BBC Radio Norfolk

BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Norfolk, broadcasting since 11 September 1980. It broadcasts from the studios of BBC East in The Forum, Norwich on 95.1 (Stoke Holy Cross), 104.4 (Great Massingham) FM, 95.6 (West Runton), near Cromer), 855 (Postwick, east Norwich near the A47) kHz, 873 kHz (West Lynn, near the A47 and River Great Ouse) MW, DAB and through the internet using Real Player.

The station should not be confused with the fictional BBC Radio Norwich in the television comedy series I'm Alan Partridge.

Transmitters

The 95.1FM signal covers the Norwich area, 104.4FM covers the West and Kings Lynn area, while 95.6FM (which came on-air on September 12 2005) serves North Norfolk. The Great Massingham transmitter also has the commercial station KL.FM 96.7. The Postwick transmitter also has Five Live on 693MW, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio. The Stoke Holy Cross transmitter also has Broadland 102 on 102.4FM and Vibe FM 105-108 on 106.1FM. The 95.1FM signal used to come from Tacolneston. The West Runton transmitter also has a TV relay on it. Since 31st March 2003, DAB signals have come from the NOW Digital Norfolk 11B multiplex, with transmitters at Great Yarmouth, Oulton (Lowestoft in Suffolk), Stoke Holy Cross (strongest signal), Thetford, and West Runton. Broadland FM and The Beach are also on this multiplex.

Schedule

From 7pm, BBC local radio stations in the East share the same programme, Nick Lawrence, who broadcasts from Norwich. Keith 'Cardboard Shoes' Skues, the veteran ex-RAF and ex-Radio 1 DJ, broadcasts from 10pm until 1am on Mondays and 9pm until 12am on Sundays, also from the Norwich studios. Nick Risby has the slot on other weekdays.

Important Dates

11-Sep-1980 - Norfolks new neighbour starts broadcasting at 5:55pm from Norfolk Tower, Surrey Street, Norwich on 95.1 MHz VHF (FM) & 855 kHz (351m) MW/AM to East Norfolk, plus 1602 kHz (187m) MW/AM to West Norfolk. Note: There were no FM transmissions to West Norfolk.

12-Sep-1980 - Terry Wogan broadcast his BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show live from the new station.

1982 - West Norfolk's MW/AM transmitter changed frequency to 873 kHz (344m) MW/AM

1984 - West Norfolk got the very first FM tranmissions of the station. It broadcast on 96.7 MHz. These transmissions were broadcast in mono due to an 'off-air' re-broadcast system. This picked up the Tacolneston 95.1 FM broadcast and re-transmitted it, but was unable to reproduce a clear stereo signal.

1986 - The West Norfolk transmitter was re-tuned from 96.7, to 104.4 MHz FM (the mono broadcasts continued).

Early 1992 - The King's Lynn studio moves from Tuesday Market place to the North Lynn Business Village.

circa 2000 - Tacolneston transmissions cease and Stoke Holy Cross transmissions start. These continue on 95.1MHz FM but at slightly less transmitter power.

27-Jun-2003 - The last programme is broadcast from Norfolk Tower. The station leaves this site at 7pm.

28-Jun-2003 - Radio Norfolk starts from a new home - The BBC studios on the 1st floor at The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, England. The first presenter from their new home was Stewart White.

12-Sep-2005 - As part of BBC Radio Norfolk's 25th birthday celebrations, North Norfolk gets a clearer signal with the official launch of transmissions on 95.6 MHz FM (stereo) from the West Runton mast.

Oct/Nov 2005 - West Norfolk finally get stereo broadcasts on 104.4 MHz FM.

Important Facts

BBC Radio Norfolk was the first BBC local radio station to be launched after several years. This was due to the Governments review of local radio (both BBC and ILR) in the late 1970's.

The BBC & IBA had the choice of either launching a service in Devon or Norfolk, with the one body taking one county and vice versa. The BBC chose Norfolk; the IBA decided on Devon. This was done by the toss of a coin.

BBC Radio Norfolk became to first BBC local radio station to broadcast in stereo on VHF/FM.

It was the first BBC local radio station to cover a county, as opposed to a city or town.

The launch of East Anglia's first BBC local radio station was broadcast live on BBC Look East - the regions local BBC TV news magazine.

BBC Radio Norfolk's first presenter was John Mountford, who now runs a TV and radio commercial production company (The JMS Group) on the outskirts of Norwich.

The studios and offices were on the ground floor of Norfolk Tower, Surrey Street, Norwich and were a carpet showroom before BBC Radio Norfolk moved in.

Former Presenters

* Rob Bonnet

BBC Radio Norfolk: Encyclopedia BETA