BBC Radio Newcastle

BBC Radio Newcastle is the BBC's local radio station serving Newcastle upon Tyne, the neighbouring metropolitan boroughs, Northumberland and north east County Durham.

BBC Radio Newcastle

Newcastle upon Tyne
Broadcast area	Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and north-east County Durham
Frequency	FM: 95.4 MHz (Tyne and Wear, County Durham and South Northumberland) FM: 96.0 MHz (Northumberland) FM: 103.7 MHz (Tyne Valley) FM: 104.4 MHz (Gateshead and Newcastle-upon-Tyne) DAB: 11C Freeview: 711
RDS	BBC NWCL
Programming
Language	English
Format	Local news, talk, music and sport
Ownership
Owner	BBC Local Radio, BBC North East and Cumbria
History
First air date	2 January 1971
Former frequencies	1458 MW
Technical information
Licensing authority	Ofcom
Links
Website	www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewcastle

It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from BBC studios on Barrack Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 234,000 listeners and a 4.6% share as of March 2025.^[1]

Technical

The "Pink Palace" - the Broadcasting Centre of BBC North East and Cumbria, including Radio Newcastle.

The Pontop Pike transmitter broadcasts the station's strongest FM signal on 95.4 MHz. The 96 MHz frequency from Chatton covers most of the populated areas of east Northumberland.

The Newton transmitter broadcasts the 103.7 MHz frequency. The Fenham transmitter, broadcasting the 104.4 MHz frequency, is situated close to the studios on Barrack Road and covers West Newcastle and Gateshead.

The DAB signal comes mainly from Burnhope (near Consett), and also from Fenham (lower power), on the Bauer Digital Radio multiplex.

The station also broadcasts on Freeview TV channel 711 and streams online via BBC Sounds.

BBC Radio Sunderland

In January 2021, BBC Radio Sunderland was launched as a temporary sister station. The service provided eight hours of opt-out programming for listeners in Sunderland and the surrounding area each weekday until March 2021.^[2]

Programming

Local programming is produced and broadcast from the BBC's Newcastle studios from 6am to 2pm weekdays and for sports coverage, including Total Sport every weeknight from 6pm-8pm. Weekend programming from 6 am to 6pm and the Monday and Thursday evening programmes also broadcast locally.^[3]

BBC Radio Newcastle carries the England-wide late show. During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Newcastle simulcasts overnight programming from BBC Radio 5 Live. The weekday afternoon show broadcasts from BBC Radio Tees in Middlesbrough.

Notable presenters

• Anna Foster
• Marian Foster (Garden Mania)
• Ingrid Hagemann
• Alex Hall
• Railton Howes
• Alfie Joey
• Anne Leuchars
• Paddy MacDee
• Kathy Secker
• Lisa Shaw^[4]
• Sue Sweeney
• Frank Wappat
• Simon Logan, Simon Logan's Fantastic 80s

Sports commentators

The station's team of sports commentators includes John Anderson, Gary Bennett, Marco Gabbiadini and Matthew Raisbeck.