The changes to early mornings on BBC Radio 4 begin on Monday 24 April 2006. At 5.20am, listeners will be welcomed to the network and hear the Shipping Forecast that now includes all 16 inshore waters areas, where previously only nine were covered.
This is followed at 5.30am by the News Briefing (Monday-Sunday), read by one of the team of Radio 4 newsreaders.This will provide the audience with an update on all the major news stories and a look ahead to what may happen during the next 24 hours both in the UK and abroad.
Prayer For The Day follows at 5.43am (Monday-Friday), with Farming Today at 5.45am, which will take listeners up to Today at 6.00am.
On Saturdays Prayer For The Day will be followed by a repeat of an appropriate 15 minute feature.
On Sundays News Briefing is followed by a repeat of Profile (or a Westminster Hour feature when Profile is off the air).
Mark Damazer, Controller, Radio 4, said: “I’d like to thank all those who have been involved in this process, from our colleagues in the Met Office and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to the BBC News team and all the people in Radio 4 who have made this happen so quickly.
“I’m sorry that part of the audience is upset by the removal of the UK Theme.
“They may like to know that we will be offering the UK Theme as a stream on the Radio 4 website, where it will be available from Friday 21 April.”
The New Schedule
Monday-Friday
5.20am Open up and welcome; Shipping Forecast – this is an extended Shipping Forecast which will now include all 16 inshore waters areas
5.30am News Briefing – a new briefing for early risers bringing them up to date on the day’s headlines and issues
5.43am Prayer for the Day
5.45am Farming Today
6.00am Today
Saturday
5.20-5.45am As Monday-Friday
5.45am Feature (rpt)
6.00am News and Weather
6.07am Open Country
Sunday
5.20-5.43am As Monday-Friday
5.43am Bells on Sunday
5.45am Profile (rpt) or Westminster Hour feature (rpt)
6.00am News Summary
6.05am Something Understood