List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
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This is a list of
radio stations Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio sta ...
in the United Kingdom.


National analogue and digital (DAB) stations

This list does not include stations which broadcast on numerous local digital multiplexes or MW licences to achieve near-national coverage.
DAB DAB, dab, dabs, or dabbing may refer to: Dictionaries * '' Dictionary of American Biography'', published under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies * ''Dictionary of Australian Biography'', published since 1949 Places * Dą ...
frequencies: * 11A - radio stations operated under the
Sound Digital Sound Digital is a semi-national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group and Wireless Group. The multiplex covers 73% of the population from a total of 45 transmitters. History Following t ...
multiplex * 11D / 12A - radio stations operated under the
Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covered more than 90% of the population from 137 transmitters. Coverage was extended to Northern Ireland in July 2013. It conta ...
multiplex, 12A in Scotland and 11D in the rest of the UK * 12B - radio stations operated under the
BBC National DAB BBC National DAB is a digital audio broadcasting multiplex in the UK, for a number of radio stations which have UK wide coverage. The multiplex is owned and operated by the BBC and is transmitted from a number of transmitter sites across the c ...
multiplex


National digital (DAB+) stations

''List of stations on the Digital One and Sound Digital multiplexes broadcasting in the newer DAB+ Digital Radio standard'' DAB frequencies: * 11A - radio stations operated under the
Sound Digital Sound Digital is a semi-national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group and Wireless Group. The multiplex covers 73% of the population from a total of 45 transmitters. History Following t ...
multiplex * 11D / 12A - radio stations operated under the
Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covered more than 90% of the population from 137 transmitters. Coverage was extended to Northern Ireland in July 2013. It conta ...
multiplex, 12A in Scotland and 11D in the rest of the UK


Semi-national analogue and digital (DAB) stations

Stations which are available nationally on Freeview and/or satellite and/or broadcast on more than one local DAB multiplex:


Local and regional analogue and digital (DAB) stations

Local radio stations from the BBC, in England:


BBC Local Radio BBC Local Radio (also referred to as Local BBC Radio) is the BBC's local and regional radio division for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of forty stations. History The popularity of pirate radio was to challenge a change within ...


BBC Nations Radio

BBC radio stations from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, broadcast in their respective areas via analogue and digital radio,
Freeview Freeview may refer to: *Freeview (Australia), the marketing name for the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia *Freeview (New Zealand), a digital satellite and digital terrestrial television platform in New Zealand *Freeview (UK), a ...
and across the whole UK on satellite and cable television:


Local commercial radio


England

England's radio stations adhere to the statistical regions of
East Midlands The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, L ...
,
East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
,
Greater London Greater may refer to: *Greatness Greatness is a concept of a state of superiority affecting a person or object in a particular place or area. Greatness can also be attributed to individuals who possess a natural ability to be better than al ...
,
Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county and combined authority area in North West England, with a population of 2.8 million; comprising ten metropolitan boroughs: Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tam ...
,
North East The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
, North West, South East,
South West The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sep ...
, West Midlands and
Yorkshire and the Humber Yorkshire and the Humber is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The population in 2011 was 5,284,000 with its largest settlements being Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Hull, and York. It is ...
.


Former English stations

This list details radio stations which have lost their licence to broadcast or have closed down due to financial reasons.


Northern Ireland


Former Northern Ireland stations


Scotland


Former Scottish stations


Wales


Former Welsh stations


The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

''Although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK they are served by the UK's national radio stations. Additionally services in the Channel Islands are licensed by the UK's regulator, Ofcom. Services in the Isle of Man are not licensed by a UK regulator but rather by the Broadcasting Act 1990 of
Tynwald Tynwald ( gv, Tinvaal), or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald ( gv, Ard-whaiyl Tinvaal) or Tynwald Court, is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of two chambers, known as the branches of Tynwald: the directly elected House ...
''


Community radio stations


Former community radio stations

The followed stations have closed down and returned their licences to Ofcom


Small scale DAB multiplexes

Permanent small scale multiplexes licensed by OFCOM


Small scale trial DAB multiplexes

Small scale multiplexes licensed by OFCOM for a trial period allowing a "more affordable way for smaller stations to broadcast on DAB digital radio":


RSL stations

Temporary
Restricted Service Licence A UK Restricted Service Licence (often called an RSL), is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event. Licences are granted by the broadcasting authority Ofc ...
stations are licensed by Ofcom and broadcast for up to 28 days. RSLs are used for a number of purposes including coverage of events and festivals, trial broadcasts by groups aiming to launch a full-time service, student radio and training projects and religious festivals including the Sikh festival
Vaisakhi Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ), also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April and sometimes 14 April as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India. Further, ot ...
, the Muslim month of
Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
, Jehovah's Witness conventions and Christian events such as
Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samue ...
and
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
. The following list is a small selection of regular RSL stations which have been set up to cover various festivals and events across the UK:


Student and schools radio

Most universities plus a number of schools and colleges operate student radio stations with the vast majority only available online. The Student Radio Association represents around 65 student stations. The following stations are available via an FM community licence or via LPAM and LPFM transmitters:


Hospital radio stations

Typically available within the grounds of a single hospital, these stations broadcast to bedside units and occasionally public areas of the hospital. Hospital radio is free of charge on bedside entertainment systems operated by Hospedia and Premier Bedside and an increasing number of stations are available online. Around 200 stations are supported by the
Hospital Broadcasting Association The Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) supports the 210 or so independent hospital broadcasting organisations serving hospitals, hospices and nursing homes in the UK. The vast majority of these organisations provide hospital radio service ...
(HBA). The following stations are available via LPAM or LPFM transmitters or as Ofcom licensed community stations:


Satellite radio stations

Stations which are broadcast to the UK via satellite:


LPAM, LPFM and other stations


Frequencies

To conserve space in the listings, the waveband has not been listed after each frequency, but they are easy to tell apart. * Whole numbers always refer to a kHz (AM) frequency - i.e. 999 = 999 kHz. * Decimal numbers always refer to a MHz (FM) frequency - i.e. 96.2 = 96.2 MHz. * A number and letter combination refers to a DAB channel - i.e. 12C = frequency block 12C on 227.360 MHz.


See also

* Radio in the UK * Digital radio in the UK * Radio in the Republic of Ireland *
List of British television channels This list of linear television channels in the United Kingdom refers to television in the United Kingdom which is available from digital terrestrial, satellite, cable, and IPTV providers, with an estimated more than 480 channels.Taking the base ...
* List of Celtic-language media


References


External links


Radioplayer UK
– Radio streaming service owned by the BBC,
Global Radio Global Media & Entertainment Limited, trading as Global, is a British media company formed in 2007. It is the owner of the largest commercial radio company in Europe having expanded through a number of historical acquisitions, including Chrys ...
,
Bauer Media Group Heinrich Bauer Publishing (german: Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG), trading as Bauer Media Group, is a German multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Hamburg. It operates worldwide and owns more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50 r ...
and RadioCentre
LiveRadio UK
- Comprehensive list of UK radio stations {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Radio Stations In The United Kingdom