BBC WM

BBC WM 95.6 (previously BBC Radio WM) is the BBC Local Radio service for the West Midlands, South Staffordshire, north Worcestershire and north Warwickshire, operated by BBC Birmingham. Launched on 9 November 1970 as BBC Radio Birmingham, it broadcasts from central Birmingham on 95.6 FM, DAB, Freeview and on the internet.

History

Until 2004, BBC WM broadcast from the Pebble Mill studios, in Edgbaston. On 4 July of that year, the station moved to the new BBC Birmingham city centre offices in The Mailbox. Its facilities include two broadcast studios, a talk studio, an operations and production area, and a studio shared with the BBC Asian Network.

In the 1980s, the station also had a studio in the back of a shop in New Street. The shop sold trinkets branded with the Radio WM identity.

As a 1990s economy measure, the station took over BBC CWR (Coventry and Warwickshire radio). On 3 September 2005, CWR resumed the production of separate programming between 5.00 and 22.00 each weekday (6.00 - 18.00 at weekends).

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is the BBC Local Radio service serving the City of Coventry and the county of Warwickshire. The station broadcasts on 94.8, 103.7 and 104 MHz FM, DAB Digital Radio and is streamed on the internet via the BBC Website.

Based in the Priory Place Shopping Precinct at the heart of Coventry City Centre, its studio complex is home to radio, online services, an interactive open centre and facilities for regional TV news. It is also the only Coventry local radio station based in the city itself.

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire broadcasts local programming from 6am to 7pm every weekday and 6am – 6pm on weekends. It also simulcasts with other BBC Local Radio stations on evenings (both regionally and nationally), and BBC Radio 5 Live overnight.

History

BBC CWR Launch

BBC Local Radio in the 1990s underwent an expansion programme where counties and other areas without a local radio station were identified and five stations were to launch: BBC Radio Surrey, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Radio Suffolk, BBC Wiltshire Sound and BBC Radio Warwickshire.