The BBC has launched its first DAB+ music stations. The three new station extensions from Radio 1 and Radio 3 are the first to be added to the BBC’s music portfolio since 2002 – when the BBC launched 6 Music, 1Xtra and Asian Network.
Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 1 Dance and Radio 3 Unwind launched as streams on BBC Sounds last autumn, attracting new and loyal audiences, and are now available to listen to on DAB+ radio.
Radio 1’s Dance and Anthems extensions provide younger listeners (with a focus on 15 – 24s) with greater variety in music genres and eras they enjoy, along with established favourite and newly introduced presenting talent. Radio 3 Unwind broadens the audience for classical music in the UK with a schedule designed for younger listeners (35s – 54) than other classical stations and is designed to meet the moods and needs of modern audiences.
Aled Haydn-Jones, Head of Radio 1, commented: “I’m delighted to bring Radio 1 listeners not one, but two incredible new genre led networks on DAB+. R1 Dance and R1 Anthems provide a strong and confident offer for younger listeners – delivering more choice and music to match every mood. Both stations bring together the very best expert DJs, rising presenting talent, exciting events and the best of British music for our audiences to discover. More than two decades since the launch of 1Xtra, this marks another exciting chapter in Radio 1’s history as the number one radio station for younger listeners.”
Sam Jackson, Radio 3 Controller, added: “Radio 3 Unwind has already been positively received as a stream on BBC Sounds and I’m really pleased to now bring it to a wider audience on DAB+. The station offers a wide-ranging selection of calming classical music—perfect for listeners seeking an escape from the demands of daily life. It’s a fresh way to enjoy classical music, designed to be both welcoming and enriching.”
The BBC said its decision to launch three stations on DAB+ demonstrates the “dramatic evolution of the audio landscape over the past decades, with 75 per cent of the population now listening to the radio digitally”.
The new brand extensions will continue to live on BBC Sounds, as well as on DAB+, alongside the rest of the BBC’s live radio offer.
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