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BBC Radio Jersey

Saint Helier
Broadcast area	Jersey
Frequency	FM: 88.8 MHz AM: 1026 kHz DAB+: 12A Freeview: 711
RDS	BBC JRSY
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Local news, talk and music
Ownership
Owner	BBC Local Radio, BBC South West
History
First air date	15 March 1982
Technical information
Licensing authority	Ofcom
Links
Website	BBC Radio Jersey

BBC Radio Jersey is the BBC's local radio station serving the Bailiwick of Jersey.

It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB+, Freeview and via BBC Sounds from studios on Parade Road in St Helier.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 21,000 listeners and a 12.9% share as of December 2023.

Overview

The station first aired on 15 March 1982, when it was opened by George Howard, the then chairman of the BBC. The first voice to be heard was that of Peter Gore who was one of the four-person start-up team headed by Mike Warr. It launched from Broadcasting House, just off Rouge Bouillon in St Helier, and moved to its present premises in Parade Road in March 1994.

Roger Bara, a long-standing breakfast show presenter, retired in 2012.

In recent years, local output has been reduced to eight hours on weekdays, coinciding with an increase in regional programming shared with sister station BBC Radio Guernsey.

Like other BBC enterprises in Jersey, funding comes primarily from television licence fees collected in Jersey.

In addition to its FM and AM frequencies, the station also broadcasts on Freeview TV channel 711 and streams online via BBC Sounds. Transmissions on DAB began on 1 August 2021 with the launch of the Channel Islands DAB multiplex, on which BBC Radio Guernsey also broadcasts, alongside BBC Radio Jersey Xtra, a part-time stream carrying the station's AM opt-out content (chiefly parliamentary coverage), and a similar opt-out for Radio Guernsey. The stations are the first BBC stations to use the DAB+ standard - at the time of launch, all stations on the BBC National DAB multiplex, and all other BBC Local Radio stations on the UK mainland, used the earlier DAB format.

Location

The radio station shares premises at 18–21 Parade Road in St Helier with BBC Channel Islands television news, and BBC Jersey's online services.

Programming

Local programming is produced and broadcast from the BBC's St Helier studios from 6 am to 2 pm on weekdays.

Regional programming for the Channel Islands, shared with BBC Radio Guernsey, airs from 2 pm to 10 pm on Mondays/Fridays, from 2pm-6pm Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 2pm to 8pm on Thursdays, also from 6 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and from 6 am to 6 pm on Sundays.

Off-peak programming originates from BBC Radio Cornwall in Truro, BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio London

During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Jersey simulcasts overnight programming from BBC Radio 5 Live and until recently, the station's AM frequencies used to simulcast Radio 5 Live on weekday evenings to provide better coverage of the station on AM during the hours of darkness.

See also

• Mass media in Jersey
• Channel 103
• Contact 94

References

1. "RAJAR". RAJAR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
2. "BBC Radio Jersey presenter Roger Bara to retire". BBC News. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
3. "T.V. Licences". Jersey Citizens Advice Bureau. 13 March 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.

External links

• Official website

49°11′24″N 2°06′40″W / 49.1901°N 2.1112°W / 49.1901; -2.1112

• BBC Local Radio
• Radio stations in Jersey
• Radio stations established in 1982
• 1982 establishments in Jersey