1994 in British radio

This is a list of events in British radio during 1994.

Events

January

• 7 January – BBC Radio Sussex and BBC Radio Surrey are merged and the new station is temporarily named BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey prior to a full relaunch as BBC Southern Counties Radio. The new station was the first BBC Local Radio station to adopt an all-talk format.
• 10 January –
  • Steve Wright becomes Radio 1's latest breakfast show presenter.^[1]
  • Also on Radio 1, the teatime edition of Newsbeat returns after four years. The bulletin airs in its old slot – 5.30pm to 5.45pm.

February

• 21 February – BBC Radio 4 launches a new weekday afternoon magazine show Anderson Country. The programme proves divisive amongst the station’s listenership and was replaced after a year by The Afternoon Shift.

March

• 27 March – The original BBC Radio 5 signs off after three and a half years on air. It is replaced the following day by BBC Radio 5 Live.
• 28 March – BBC Radio 5 Live first airs its overnight Up All Night show.

April

• April – Test Match Special is transferred to BBC Radio 4’s long wave frequency.

May

• No events

June

• No events

July

• 1 July – BBC Radio 1's last broadcast on mediumwave. Stephen Duffy's "Kiss Me" was the last record played on MW just before 9:00am.^[2]
• 15 July – BFBS ceases broadcasts in Berlin following the end of the Cold War, German reunification, and the withdrawal of British forces from the city, after 33 years.^[3]

August

• No events

September

• 1–16 September – The UK's first five regional commercial stations start broadcasting.

October

• No events

November

• No events

December

• 31 December - This is the final day on air for DevonAir and Buzz FM. The stations lost their licenses to Gemini Radio^[4] and Choice FM respectively.

Station debuts

• 28 March – BBC Radio 5 Live
• 5 April – News Direct 97.3FM and London News Talk 1152AM
• 15 April – Mix 96
• 6 June – NECR
• 20 June – Fortune 1458
• 4 July – 97.2 Stray FM
• 1 August –
  • BBC Southern Counties Radio
  • Nevis Radio
• 1 September –
  • Country 1035
  • 100.4 Jazz FM
  • 100–102 Century Radio
• 4 September – Galaxy 101
• 6 September – 100.7 Heart FM
• 16 September – Scot FM
• 16 October – Kiss 102
• 22 October – Oasis Radio

Closing this year

• 7 January – BBC Radio Surrey and BBC Radio Sussex
• 27 March – BBC Radio 5 (1990–1994)
• 31 December –
  • Buzz FM (1990-1994)
  • DevonAir (1980-1994)

Deaths

• 23 January – Brian Redhead, 64, British author, journalist and broadcaster

See also

• 1994 in British music
• 1994 in British television
• 1994 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1994

References