First air date 1985 | ||
Frequency FM: 103.5-105 MHzDABFreeview: 720 (Scotland only)Freesat: 713 (110)Sky (UK only): 0139 (143)Virgin Media: 934 Format News, Entertainment, Speech, Showbiz Former callsigns BBC Radio Nan EileanBBC Air A'Ghaidhealtachd | ||
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is a Scottish radio station, broadcasting in Scottish Gaelic. It is operated by the BBC as part of its portfolio of television and radio services in Scotland.
Contents
- History
- Coverage
- Funding
- Programming
- News
- Current affairs and Drivetime
- Music programmes
- Other programmes
- References
The station is available from FM transmitters throughout Scotland: its service licence states that "BBC Radio nan Gàidheal should be available every day for general reception across Scotland on FM"; it can also be heard on digital television platforms, DAB Digital Radio, and online.
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal programmes are also broadcast (with an in-vision graphical overlay) on the Scottish Gaelic digital television channel BBC Alba during periods when the channel is not carrying television programmes.
History
Scottish Gaelic-language programming has been transmitted in Scotland since 1923, and the BBC's Gaelic-language department was established in 1935. BBC Radio Highland produced a range of Gaelic programming – BBC Radio na Gaidhealtachd – and on 5 October 1979 the Scottish Gaelic service BBC Radio nan Eilean was established in Stornoway. On 1 October 1985, these two separate services united to form Radio nan Gàidheal. The main base for Radio nan Gaidheal is on Seaforth Road in Stornoway, having moved in June 2014 from the Church Street studios.
Coverage
Radio nan Gàidheal broadcasts for over 90 hours every week, and joins BBC Radio Scotland's medium-wave feed when they close transmission. Radio nan Gàidheal now frequently broadcasts important Scottish football matches providing Gaelic commentary.
Radio nan Gàidheal shows are available for 30 days after most recent broadcast on BBC iPlayer and on the BBC's website.
Podcasts of some shows are available from the BBC website and on iTunes for some time after transmission. These include two programmes aimed at learners of the language, entitled Letter to Gaelic Learners and The Little Letter, the latter being a more basic version of the former. Both letters are also available at learngaelic.net, with transcripts.
Funding
The service budget for 2009 was £3.9m with a change of any more than 10% requiring approval of the BBC Trust. The service budget in 2011 was almost the same as 2009 at £3.8m and requires the same controls as previous licences. This funding comes from the BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC which is operationally independent of management and external bodies. As is the same with all BBC Radio and TV stations, the channel is funded by the licence fees gathered.
Programming
A full list of programmes broadcast on Radio nan Gaidheal is available on the BBC Website, this section contains a list of prominent programmes.
News
The news (Scottish Gaelic: Naidheachdan) is broadcast in three-minute bulletins five times a day during the week and three times a day on a Saturday.
Shows containing other local and national news include: