BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4
Logo used since 2022
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom and internationally via BBC Sounds
FrequenciesFM: 92.5–96.1 MHz, 103.5–104.9 MHz
LW: 198 kHz
DAB: 12B
Freesat: 704
Freeview: 704
Sky (UK only): 0104
Virgin Media: 904
Virgin Media Ireland: 910
RDSBBC R4
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews, talk, comedy and drama
Ownership
OwnerBBC
BBC Radio 4 Extra
History
First air date
30 September 1967; 57 years ago (1967-09-30)
Former call signs
2LO London
BBC National Programme
BBC Regional Programme
BBC Home Service
Former names
BBC Radio 4 UK (1978–1984)
Former frequencies
200 LW
603 MW
692 MW
720 MW
756 MW
774 MW
809 MW
881 MW
908 MW
1052 MW
1088 MW
1151 MW
1340 MW
1449 MW
1457 MW
1485 MW
Technical information
Licensing authority
Ofcom
Links
WebsiteBBC Radio 4 via BBC Sounds

BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC.[1] The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasting House, London. Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya.[2] He replaced Gwyneth Williams, who had been the station controller since 2010.[2][3]

Broadcasting throughout the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands on FM, LW and DAB, and on BBC Sounds,[4] it can be received in the eastern counties of Ireland, northern France and Northern Europe. It is available on Freeview, Sky, and Virgin Media. Radio 4 currently reaches over 10 million listeners, making it the UK's second most-popular radio station after BBC Radio 2.[5]

BBC Radio 4 broadcasts news programmes such as Today, The World at One and PM heralded on air by the Greenwich Time Signal pips or the chimes of Big Ben. The pips are only accurate on FM, and LW; there is a delay on digital radio of three to five seconds and online up to 23 seconds. Radio 4 broadcasts the Shipping Forecast which, in August 2017, was 150 years old.[6]

According to RAJAR, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 9.2 million with a listening share of 11.1% as of December 2023.[7]

  1. ^ "History of the BBC: 1960s" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b "BBC - Controllers for Pop Music, BBC Sounds and Radio 4 have been appointed - Media Centre". bbc.co.uk.
  3. ^ "Gwyneth Williams appointed BBC Radio 4 controller" The Guardian, 15 July 2010, Retrieved 15 July 2010
  4. ^ "Radio stations ranked by listeners weekly UK 2018 | Statistic". Statista. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  5. ^ "RAJAR". www.rajar.co.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Radio 4's Shipping Forecast reaches 150-years-old". BBC News. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  7. ^ "RAJAR".