BCB 106.6fm is a radio station that broadcasts a community radio format. Licensed to Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, the station is owned by BradfordCommunity Broadcasting Ltd. It broadcasts on 106.6 mHz FM to the city of Bradford, and online as well as providing podcasts on their website. Launched on local cable in 1994, the station later became one of fifteen community radio stations in the UK to start broadcasting full-time as part of a one-year trial of community radio. The trials were successful and BCB has subsequently become a full-time community station and has been on air on FM continuously since the start of the original trial broadcast in 2002.
Format
BCB 106.6fm broadcasts a diverse range of programmes throughout the day which aim to connect with a variety of different communities across Bradford and the Aire Valley. BCB broadcasts a wide range of speech based and specialist music programmes, like "One To One" and "African Forum", as well as covering local sport like Bradford Park Avenuefootball games and local music amongst their content. The station also encourages the participation of communities and individuals who often encounter disadvantage and exclusion.
Awards
BCB has received praise by the radio industry and has received very positive feedback including from the local community in Bradford and has been praised for its varied programming, offering people something very different from the BBC and commercial stations in the area, which are not always in tune with local people. The station received the Radio Academy Regional Station of The Year Award for Yorkshire in 2013. At the awards ceremony The Chair of Judges said: “Capturing the heartache and joy of life in its area, BCB punches well above its weight with passionate programming that handles its subject matter with respect and integrity. It clearly loves broadcasting to Bradford and delivers a product that the city can be proud of. The station sounded celebratory about the people and place that it serves – exactly how community radio should sound. You can clearly hear how this station has taken the time to genuinely integrate itself within the community. It feels totally at one with its audience.”
