BBC Radio Leicester

BBC Radio Leicester. . One of the First , BBC Radio Leicester was the first mainland local radio station in the UK. It began broadcasting at 12.45pm on Wednesday 8th November 1967. The station's studios and offices were on the eighth floor of Epic House on Charles Street. It was launched as part of an wider experiment by the BBC to find out whether local radio would attract audiences. The first stations were in cities where the Local Authority had agreed to fund the experiment, although ultimately, the BBC covered the costs., Wired for Sound , The first local radio stations could only be received by owners of VHF radios, which were expensive at that time. However, a local agreement with Rediffusion, a business who distributed TV and Radio signals through wires into the homes of its customers, allowed BBC Radio Leicester to reach almost all of Leicester's housing estates. This resulted in large audiences for its programmes. In 1970, the experiment was deemed a success, and around forty more local stations opened in the following years., Programmes for All , The total hours of local broadcasting more than doubled in the 1970s. BBC Radio Leicester set up a newsroom, and launched new programmes including the first regular listener phone-in. For the first time local people were heard on air discussing local matters. Programmes for schools, Asian listeners, and local sports coverage all featured strongly., In 2005 both BBC Radio Leicester and the BBC Asian Network moved to St Nicholas Place. This new broadcasting centre was equipped with the latest in digital broadcasting technology. The move also brought local radio, television, and online services together in order to provide a comprehensive local service.