2LO London BBC National Programme BBC Regional Programme BBC Home Service
Former names
BBC Radio 4 UK (1978–1984)
Former frequencies
603 MW 720 MW 756 MW 774 MW 1449 MW 1485 MW
Technical information
Licensing authority
Ofcom
Links
Website
Radio 4 on BBC Sounds
BBC Radio
Nationwide
Radio 1
Radio 2
Radio 3
Radio 4
Radio 5 Live
Digital-only
Radio 1Xtra
Radio 4 Extra
Radio 5 Sports Extra
Radio 6 Music
Asian Network
v
t
e
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 Radio 2.[5]
BBC Radio 4 broadcasts news programmes such as Today and The World at One, 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 twenty-three 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 9.1 million with a listening share of 11% as of December 2023.[7]
^"History of the BBC: 1960s" (PDF).
^ ab"BBC - Controllers for Pop Music, BBC Sounds and Radio 4 have been appointed - Media Centre". bbc.co.uk.
^"Gwyneth Williams appointed BBC Radio 4 controller" The Guardian, 15 July 2010, Retrieved 15 July 2010
^"Radio stations ranked by listeners weekly UK 2018 | Statistic". Statista. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
^"RAJAR". www.rajar.co.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
^"Radio 4's Shipping Forecast reaches 150-years-old". BBC News. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
BBCRadio4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts...
BBCRadio4 Extra (formerly BBCRadio 7) is a British digital radio station from the BBC, broadcasting archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary...
Of the national radio stations, BBCRadio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Live are all available through analogue radio (MW or FM, also BBCRadio4 broadcasts on longwave)...
reached an average of 210 million people a week (via TV, radio and online). In November 2016, the BBC announced that it would start broadcasting in additional...
BBCRadio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout...
BBCRadio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million...
the United Kingdom List of Internet radio stations BBCRadio at BBC Online List of BBCradio stations at BBC Online BBCradio frequencies at BBC Online...
events relating to BBCRadio4, a British national radio station which began broadcasting in September 1967. 1967 30 September – Radio4 launches at 6:35 am...
current and former programmes broadcast on BBCRadio4. When it came into existence – on 30 September 1967 – Radio4 inherited a great many continuing programme...
opt-out service of BBCRadio4. As of August 2022, the station's managing editor is Carolyn Hitt, who is also editor of BBC Wales Sport. Radio Wales is broadcast...
BBCRadio 5 Live is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts mainly news, sport, discussion, interviews and phone-ins...
BBC Local Radio (also referred to as Local BBCRadio) is the BBC's local and regional radio division for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of...
BBCRadio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B...
Scottish BBCRadio4 opt-out service of the same name from 23 November 1978. Radio Scotland is broadcast in English, whilst sister station Radio nan Gàidheal...
employed by BBC Television and BBCRadio. Presenters and journalists appear across BBC television, radio but also contribute to BBC Online. BBC News provides...
BBCRadio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music...
Ireland, a division of the BBC. It was established on New Year's Day 1975, replacing what had been an opt-out of BBCRadio4. According to RAJAR, the station...
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC, providing national sports coverage for BBC television, radio and online. The BBC holds the television and...
BBCRadio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. In 2002 it was the first...
BBCRadio 5 Sports Extra (formerly BBCRadio 5 Live Sports Extra) is a national digital radio station in the United Kingdom, operated by the BBC, and specialising...
events relating to BBCRadio 2, a British national radio station which began broadcasting in September 1967. 30 September – BBCRadio 2 launches at 5:30am...
BBCRadio Cymru is a Welsh language radio station owned and operated by BBC Cymru Wales, a division of the BBC. It broadcasts across Wales on FM, DAB,...
BBCRadio Solent is the BBC's local radio station serving Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, broadcasting on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds...
opt-out from BBCRadio's main Northern Ireland service, BBCRadio Ulster. BBCRadio Foyle's weekday schedule begins at 7:00am and continues until 4:00pm. The...
BBCRadio4. "Afternoon Reading, EM Forster Short Stories, The Story of the Siren". BBCRadio4. "BBCRadio 3 – Drama on 3, A Thousand Kisses". BBC Radio...
Global Information