BBC Radio Northampton
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Image:Broadcasting House, Northampton.jpg 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.
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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 station was renamed BBC Northampton in 1990, but reverted to its original name on April 3 2000.
The first outside broadcast followed on June 17, and the official openening was performed by Duke of Gloucester.
Today
Bernie Keith, who has the mid-morning programme, loves to deviously wind-up unsuspecting callers to his show, treating them to the occasional double-entendre. Less worldly-wise listeners may be embarrassed.
Jonathan Vernon-Smith, a presenter from Three Counties Radio has taken over the lunch programme, following the departure of Richard Oliff.
From 7pm until 1am, the station joins up with the rest of BBC local radio in the BBC East region, who are covered by the evening BBC news programme, Look East. Nick Lawrence hosts until 10pm, then the veteran Keith Skues takes the helm, with both broadcasting from Norwich.
The current Managing Editor is Laura Moss, who joined the station in 2003.
Transmitters
The station has two transmitters, with 104.2 FM broadcast from the Moulton Park 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 Watford Gap or the M6 junction. There is no MW frequency, nor does the station currently broadcast on DAB. The Northampton transmitter also has the GCap-owned commercial station Northants 96 on 96.6FM, and has national radio frequencies.
Sports coverage
BBC Radio Northampton has extensive sports output, hosted by Geoff Doyle. Commentators include Tim Oglethorpe for Northampton Town, Ben Jacobs for Rushden and Diamonds, and James Knight and James Burridge for Northampton Saints. Notable past Sports Editors include Mike Sewell, who as of 2006 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 Tom Gilder and Mark Harrison.
Current presenters
- Liz Carroll-Wheat
- Mark Dean
- Geoff Doyle
- Martin Heath
- Alan Hodgetts
- Richard Jordan
- Bernie Keith
- Jona Kotnis
- Sue Marchant
- Anna Murby
- Andrew Radd
- Kevin Saddington
- Jonathan Vernon-Smith
- Dave Watkins
Past presenters
- Jim Hawkins - former presenter of the weekday Talk Show
- Liz Kershaw - former breakfast show presenter, as of 2005 a presenter on BBC 6 Music
- Richard Oliff Former presenter of the daily lunch consumer show 2001-2005 now back to his roots at Connect FM
- 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
- Martin Stanford - as of 2006 presents Sky News's Sky News Today