Forces Radio BFBS is returning to national DAB digital radio, nine months after leaving the platform.
BFBS broadcasts music, news and entertainment to service personnel and families in the UK and worldwide. The schedule includes ‘Hatch and Geere on Breakfast’ with former Magic co-host Verity Geere and “forces favourite Richard Hatch”, as well as forces programmes such as Sitrep and Forces Sport.
The forces radio station is currently available around the UK on FM and DAB in specific locations, such as Aldershot, Brize Norton and Catterick. It can also be found on Sky, Radioplayer and in BFBS’s own smartphone apps.
BFBS will return to national DAB digital radio on 24th January.
“We’re excited to be back as a national digital channel from January and are delighted with the opportunities that DAB+ has opened up for us,” said Nicky Ness, Director of Forces Broadcasting and Entertainment for Forces Network.
“Our listeners told us how disappointed they were when we came off Digital One earlier in 2017 but as the platform is entirely funded by charitable means, we’ve been working hard to find the best value alternative.
“I’m so pleased we’ve been selected by Sound Digital to join the D2 community, where our unique blend of military news, features and conversation, eclectic music and an ad-free environment will deliver something a little different. It’s even more poignant to be re-launching in our 75th year as the Forces Broadcaster.”
When BFBS returns to national digital radio it will use DAB+, a newer version of DAB Digital Radio. Some digital radios cannot receive DAB+ stations, but any new radios which carry the digital radio ‘tick’ will receive DAB, DAB+ and FM stations.