BBC Essex is the BBC Local Radio service for the Englishcounty of Essex. It broadcasts from its studios on New London Road in Chelmsford on 95.3 and 103.5 FM, and on 729, 765.The station also broadcast on 1530 AM until 15 January 2018, when transmissions ceased. It is also available on DAB, Freeview TV channel 734 and live streaming via the internet. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 178,000 listeners and a 8.5% share as of December 2018.
History
BBC Essex launched on 5 November 1986. It broke from the naming convention of "BBC Radio " so as to avoid confusion with Essex Radio. There had also been a pirate station called Radio Essex in the 1960s, and currently there is an independent radio station called Radio Essex. BBC Essex set out to be different from existing BBC local stations, which were often perceived as rather "stuffy" and "worthy". It launched with a more up-beat sound, an almost "tabloid" news style and younger presenters than most stations; the BBC Essex symbol also did not feature the traditional BBC logo. However, over the years the style has been toned down and the format is now more in line with the rest of the BBC local radio network. The station has also employed a number of high-profile presenters including James Whale, Jonathan Overend, Tim 'Timbo' Lloyd, Mark Pougatch, Dermot O'Leary and music promoter Eric 'Monster' Hall. A revised programme schedule at the station occurred in September 2015 following the appointment of Lou Birt as Managing Editor in April 2015, following the departure of predecessor Gerald Main, who held the role from 2007 until February 2015.
Transmitters
The strongest signal is 103.5 FM, which comes from the Great Braxted transmitter between Witham and Tiptree. It reaches into Hertfordshire. It also transmits the Essex DAB mux. The 95.3FM signal from South Benfleet is heard in most of the southern Thames Estuary. This transmitter also provides Heart Essex on 96.3FM and DAB. There are now two AM transmitters. The 500 ft Manningtree tower, which is on 729kHz, also has national FM radio frequencies, Absolute Radio on 1233kHz, BBC National DAB, Digital One and Essex DAB. It is also the main FM transmitter for Radio Suffolk. The Bakers Wood transmitter on 765kHz also has Heart Essex on 102.6FM, and Smooth Radio on 1359kHz and is another of the DAB transmitters. Local DAB signals, since 20 May 2002, are the Essex 12D multiplex, which has further transmitters at Maitland House, Colchester, Sudbury, and Rye Hill. Rye Hill also has Heart Essex on 101.7FM. BBC Essex also used to transmit on 1530kHz from Rayleigh until January 2018 but this was closed as a cost saving measure.
Pirate BBC Essex
From 10 to 17 April 2004, BBC Essex marked the fortieth anniversary of offshore radio in Britain by launching their own ship-based radio station, Pirate BBC Essex. Broadcasting from an old light vessel, the station transmitted sixties music and memories twenty-four hours a day all week. This was followed in August 2007 by another broadcast marking the anniversary of the closing of the pirate stations by the Marine Offences Act. Over the Easter Weekend in April 2009, the popular Pirate Radio Essex programme was resurrected by popular demand from listeners, occurring five days after the release of the comedy movie The Boat that Rocked. This was broadcast on the AM frequencies, as well as on the Internet, which resulted in many calls from as far away as New Zealand. Presenters included Johnnie Walker, Tony Blackburn, Dave Cash and Keith Skues as well as three of the station's presenters: Steve Scruton; Ian Wyatt & Ray Clark. BBC Essex presenter Ray Clark authored a book called 'Radio Caroline: The True Story of The Boat That Rocked' which was published in early 2014. Clark retired from BBC Essex on 20 June 2014 after leaving his award-winning breakfast show in February that year. Clark returned to BBC Essex in September 2015 to present a new, regular, Saturday morning show. Pirate BBC Essex took to the airwaves for one final time on 13 and 14 August 2017. Starting at 10pm on 13 August 2017 Keith Skues presented his regular, 3 hour regional Sunday night show from the LV18 studio, and on 14 August 2017 programmes were broadcast commencing at 9am, with the eventual closure at 3pm, marking the 50th anniversary of the Marine Offences Act which closed most pirate radio stations. Guest presenters included Johnnie Walker, Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day, Tom Edwards and Norman St John.
