BBC To Launch A News And Sport Network

The BBC announced last night that a new Radio News and Sport network will be launched in April next year, using the frequencies currently used by BBC Radio 5.

BBC Chairman, Marmaduke Hussey in his announcement said that it is a “new editorial concept”, and that “the marriage of news and sport brings together two of the BBC’s strongest assets”.

The new network will combine live sport coverage with journalism of all kinds, on a 24-hour service. All the leading news and sporting events will be covered live, including those not available on terrestrial television, such as Premier League football and the 1995 Ryder Cup.

BBC News and Current Affairs will provide coverage with a broader agenda to appeal to a younger audience.

Much of Radio 5’s output will move to other networks; primary school programmes will move to Radio 3 FM in the afternoons; there will be a daily story on Radio 4 for children. Open University will move to Radio 4 long wave, as will Test Match Special.

Liz Forgan, Managing Director of BBC Network Radio, said that currently “we are serving older listeners better than the coming generation. This is a marvellous opportunity to build on Radio Sport’s growing young audience to provide something quite new.”

Tony Hall, Managing Director of BBC News and Current Affairs, said that “The motto of this service will be First and Live.”