BBC Thames Valley FM was the

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 39 stations. As of December 2024, the network broadcasts to a combined audience of 7.1 mil ...

station covering the English counties of

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

and

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

, broadcasting between 1996 and 2000.

History

BBC Thames Valley FM began on 9 April 1996 following the merger of

BBC Radio Oxford BBC Radio Oxford is the Local BBC Radio, BBC's local radio station serving the county of Oxfordshire. It broadcasts on frequency modulation, FM, Digital Audio Broadcasting, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios in the Summertown, Oxfo ...

and

BBC Radio Berkshire BBC Radio Berkshire is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Berkshire. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 48,00 listeners as of May 2025. It has ...

. At launch the new station broadcast its own output from 5 am to 1 am seven days a week, although this was later cut back with the introduction of regional programming in the evenings. The initial presenter line-up included

Andrew Peach Andrew Peach is a radio presenter and event host in the United Kingdom. He presents programmes on BBC Radio 4 such as '' Pick of the Week (radio)'' ''Business Matters'' and the ''Six O'Clock News''. On BBC World Service he hosts news program ...

and Phil Kennedy, Bob Harris on Sunday afternoons and

Martin Kelner Martin Barry Kelner is a British journalist, author, comedian, singer, actor and TV presenter, whose primary career is in radio presenting. He has spent over 40 years hosting radio shows, mostly for the BBC, in particular Radio Leeds. He has ...

on Friday nights. There were separate news bulletins for the two counties. In September 1998, a new jingle package composed by David Arnold was introduced and the 'FM' suffix was dropped from the station name. Shortly afterwards separate breakfast and drivetime programmes for

and

were introduced. The merged station was not popular with listeners, and in August 1999, as part of the BBC South East Review, it was announced that BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Berkshire would regain their own identities. The two stations relaunched on 14 February 2000, although most output continued to be shared and their programme schedules remained unchanged. However, by 2004 the two stations' schedules had become fully separated.

References

{{BBC Local Radio Defunct BBC Local Radio stations Radio stations established in 1996 Radio stations disestablished in 2000 1996 establishments in England 2000 disestablishments in England Radio stations in Berkshire Radio stations in Oxfordshire Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom

History

See also

References