ContactBBC Radio Blackburn/Lancashire
"The Lancashire shound...
BBC Radio Blackburn and BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Blackburn and BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Blackburn '..the Lancashire Sound' was the first BBC Local Radio station for the area of North East Lancashire, launching at 12:00, 26th January 1971 on 96.4 vhf(!) with the voice of Tom Naseby (23 years worth of senior announcer service in Manchester previously) and John Musgrave, then the Station Manager. BBC Radio Blackburn became BBC Radio Lancashire '...the heart of the County" on July 4th 1981 at just gone 8:00am, with the new name reflecting a need to cover a wider audience.
Five transmitters provide the service; in the extreme east is the Hameldon Hill transmitter on 95.5FM, the central and south, basically the main chunk of the county, is covered by Winter Hill's 103.9FM transmitter, the extreme north is covered by the 104.5 Lancaster transmitter, with AM 855 and 1557 transmitters providing an alternative method of listening. All in all, there are 70 hours of news, talk, music and entertainment for 750,000 people each week, living inland from the Pennines outwards to the Fylde Coast and from the Forest of Bowland to Ormskirk and Skelmersdale. It reaches around a third of this as shown by audience figures and as found explained on the station website. Studios are based at 20 - 26 Darwen Street, Blackburn.
There are 55 full time members of staff, and a set of freelance presenters plus volunteers. The studios offer listeners a chance to visit the 'cyber-cafe' to surf the internet totally free of charge, and there are staff on hand to teach computer amateurs. A television studio is included on the site, and this is regularly used for national and local broadcasts. Reception also includes an activity and museum/display area for local crafts people. 1,200 people use the station's 'Action Desk' every week.
Information amended from the excellent Aircheck UK webpage
BBC Radio Lancashire Jingles
- BBC Radio Blackburn - station opening - 26th January 1971
- BBC Radio Blackburn - opening jingle - BBC Northern Dance Orchestra 1971