BBC Home Service facts for kids
The Home Service headquarters was at Broadcasting House in London.
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| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Broadcasting House, London, England |
| Owner | BBC |
| Launch date | 1 September 1939 |
| Dissolved | 29 September 1967 |
| Language | English |
| Replaced by | BBC Radio 4 |
The BBC Home Service was a popular radio station in the United Kingdom. It broadcast across the country and in different regions from 1939 until 1967. After that, it was replaced by BBC Radio 4, which is still on air today.
Contents
History of BBC Home Service Radio
Early Days: Before World War II (1922–1939)
Before World War II started, the BBC had two main radio stations for the whole country. These were the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme. The Regional Programme started in 1930. These stations offered different types of shows so that listeners always had a choice. They wanted to appeal to everyone, not just specific groups of people.
World War II Changes (1939–1945)
When World War II began on September 1, 1939, the BBC decided to combine its two main radio stations. They created one national service from London. One big reason for this was to stop enemy planes from using the different regional radio signals as a way to navigate.
To do this, the BBC made all the regional transmitters broadcast on the same few frequencies. This meant that the old regional shows couldn't be broadcast anymore. However, many programs were still made in studios outside London. This was important because it was safer if London was bombed.
This new combined station was called the Home Service. It was the BBC's main radio station for people in the UK. During the war, the BBC Home Service was on air every day from 7:00 AM until 12:15 AM. It broadcast important news updates several times a day.
After the War (1945–1967)
After World War II ended, on July 29, 1945, the BBC brought back its regional radio structure. They also created a new station called the BBC Light Programme. This new station played more fun, "light entertainment" shows. The Home Service kept the more serious programs, like news, radio plays, and discussions.
The Home Service changed its broadcasting hours after the war. It started earlier in the mornings and finished a bit earlier at night. By 1964, it was on air from 6:35 AM on weekdays and ended at 11:48 PM every night.
On September 30, 1967, big changes happened at the BBC. The Light Programme was split into two new stations: BBC Radio 1 (for pop music) and BBC Radio 2 (for entertainment). The BBC Third Programme became BBC Radio 3 (for classical music and arts). And the Home Service was officially replaced by BBC Radio 4.
What Was On The Home Service?
The Home Service offered a variety of programs. It broadcast between five and seven national news bulletins every day from London. It also had many radio plays and informative talks. More serious plays and discussions later moved to the BBC Third Programme when it started in 1946.
Music and School Programs
During the day, the Home Service also played classical music. However, these music programs became fewer in number after 1964. This was when the BBC's Music Programme started broadcasting during the day on different frequencies.
The Home Service also played special educational programs for schools during the day. These programs often came with booklets and other materials to help students learn.
How Programs Were Organized
On September 30, 1957, the BBC changed how programs were shared across its three main networks. Many of the Home Service's lighter shows moved to the BBC Light Programme. A new "Third Network" was also created. This network used the frequencies of the Third Programme to carry adult education shows and sports coverage.
Regional Services of the Home Service
The BBC Home Service had seven different regions across the UK. The area around London and South East England had a "basic" service. This was not considered a separate region by the BBC. It acted as the main service for the other regions.
Here's a look at the different regions:
| Region | Main City |
Wavelength
(m) |
Frequency
(kHz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster signal wavelengths and frequencies in parentheses | |||
| n/a | London | 330 (202) | 908 (1484) |
| Midland | Birmingham | 276 | 1088 |
| North | Manchester | 434 (261, 202) | 692 (1151, 1484) |
| West | Bristol | 285 206 |
1052 1457 |
| Welsh | Cardiff | 341 | 881 |
| Scottish | Glasgow | 371 | 809 |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast | Until 1963: 261 | 1151 |
| From 1963: 224 | 1340 | ||
Because there weren't enough radio frequencies, the Northern Ireland Home Service was at first linked to the North Home Service. They even shared a frequency. However, the Northern Ireland service became separate on January 7, 1963.
When BBC Radio 4 first started, it still offered some regional programs. The BBC's weekly magazine, Radio Times, even listed Radio 4's shows under "Radio 4 – Home Service" with details for each region.
What Happened Next?
Later, the BBC started creating BBC Local Radio stations. The first one was BBC Radio Leicester in November 1967. The idea was that local radio would be better than regional radio.
In 1969, the BBC released a report called Broadcasting in the Seventies. This report suggested big changes for national radio and the end of regional broadcasting. These changes started in 1970. The Home Service regions slowly disappeared. Some of their frequencies were given to new local radio stations.
English News Updates
Radio 4 continued to broadcast short regional news updates in England until the mid-1980s. By this time, most areas of England had their own BBC Local Radio stations.
National and Other Regions
The "national regions" became new, independent radio stations like BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales (and BBC Radio Cymru in Welsh), and BBC Radio Ulster. At first, they played mostly Radio 4 programs, but later they became completely separate.
In the 1970s, some areas like the East of England had their own breakfast show called Roundabout East Anglia. This show started in 1974 because there wasn't a BBC Local Radio station in that area yet. It stopped in 1980, just before BBC Radio Norfolk opened. The last former Home Service region to have its own local opt-out was the South West England. Their show, Morning Sou'West, ended in 1982. This made way for two new local stations, BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall, which launched in 1983.
