BBC Radio Announces Rebranding Of Its GLR Service

BBC Radio has announced a series of changes to its London based station, GLR. From 27 March, the 24-hour station will be rebranded as London Live 94.9 with a new breakfast team and line-up of presenters and a promise to make better journalism a “major plank” of the station. London Live will be the first tri-media service in Europe, with a dedicated service across radio, online and television. The radio and online services will launch simultaneously next month under the BBC London Live brand.

The revamp follows a review of the BBC’s local services across London and the South East, and will see an additional investment of £1.5 million in the area. New signings to the station include BBC Healthcheck presenter, Alice Beer, who will front a daily consumer action programme, and Lisa I’Anson, who will present a new daily lifestyle magazine programme.

This is the second revamp for the BBC’s London station. Launched in 1971, Radio London became GLR in 1988 and soon developed a reputation for its progressive mix of music and speech, attracting presenters such as Chris Evans and Mark Lamarr. The station’s planned revamp has received criticism from listeners and insiders alike with many fearing that the station’s music policy would be abandoned.

After a long period of research amongst Londoners, the new station has switched the emphasis from music towards features and London issues. Paul Ross and Clare McDonnell will present the breakfast show each morning, followed by stalwart Robert Elms with his London people and places magazines. The urban soundtrack slot between 10pm and 2am will preserve GLR’s music strand.

David Robey, managing editor of the station, said: “London Live will be a force to be reckoned with using the resources that only the BBC can provide in news, travel and entertainment. We will have the knowledge, the passion and the means to make a difference to Londoners’ lives.”

BBC GLR: 020 7224 2424