BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Ulster (Irish: BBC Raidió Uladh) is the BBC's Northern Irish radio station, broadcasting from Broadcasting House on Ormeau Avenue in Belfast city centre. It is a division of BBC Northern Ireland.
City | Belfast |
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Broadcast area | Northern Ireland |
Frequency | FM: 92–95 MHz MW: 1341 kHz and 873 kHz DAB Freeview: 719 (NI only) Freesat: 716 Sky (UK only): 0118 Virgin Media: 932 Virgin Media Ireland: 906 Online: |
Programming | |
Format | News, Music, Sport, Comedy |
Ownership | |
Owner | BBC, BBC Northern Ireland |
History | |
First air date | 1 January 1975 |
Links | |
Webcast | WMA |
Website | www |
It is the most widely listened to radio station in Northern Ireland [1] with a diverse range of programmes, including news, talk, features, music and sport. News bulletins are broadcast usually on the hour seven days a week from 6:30 am until midnight.
BBC Radio Ulster was established in January 1975, replacing what had been an opt-out of BBC Radio 4 (previously the BBC Northern Ireland Home Service) and as a result of the BBC's widely regarded under-reporting of the UWC Strike in May 1974.
An opt-out of the station exists in Derry, BBC Radio Foyle, carrying alternative programming and news for much of the time between 7:30am and 5:00pm weekdays and a few hours at the weekend. The station is also broadcast on DAB Digital Radio, digital television and on the Internet. During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Ulster simulcasts BBC Radio 5 Live programming (weekdays from 12:00am–6:30am, Saturdays from 12:00am–6:45am and Sundays from 12:00am–7:00am).
Funding
The BBC reported in the Annual Report for 2017/18 that Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle operated on a budget of £17.6 million with a 38% reach of the population and that the cost per hour of output was 5.8pence.[2]
Programmes
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Notable presenters
- Wendy Austin
- Tina Campbell (newsreader)
- Sean Coyle
- William Crawley
- Hugo Duncan
- Gerry Kelly
- Kim Lenaghan
- Linda McAuley
- Tim McGarry
- Kerry McLean
- Brian D'Arcy
- Ralph McLean
- Marie-Louise Muir
- Stephen Nolan
- Angie Phillips (weather presenter)
- Rigsy
- John Toal
- Linley Hamilton
- Mickey Bradley
- Seamus McKee
- Stephen Clements (died in January)