	5SC
11 June 1924	6LV	Liverpool	2ZY
8 July 1924	2LS	Leeds and Bradford	2ZY
15 August 1924	6KH	Kingston-upon-Hull	2ZY
16 September 1924	5NG	Nottingham	2ZY
9 November 1924	2DE	Dundee	2BD
21 November 1924	6ST	Stoke-on-Trent	2ZY
12 December 1924	5SX	Swansea	5WA

[edit] The Regional Scheme

On 21 August 1927, the BBC opened a high power mediumwave transmitter at Daventry, 5GB, to replace the existing local stations in the English Midlands. That allowed the experimental longwave transmitter 5XX to provide a service programmed from London for the majority of the population. This came to be called the BBC National Programme.

By combining the resources of the local stations into one regional station in each area, with a basic sustaining service from London, the BBC hoped to increase programme quality whilst also centralising the management of the radio service. This was known as The Regional Scheme.

Each local transmitter was slowly either converted to a regional service relay or closed entirely and replaced by high power regional broadcasts. Some local studios were retained to provide for programming from specific areas within each region. Most transmitters also carried the BBC National Programme on a local frequency to supplement the longwave broadcasts from 5XX, Scotland receiving a modified service known as the "Scottish National Programme".

[edit] Regional transmitters

Airdate	Transmitter	Region
21 August 1927	Daventry	Midland
21 October 1929	Brookmans Park	Basic Regional Programme (London)
17 May 1931	Moorside Edge	North
12 June 1932	Westerglen	Scottish
28 May 1933	Washford	Wales and the West of England
1936	Lisnagarvey	Northern Ireland (opt-out from North Region)
1937	Stagshaw	North East England (opt-out from North region)
1937	Burghead	Scottish (for northern Scotland)
1937	Penmon	Welsh (end of joint Wales/West service)
1937	Washford	West (end of joint Wales/West service)

Note: The London region was not generally known by that name. As the sustaining service, it was referred to as "the basic Regional Programme". Brookmans Park supplied programmes for London, South East England and much of East Anglia.

[edit] Closure

Upon the outbreak of World War II, the BBC closed the Regional Programme and combined it with the National Programme to form a single channel known as the BBC Home Service.

The former transmitters of the Regional Programme continued to broadcast this service, although their frequencies were slaved together to allow them to all broadcast on the same wavelength and therefore be turned off in sequence to prevent the signals being used as navigational beacons for enemy aircraft during the Blitz.

After VE-Day, the BBC reintroduced the regional service, but kept the title "BBC Home Service". The longwave frequencies of the former National Programme became the BBC Light Programme.

[edit] Inheritance

Both the Regional Programme and the National Programme provided a mixed mainstream radio service. Whilst the two services provided different programming, allowing listeners a choice, they were not streamed to appeal to different audiences. Therefore, the pre-war Regional Programme, whilst using the same regions, frequencies and transmitters as the post-war Home Service, was not the middlebrow news and drama station is successor became. Similarly. the pre-war National Programme was not the general entertainment network its successor the Light Programme became.

[edit] References

Various authors The B.B.C. Year-book 1933 London: British Broadcasting Corporation 1932
Various authors BBC Year Book 1947 London: British Broadcasting Corporation 1947
Graham, Russ J A local service Radiomusications from Transdiffusion, undated; accessed 5 February 2006
Graham, Russ J A new lease of life Radiomusications from Transdiffusion, undated; accessed 5 February 2006
Groves, Paul History of radio transmission part 1: 1922 - 1967 Frequency Finder, undated; accessed 5 February 2006
Paulu, Burton Radio and Television Broadcasting on the European Continent Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 1967