BBC Southern Counties Radio is to become BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey from 30th March. Though the two stations will broadcast on different frequencies, the infrastructure and managements team will remain unaffected.
In a statement, a Southern Counties spokesman said: “For a long time we have been working hard to make our programmes and news bulletins even more local with dedicated programmes in Sussex and Surrey, so we now feel that the name ‘Southern Counties’ doesn’t fully describe what we do. The ethos of the station will stay exactly the same – to entertain our listeners, brighten their day and tell them everything they need to know about life in Sussex or Surrey.”
BBC Surrey’s Managing Editor Nicci Holliday added: "Today's announcement marks the culmination of a yearlong project for our station developing content that is relevant to the two very distinct counties we serve. We now provide dedicated weekday breakfast and drive time programmes for listeners in Surrey as well their own specific travel service and news bulletins. Plus sports fans can also follow their local teams on the split frequencies. And so by rebranding as BBC Surrey our name now reflects what we do.
It has also been reveled that Danny Pike will join BBC Surrey to present the mid-morning programme from May.
