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1999 in British radio

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List of years in British radio (table)
In British television
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1999
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In British music
1996
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1999
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This is a list of events on British radio during 1999.

Events

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  • BBC Radio Wales begins to appear on FM in the major conurbations for the first time. Previously, apart from in Gwent, the station had only been available on MW with the allocated block of FM frequencies for local broadcasting in Wales, which was only available in parts of the country, used by BBC Radio Cymru as BBC management had concluded that BBC Radio Cymru would not have enough listeners to merit nationwide coverage on a medium wave frequency.

January

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February

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  • No events.

March

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  • No events.

April

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May

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  • 14 May – The final Lunchtime Concerto, which had aired on weekdays at 2pm since the station’s launch, is broadcast on Classic FM, ahead of a schedule refresh which includes the launch the next day of a new nightly magazine slot Tonight at Eleven.
  • 24 May – Radio 2 says that presenter Sarah Kennedy is taking a week's holiday because of stress following a bizarre performance while standing in for Terry Wogan the previous Friday. This had included calling Ken Bruce an "old fool" and referring to the presenter of the day's Pause For Thought slot as "an old prune". The episode attracted a number of concerned calls to the BBC, while Kennedy blames the incident on a lack of sleep the previous night and apologises to listeners. She had been due to stand in for Wogan the following week, but takes time off instead.[8]

June

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July

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August

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  • 2 August – It is announced that ITV has signed BBC sports presenter Des Lynam on a four-year contract to become the company's main football presenter.[13] Consequently, he will no longer present his Friday drivetime show on Radio 2.
  • 19 August – BBC Radio 1 broadcasts its first split programming when it introduces weekly national new music shows for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. New presenters include Huw Stephens and Bethan Elfyn.[14]

September

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  • 11 September – BBC Radio 3's breakfast programme On Air is renamed Morning on 3.[15]
  • 13 September – Late Junction is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 for the first time.[16]
  • 19 September
    • The first edition of a new Sunday evening advice programme called The Surgery is broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and Sara Cox joins.[17]
    • Thirteen years after Radio Victory had stopped broadcasting, Victory FM starts broadcasting to the Portsmouth area on a permanent basis, after six 28-day RSL FM broadcasts which took place between 1994 and 1998. Within weeks, the station is acquired by TLRC.

October

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  • 14 October – Managers at BBC Radio 2 reinstate Johnnie Walker after he is fined £2,000 by magistrates for admitting possession of cocaine; he will return to the airwaves on 6 December.[18]

November

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  • 15 November – Britain's first national commercial DAB digital radio multiplex, Digital One, goes on air to England, and parts of Scotland and Wales (it does not become available in Northern Ireland until 2013). The stations carried on D1 at launch include the three national commercial AM/FM services – Classic FM, Virgin Radio (later Absolute) and Talk Radio UK (later talkSPORT) – along with two new digital-first stations – fresh pop service Core and classic rock station Planet Rock, both at this time under the ownership of Classic FM's then parent (and Digital One shareholder) GWR Group.

December

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Unknown

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  • BBC Radio 1 establishes its Live Lounge as part of the mid-morning show.
  • Bedford station B97 is rebranded back to its original name of Chiltern FM.

Station debuts

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Programme debuts

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Changes of network affiliation

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Shows Moved from Moved to
Steve Wright in the Afternoon BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 2

Returning this year after a break of one year or longer

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Continuing radio programmes

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1940s

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1950s

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1960s

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1970s

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1980s

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1990s

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Ending this year

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Closing this year

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Deaths

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Frank Sinatra -the Man and His Music – BBC Radio 2 – 3 January 1999 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Steve Lamacq Live Session on Radio 1". Coldplay Timeline. 3 January 1999. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  3. ^ Hetherington, Peter (23 January 1999). "Churchmen attack couple's 'blind' marriage on air | UK news". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  4. ^ "UK | 'Blind wedding' couple split". BBC News. BBC. 14 April 1999. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. ^ Lewis, Paul (7 February 2006). "Strangers marry after match made on radio station | Media". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  6. ^ "Schedule – BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  7. ^ "DJ fined over drugs offence". bbc.co.uk. 13 October 1999. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  8. ^ "'Stressed' Sarah takes a week off". BBC News. 24 May 1999. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  9. ^ "Des Lynam – BBC Radio 2 – 18 June 1999 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Ed Stewart – BBC Radio 2 – 2 July 1999 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Jonathan Ross – BBC Radio 2 – 3 July 1999 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Steve Wright – BBC Radio 2 – 5 July 1999 – BBC Genome". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  13. ^ "ITV signs Des Lynam". BBC News. 2 August 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2009.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ Allen, Gavin (12 September 2009). "Music man Huw Stephens". WalesOnline. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  15. ^ "Schedule – BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Schedule – BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Schedule – BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Drug case DJ reinstated". BBC News. BBC. 14 October 1999. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  19. ^ "Johnnie Walker – BBC Radio 2 – 6 December 1999". BBC Genome. BBC. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  20. ^ Collins, Steve (22 January 2024). "One of the last remaining ILR's prepares to celebrate 25th anniversary". Radio Today. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Celebration on Radio 2 for 25 years of The Country Show with Bob Harris". On The Radio. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Veteran DJ Love dies". BBC News. 10 March 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2009.