BBC Radio Scotland facts for kids

BBC Radio Scotland is a popular radio station in Scotland. It's run by BBC Scotland and broadcasts in English. You can listen to lots of different shows, like news, sport, music, and even comedy and drama. It started broadcasting on its own in November 1978. Before that, it was a part of BBC Radio 4 that focused on Scottish topics.

History of BBC Radio Scotland

BBC Radio Scotland officially began as a full-time radio station in 1978. However, the name "BBC Radio Scotland" was used earlier, starting in 1974. Back then, it was a special part of BBC Radio 4 that only played programmes for Scotland.

The station became its own network when Radio 4 changed how it broadcast. This change allowed BBC Radio Scotland to have its own dedicated channels. Some smaller local stations were also set up. These included stations in Inverness and Aberdeen in 1976. Later, stations in Orkney and Shetland started in 1977. In 1983, stations in Selkirk and Dumfries also joined.

What You Can Listen To

BBC Radio Scotland broadcasts many different kinds of programmes. These include news, lively discussions, lots of music, and exciting sport commentaries.

News and Current Affairs

News and current affairs shows are a big part of BBC Radio Scotland's daily schedule. They keep listeners updated on what's happening. The station has news updates every hour. It also has longer shows that go deeper into important topics.

Good Morning Scotland is a very popular show. It airs on weekdays from 6 AM to 9 AM. This show gives you the latest news, sport, business, travel, and weather. It also features interviews and detailed reports. It's similar to the Today show on BBC Radio 4, but it focuses on Scottish news. It also includes a short daily religious thought.

Other daily news shows include Morning Extra, which is a phone-in show. Scotland Live is on at lunchtime, and Newsdrive is on in the late afternoon. For political news, you can listen to Scotland At Ten. On weekends, there are shows like Newsweek Scotland, Shereen, and The Business.

Sport on the Radio

BBC Radio Scotland covers many major sporting events in Scotland. It has special rights to broadcast games from the Scottish Premier League. Its Sportsound programme uses many different frequencies on Saturdays to cover games.

You can also hear live coverage of Scotland's main football cup competitions. The station broadcasts Scotland's international football games. It also covers European games that involve Scottish teams. For rugby fans, the Six Nations games are also broadcast.

Besides live action, Radio Scotland has other popular sport shows. Off the Ball is a fun football show. Your Call with Jim Traynor is a phone-in show where listeners can share their opinions. Sports Weekly covers many different sports and is presented by former Scotland rugby player, John Beattie.

Local Programmes

Some areas in Scotland have their own short daily news programmes. For example, Orkney has Around Orkney. Shetland has Good Evening Shetland. During the colder months, these areas also get an extra hour-long show on weekdays. Local news updates are also broadcast from Selkirk, Dumfries, Aberdeen, and Inverness throughout the day.

• BBC Radio Scotland at bbc.co.uk