BBC Radio Derby
From Free net encyclopedia
BBC Radio Derby is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Derbyshire. It covers all but the northern tip of the county, and also serves eastern Staffordshire, mainly Uttoxeter and Burton-on-Trent. It broadcasts from its studios in Derby on 104.5, 95.3 (Stanton Moor, near Bakewell) and 96.0 (Buxton) FM and 1116 (Burnaston Lane, next to the Toyota factory) AM. It also transmits its progams over the internet, but does not broadcast on DAB Digital Radio. The main 104.5FM is the strongest signal, and comes a 200ft transmitter on Drum Hill, 5 miles north of Derby, the other side of the A38 from Little Eaton. This signal used to come from the Sutton Coldfield television transmitter. You can get this signal over large parts of Leicestershire. It used to broadcast from the studio building on 94.2FM.
Although there is a transmitter for the north of the county, Radio Sheffield is also clearly heard around Chesterfield, which is a dormitory town for commuters working in Sheffield. Chesterfield listeners would be much at home listening to Radio Sheffield.
The station began broadcasting officially on April 29th 1971, though it went on air two months earlier than planned to cover the bankruptcy of the local engineering firm Rolls-Royce.
Much of the output is speech based, featuring phone-ins, quizzes and news. The station is aimed at listeners over 45 years of age. After 7pm each weekday, the BBC local radios in the East Midlands coincide, until 1am, when it becomes Radio Five Live.
BBC Radio Derby broadcasts match commentaries from local soccer/football teams; especially the Rams (Derby County) and the Brewers (Burton Albion).
The local commercial station is Ram FM 102.8FM, which is owned by GCap Media. This also comes from the Drum Hill transmitter, as well as Saga 106.6 FM. Stanton Moor also has national radio frequencies and Peak FM on 102FM. Buxton also has television and national radio frequencies, and High Peak Radio on 106.4FM.
Current Presenters
The current presenters at BBC Radio Derby are:
- Dylan Roys - (as BBC Local Radio In the East Midlands) Weekdays 5-6am.
- Andy Whittaker - Weekdays 6-9am and Saturdays 9am-12pm.
- Shane O'Connor - Weekdays 9am-12pm and Saturdays 6-9am.
- Aleena Naylor - Weekdays 12-2pm and Sundays 12-1pm.
- Alex Trelinski - Weekdays 2-5pm and Sundays 9am-12pm.
- Ross Fletcher - Weekdays 5-7pm and Saturdays 2-6pm.
- Sally Pepper - Saturdays 12-2pm.
- Nicholas Henshall - Sundays 6-9am.
- Chris Baird - Sundays 1-4pm.
- Mike Carey - Sundays 4-6pm.
Alex Trelinski took over from Paul MacKenzie in January 2006. Paul was one of the station's most popular presenters, and his departure was met with an angry reaction from large numbers of listeners. The reason behind his departure has never been revealed by him or the station - though many listeners believe that it was not his decision to leave.
Chris Baird (b.1948) is the station's second longest-serving presenter - joining in 1979 (Richard Sykes is first, however he is rarely heard on the station's output nowadays due to commitments with the station's BBC Bus). He has presented 'The Greatest Hits Show' on Sunday afternoons for many years - this show concentrates on music from the past; particularly the 1960s; and many of the jingles used on this show are reminiscent of the ones used on offshore radio stations of this period.
Chris can also be heard reporting on weekday editions of the Breakfast Show, where he drives around the output area in the BBC Radio Derby Radio Car in order to carry out live reports from locations relating to items in the News.