BBC announces plans for new digital radio stations

The BBC said the new extensions, which will be available on DAB+ and BBC Sounds, will look to delve deeper into specific genres and periods of music and that they will give more choice especially to people currently underserved by the BBC.

The BBC added that it last expanded its radio portfolio in 2002 – when it launched Radio 6 Music, Radio 1Xtra and Asian Network - since when the audio sector has changed significantly thanks to music streaming.

The Radio 1 extension will focus on music and acts from the 2000s and 2010s. There will also be an expanded version of the existing BBC Sounds Radio 1 Dance stream.

The new Radio 2 extension will, said the BBC provide “a distinctive take on pop nostalgia, curating the story of pop music primarily from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s by some of the people who shaped the cultural landscape at the time, aided by unique access to the BBC’s archive.”

The Radio 3 extension will help listeners “unwind, destress and escape the pressures of daily life.”

The plans are subject to regulatory approvals.

The BBC will also launch a separate Public Interest Test for BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. Currently the station, established in 2002, plays a short marketing trail on constant loop when there are no live sports being broadcast. The proposal sets out a plan for existing BBC sports related audio content, including BBC Sounds podcasts and programming from the Nations and Regions, to be played on the station.

Lorna Clarke, Director of BBC Music, says: “Our stations have captured the history of music in the UK during the past six decades for our audiences, and we now want to give them more choice from the BBC as listening habits are changing. Our extensions for Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 will allow listeners to deep-dive into more pop and classical genres and periods of music they love the most, uniquely created by the BBC. They’ll get a deeper listening experience than what’s available elsewhere, hear brilliant storytelling through our extensive archive, and discover more music to love whatever their mood.”