BBC Radio 4
The first broadcast from station 2LO began on the 14th of November 1922 in London. It started with a power output of just 100 watts and operated at a frequency of 857 kilohertz. The initial transmission was limited to seven minutes before the operator had to listen for instructions to close down. This early experiment laid the groundwork for what would become the BBC Home Service. That service ran from 1939 until it was replaced by Radio 4 on the 30th of September 1967. The rebranding occurred as part of a broader restructuring of domestic radio stations. The move was partly a response to the growing challenge posed by offshore radio stations during that era. By May 1923, simultaneous broadcasting became technically possible between main transmitters and relay stations. However, the quality remained too low for a true national service at that time. Technical standards improved enough by 1924 for London to provide the majority of output. Local stations were then cut back to providing items of local interest only. The company officially changed its name to the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1927. On the 9th of March 1930, 2LO was replaced by both the BBC Regional Programme and the BBC National Programme. The letters LO continued to be used internally for technical operations in the London area. The code LO was eventually changed to LN in the early 1970s.
Radio 4 broadcasts throughout the United Kingdom using FM, LW, and DAB transmission methods. It is also available internationally via the BBC.com website and app. The longwave signal operates at 198 kilohertz from Droitwich, Burghead, and Westerglen. This frequency will be switched off by the 26th of September 2026. Medium wave frequencies were switched off on the 15th of April 2024 at 12:27 PM BST. These previously served as relays in areas with weak longwave signals such as Northern Ireland and south west England. A continuous closedown loop message was broadcast until the 30th of April 2024. Listeners were informed to retune to other methods of reception during that period. The station moved to longwave in November 1978 taking over the 200 kilohertz frequency. That frequency was later adjusted to 198 kilohertz due to international agreements aimed at avoiding interference. Radio 4 became available across all of the UK for the first time after this move. The daily amount of Shipping Forecasts was reduced to two times on weekdays and three times on weekends. Test Match Special moved to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra on the 31st of July 2023. On digital platforms there is a delay of between three and five seconds. Online delays can reach up to 23 seconds depending on the connection quality. DAB output is usually in mono after 7 p.m. even though many programmes are made in stereo.
The station broadcasts news programmes such as Today, The World at One, and PM. These are heralded on air by the Greenwich Time Signal pips or the chimes of Big Ben. The chimes of Big Ben are broadcast live every hour except at midnight and 18:00. They also do not play at 22:00 on Sunday when the chimes take their place. The Shipping Forecast has been running for over 150 years and remains a defining feature of the schedule. Most programmes are available to U.K. listeners for 30 days or longer via streaming audio from Radio 4's Listen again page. In July 2025, the BBC blocked its non-U.K. audience from using that service. Approximately 300,000 overseas listeners were affected by this decision. Listeners complained about the block so the BBC reversed itself the following month. On August 7th it was announced that Listen again would be restored for overseas Radio 4 and World Service listeners. As of January 2026, the BBC provides Listen again to overseas listeners for fewer than half its Radio 4 programmes. The station hosts long-running programmes many of which have been broadcast for over 40 years. A number of the programmes take the form of magazine shows featuring numerous small contributions. Woman's Hour, From Our Own Correspondent, and You and Yours exemplify this format. The rise of these magazine shows is primarily due to the work of Tony Whitby. He served as controller of Radio 4 from 1970 until 1975.
According to RAJAR, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 9.2 million listeners. This represents a listening share of 11.1% as of December 2023. It currently reaches over 9.2 million listeners making it the UK's second most-popular radio station after BBC Radio 2. Radio 4 recorded its highest audience of 11 million listeners in May 2011. The station cost £87 million during the 2024/5 financial year. That figure makes it the BBC's most expensive national radio network. There is no comparable British commercial network with similar reach or output. Channel 4 abandoned plans to launch its own speech-based digital radio station in October 2008. That decision was part of a £100m cost-cutting review conducted by the company. Radio 4 won UK Radio Station of the Year at the 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2023 Radio Academy Awards. It also won a Peabody Award in 2002 for File on 4: Export Controls. The station broadcasts from 5am to 1am on weekdays and 5:30am to 1am on weekends. Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya. He replaced Gwyneth Williams who had been the station controller since 2010.
Criticism voiced by centre-right newspapers alleges a perceived left political bias across a range of issues. Reporters have described a general malaise at the BBC regarding sycophancy in interviews. This perception often centers on the popular morning news magazine Today. Conversely, journalist Mehdi Hasan has criticized the station for an overtly socially and culturally conservative approach. There has been criticism of Today in particular for a lack of female broadcasters. In September 1972, Radio 4 employed its first female continuity announcers named Hylda Bamber and Barbara Edwards. For quite some time, the introduction of female newsreaders led to complaints from listeners. Women discussing topics of feminist interest led to similar complaints from the public. There is long-running criticism by atheist and humanist groups of Thought for the Day. That slot is dedicated exclusively to religious discussion during Radio 4's flagship morning news programme. Radio 4 has been criticised for being too middle class and of little interest to non-white listeners. The station broadcasts sport only during news bulletins despite occasional exceptions. Between 1994 and 2023, the station's longwave frequency was used to broadcast ball-by-ball commentaries of most Test cricket matches played by England.
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Common questions
When did BBC Radio 4 begin broadcasting?
The first broadcast from station 2LO began on the 14th of November 1922 in London. That service ran from 1939 until it was replaced by Radio 4 on the 30th of September 1967.
What is the longwave frequency used by BBC Radio 4?
The longwave signal operates at 198 kilohertz from Droitwich, Burghead, and Westerglen. This frequency will be switched off by the 26th of September 2026.
Who has been the controller of BBC Radio 4 since 2019?
Since 2019, the station controller has been Mohit Bakaya. He replaced Gwyneth Williams who had been the station controller since 2010.
How many listeners does BBC Radio 4 reach weekly as of December 2023?
According to RAJAR, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 9.2 million listeners. This represents a listening share of 11.1% as of December 2023.
When did BBC Radio 4 stop broadcasting Test cricket matches on its longwave frequency?
Between 1994 and 2023, the station's longwave frequency was used to broadcast ball-by-ball commentaries of most Test cricket matches played by England. Test Match Special moved to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra on the 31st of July 2023.