BBC Radio nan Gàidheal

BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
Broadcast area Scotland FM, DAB, TV
United Kingdom BBC iPlayer, TV
Worldwide BBC iPlayer
Frequency

FM: 103.5-105 MHz
DAB
Freeview: 720 (Scotland only)
Freesat: 713 (110)
Sky (UK only): 0139 (143)

Virgin Media: 934
First air date 1985
Format News, Entertainment, Speech, Showbiz
Language(s) Scottish Gaelic
Former callsigns BBC Radio Nan Eilean
BBC Air A'Ghaidhealtachd
Owner BBC Scotland
Webcast Webcast (ASX File)
Website www.bbc.co.uk/radionangaidheal

BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is a British radio station, broadcasting in Scottish Gaelic. It is operated by the BBC as part of its portfolio of television and radio services in Scotland.

The station is available from FM transmitters throughout Scotland: its service licence states that "BBC Radio nan Gàidheal should be available every day for general reception across Scotland on FM";[1] it can also be heard on digital television platforms, DAB Digital Radio, and online.

BBC Radio nan Gàidheal programmes are also broadcast (with an in-vision graphical overlay) on the Scottish Gaelic digital television channel BBC Alba during periods when the channel is not carrying television programmes.[2]

History

Main article: BBC Home Service

Scottish Gaelic-language programming has been transmitted in Scotland since 1923, and the BBC's Gaelic-language department was established in 1935. BBC Radio Highland produced a range of Gaelic programming – BBC Radio na Gaidhealtachd – and on 5 October 1979 the Scottish Gaelic service BBC Radio nan Eilean was established in Stornoway. On 1 October 1985, these two separate services united to form Radio nan Gàidheal.[3]

Coverage

Radio nan Gàidheal broadcasts for over 90 hours every week,[2] and joins BBC Radio Scotland's medium-wave feed when they close transmission.[4] Radio nan Gàidheal now frequently broadcasts important Scottish football matches providing Gaelic commentary.

Podcasts of some shows are available from the BBC website and on iTunes for some time after transmission. These include two programmes aimed at learners of the language, entitled Letter to Gaelic Learners and The Little Letter, the latter being a more basic version of the former.[5]

Funding

The service budget for 2009 was £3.9m with a change of any more than 10% requiring approval of the BBC Trust.[6] The service budget in 2011 was almost the same as 2009 at £3.8m and requires the same controls as previous licences.[1] This funding comes from the BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC which is operationally independent of management and external bodies.[7] As is the same with all BBC Radio and TV stations, the channel is funded by the licence fees gathered.

Programming

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

A full list of programmes broadcast on Radio nan Gaidheal is available on the BBC Website,[8] this section contains a list of prominent programmes.

News and talk programmes

News

The news (Scottish Gaelic: Naidheachdan) is broadcast in three minute bulletins five times a day during the week and three times a day on a Saturday.

Shows containing other local and national news include:

Current affairs and Drivetime

Music programmes

Other programmes

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 BBC Radio nan Gaidheal Service Licence - BBC Trust
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 About Radio Nan Gaidhea - BBC Online
  3. ↑ Koch, John T. "Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia". ABC-CLIO Ltd, 2006. pp. 1265 - retrieved 22 August 2011
  4. ↑ BBC Radio nan Gaidheal Programming
  5. ↑ BBC Podcasts - Radio nan Gàidheal
  6. ↑ BBC Trust - Radio Nan Gaidheal
  7. ↑ Department for Culture, Media and Sport (on behalf of Elizabeth II) (2006-09-19). "BBC Royal Charter" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-03.
  8. ↑ Radio nan Gaidheal programmes - BBC Online

External links

Coordinates: 57°28′25″N 4°13′25″W / 57.473628°N 4.223682°W