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BBC CWR
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==History== ===BBC CWR launch=== [[File:BBC Coventry and Warwickshire 1.JPG|thumb|The BBC CWR studios.]] In the early 1990s, [[BBC Local Radio]] underwent an expansion programme where counties and other areas without a local radio station were identified. Five stations were to launch: [[BBC Radio Surrey]], [[BBC Radio Berkshire]], [[BBC Radio Suffolk]], [[BBC Radio Wiltshire|BBC Wiltshire Sound]] and BBC Radio Warwickshire.{{fact|date=May 2025}} The ''Radio Warwickshire'' working title was changed to ''BBC CWR'' by the time the station launched on 17 January 1990 as the name CWR ''(Coventry and Warwickshire Radio)'' reflected the wider area that the new station would cover, taking in the city of [[Coventry]] with the whole of the county of [[Warwickshire]], which was then also served by [[BBC Radio WM]]. The station broadcast from a Victorian-style mansion on Warwick Road, close to [[Coventry railway station]]. Smaller studios were located in [[Atherstone]], [[Nuneaton]], [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], [[Stratford-upon-Avon]], [[Leamington Spa|Leamington]] and [[Warwick]].{{fact|date=May 2025}} ===Problems and closure=== From day one, BBC CWR faced strong competition from the established commercial radio stations in the area. [[Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire|Mercia Sound]] had been an outstanding success since its own launch ten years earlier in 1980. [[Classic Gold|Xtra AM]], the [[AM broadcasting|AM]]-only sister station of Mercia Sound, also enjoyed high listenership since it split from Mercia and launched in 1989. Consequently, CWR seemed to find it difficult to compete for the very large audiences built up by Mercia and Xtra. It was, however, well-respected and highly-regarded by its regular audience.{{fact|date=May 2025}} ===BBC WM merger=== The BBC, under then [[Director-General of the BBC]], [[John Birt]], deemed that CWR was not sufficiently successful in audience terms to warrant its continuation, and within increasing financial constraints in February 1995, CWR was to close. Regular listeners were hugely disappointed and phoned presenter [[Jon Gaunt]] to protest about the decision. It was ultimately decided that BBC CWR would merge with neighbouring [[BBC Radio WM]] in [[Birmingham]], but would operate as an opt-out service from Radio WM with the remainder of the schedule as shared programming. This merger took place in May 1995. This had the effect of alienating local listeners, whilst paradoxically presenters from WM, such as [[Ed Doolan]], [[Malcolm Boyden]] and [[Tony Butler (broadcaster)|Tony Butler]] received high listening figures and distinctions with three ''[[Sony Radio Academy Awards]]'', including Radio Station of the Year in 1996.{{fact|date=May 2025}} Its studios were relocated from Warwick Road to much smaller premises on Greyfriars Road. All local programmes except breakfast with [[Annie Othen]], the afternoon show with [[Bob Brolly]], ''Poles Apart'' on Wednesdays, and weekend football coverage of [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], were replaced with programming from Birmingham.{{fact|date=May 2025}} In 2003, the station was re-labelled as BBC WM across Coventry and Warwickshire.{{fact|date=May 2025}} ===BBC Coventry and Warwickshire relaunch=== In 2003, the then Director-General of the BBC, [[Greg Dyke]], announced on-air that Coventry and Warwickshire would again have its own [[BBC Local Radio]] station. Describing the situation with presenter [[Annie Othen]], Dyke said that the station would be added to the BBC's Local Radio portfolio:{{fact|date=May 2025}} {{quote|I'm very pleased to announce that we're planning to open a new radio station in Coventry β an area that's been served by BBC WM since 1995. We hope the new station will be housed in a modern, vibrant building close to [[Coventry Cathedral]] in the heart of the city. Alongside the radio studios, there'll also be an open centre to provide access to BBC Learning facilities similar to the already established centres in [[Blackburn]], [[Sheffield]] and [[Stoke-on-Trent|Stoke]]. Open Centres provide a valuable community role, so this is an exciting venture for the BBC.}} He also said that the 1995 closure of CWR was a "mistake":{{fact|date=May 2025}} {{quote|The decision was made under different circumstances β and now we're in a position to change it.}} BBC Coventry and Warwickshire relaunched as a stand-alone station on 3 September 2005 with full local programming for 15 hours a day.{{fact|date=May 2025}} In February 2020, BBC Coventry & Warwickshire reverted to the BBC CWR name.{{fact|date=May 2025}}
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