Roundabout East Anglia

St Catherine's House on All Saints Green in Norwich, pictured in 2012. In the 1970s this was the regional headquarters of BBC East, from where Roundabout East Anglia was broadcast throughout its run.

Roundabout East Anglia was a BBC Radio programme providing news and current affairs coverage for the East Anglia region of England during the 1970s.[1] It was broadcast on the area's VHF frequency of BBC Radio 4 as a regional opt-out from the Today programme, running from 6.45am to 8.45am each weekday morning.[2]

The programme covered the same geographical area as the BBC's television news programme Look East.[2] It was also broadcast from the same building as Look East, BBC East's regional headquarters at All Saint's Green in Norwich.[1] Presenters who worked on Roundabout East Anglia included Ellis Hill, John Mountford, and Christopher Trace.[2] In addition to the news items there was also lighter, more features-based content such as advice from gardening experts.[3]

Roundabout East Anglia came to an end in 1980. This was due both to BBC budgetary cutbacks in regional broadcasting,[4] and because a dedicated BBC Local Radio service was to be introduced to part of the area for the first time, with BBC Radio Norfolk launching in September 1980.[1] Several Roundabout East Anglia personnel transferred to working for Radio Norfolk when that service began, with John Mountford becoming the station's first breakfast show presenter.[5] However, it wasn't until 1990 that Suffolk got its own local BBC radio station.

A look back at the programme's history was broadcast in 2012 on BBC Radio Norfolk and John Mountford was one of the presenters who was interviewed for the programme.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "1". Taking the Norfolk Air: BBC Radio Norfolk - The First 25 Years. Grice Chapman. 2005. pp. 10–11. ISBN 0-9545726-7-X.
  2. ^ a b c "BBC Radio Norfolk's 25th anniversary". BBC.co.uk. 9 September 2005. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  3. ^ Skipper, Keith, ed. (1990). BBC Radio Norfolk - The First Ten Years. Jim Baldwin Publishing. p. 46.
  4. ^ Kenneth Gosling (27 February 1980). "MPs to see BBC chief over fears for regions". The Times. p. 5.
  5. ^ BBC Radio Norfolk - The First Ten Years, page 15.
  6. ^ BBC Programme Index