The Bee grows bigger with 3rd frequency

Lancashire station The Bee has switched on another transmitter on 96.3FM to better cover Chorley, South Ribble and the surrounding areas.

The station, which is already available on 107 and 106.5 FM now broadcasts to an adult population of almost 440,000 from a studio complex shared with fellow UKRD station 99.8FM 2BR near Accrington.

Managing Director Simon Brierley told RadioToday.co.uk: “Addition of this new frequency strengthens our signal in the South of our existing transmission area and completes our expansion into Central Lancashire. This latest investment demonstrates our continuing commitment to local radio at a time when other operators are planning to withdraw even further from the local market.”

The station was the first to be licensed by Ofcom along with Talk 107 Edinburgh in December 2004 and started broadcasting on a single frequency in 2005 to Blackburn.

It then bought the central Lancashire frequency of 106.5 in 2011, which had an option in its licence to add an extra frequency of 96.3 FM if required.