BBC Radio Kent

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BBC Radio Kent

City	Royal Tunbridge Wells
Broadcast area	Kent
Frequency	96.7 FM, 97.6 FM, 104.2 FM DAB: 11C Freeview: 719
RDS	BBC KENT
Slogan	The sound of Kent, and all the music you love
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Local news, talk and music
Ownership
Owner	BBC Local Radio, BBC South East
History
First air date	18 December 1970
Former names	BBC Radio Medway (1970–1983)
Former frequencies	1035 MW
Links
Website	BBC Radio Kent

BBC Radio Kent is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Kent.

It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at The Great Hall in Tunbridge Wells.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 215,000 listeners and a 3.6% share as of March 2020.^[1]

History[]

The radio station was launched in 1970 under the name of BBC Radio Medway, originally only serving the Medway Towns. It broadcast from studios at 30 High Street in Rochester, a former newspaper office which was subsequently named Media House.

The station gained its current name when operations expanded to Kent on 2 July 1983 as part of the BBC's policy of operating countywide stations. Radio Medway was closed down by long serving staff member Rod Lucas, who was also the first voice to be heard on the new BBC Radio Kent.

In July 1986, the studios moved to the nearby Sun Pier, from where it broadcast in stereo for the first time.

In 1994, BBC Radio Kent stopped broadcasting on 1035 kHz MW due to the frequency being reallocated to a new London-wide commercial radio station.

In 2001, the station moved to The Great Hall in Royal Tunbridge Wells, to combine with new television studios for the BBC South East region covering Kent and Sussex. From here BBC Radio Kent operates a total of five studios - two for programmes, one for news bulletins, one network contributions area, and a comprehensive live performance area. Since gaining the live performance area, live music has played an increasingly important part of the station's output. The music studio is in use daily as part of the evening arts strand "The Dominic King Show".

BBC Radio Kent also operated a studio and office in The Wendy House (a building close to the original Sun Pier site in Chatham), although this has since closed, and small contributions studios in Dover and Canterbury.

Programming[]

Local programming airs from the BBC's Tunbridge studios from 6am to 10pm on weekdays, from 6am - 6pm and 8-10pm on Saturdays and from 6am - 6pm on Sundays.

Off-peak programming, including the weekday late show from 10pm - 1am, originates from BBC Radio Solent in Southampton and BBC Radio Essex in Chelmsford.

During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Kent simulcasts overnight programming from BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London.

Notable former presenters[]

• Jimmy Mack (1970 - 1983)
• Don Durbridge (1983 – 1992)
• Mo Dutta (1991 – 1994)
• Barbara Sturgeon (1983 – 2004)
• Dave Cash (1999 - 2016)
• Alex Lester (2017)
• Richard Spendlove (1989 - 2017)

References[]

External links[]

• BBC Radio Kent
• BBC Kent local homepage
• Media UK - BBC Radio Kent

Coordinates: 51°07′49″N 0°15′49″E / 51.130235°N 0.263537°E / 51.130235; 0.263537