 | |
| Type | Armed forces media (UK) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1943; 82 years ago (1943) |
Broadcast area |
|
Key people | The Queen (patron)[1] Ben Chapman (CEO)[2] Christopher Wilson (chairman of the board of trustees)[1] |
Former names | Forces Broadcasting Service British Forces Network |
BFBS Radio | See list |
Official website | Official website |
TheBritish Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides radio and television programmes forHis Majesty's Armed Forces, and their dependents worldwide. Editorial control is independent of theMinistry of Defence and the armed forces themselves.[3] It was established by the BritishWar Office (now the Ministry of Defence) in 1943. In 1944, it was managed byGale Pedrick.[4]
Originally known as theForces Broadcasting Service (FBS), it was initially under the control of the British Army Welfare Service, its first effort, the Middle East Broadcasting Unit, being headquartered inCairo.[5]
Before and after the end of theSecond World War various radio stations were set up, some using the FBS name, others using the nameBritish Forces Network (BFN), but by the early 1960s these had all adopted the BFBS name.[6]
From 1982 until 2020, BFBS formed part of theServices Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), a registered charity which is also responsible for theBritish Defence Film Library, SSVC Cinemas (now BFBS Cinemas), and Combined Services Entertainment (CSE; nowBFBS Live Events), providing entertainment for HM Forces around the world. In March 2020, most of the properties under the SSVC umbrella were rebranded under the new BFBS and Forces brandings.[7] On 23 July 2020, SSVC was renamed BFBS.[8][9] BFBS does not carry commercial advertising.[10]
 | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | 1943; 82 years ago |
| Headquarters | Chalfont Grove Teleport,Chalfont St Peter,Buckinghamshire , |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Services | Radio broadcasting |
| Revenue | £28,774,000 |
| Owner | BFBS |
Number of employees | 213 (2017)  |
| Parent | British Forces Broadcasting Service |
| Website | www |
BFBS Radio operates 22 radio stations, broadcast on a combination of local DAB, FM and AM frequencies, online and on digital television.[11] BFBS Radio is a music, news, entertainment and community service providing bespoke content to the global Forces Community with a focus on Forces News and connecting the Forces communities around the world.
BFBS broadcasts to service personnel and their families and friends worldwide with local radio studios inBelize,Brunei,Canada,Cyprus,Germany,Gibraltar, theFalkland Islands,Nepal and operational areas.[12] In addition, BFBS the Forces Station[13] is heard by troops inAscension Island, Bahrain, Belgium,Bosnia, Estonia, andthe Netherlands, as well as onboardRoyal Navy ships at sea via livesatellite links,online atBFBS Radio, onSky channel 0211 in the United Kingdom only, via anAstra 2transponder and onFreesat channel 786.
From 12 January 2008, BFBS began a trial period of broadcasting nationwide across the UK onDAB, which ran until 31 March 2008. Audience research carried out during the trial concluded that it was successful and broadcasts continued for eight years[14] until 6 March 2017 when the service ceased due to the cost to the charitySSVC.[15]
On 1 April 2013, BFBS began a new 10-year contract for to supply all forces broadcasting service to British troops around the world and expanded its service to UK army bases formerly served byGarrison Radio.[16] BFBS UK base stations now broadcast using DAB inAldershot,Aldergrove,Blandford,Bovington,Brize Norton,Bulford,Catterick,Colchester,Edinburgh,Fort George,Holywood,Inverness,Lisburn, andPortsmouth.[13]
Bespoke news bulletins are broadcast every hour, 24 hours a day, utilising content fromBBC News,IRN and BFBS's own team of Forces News reporters. The standard bulletin is three minutes long, with extended ten-minuteNewsplus programmes on weekdays at 0400, 0700, 1100, 1300 and 1700 UK time. Two-minute-long news and sport headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during breakfast programming. Bulletins are broadcast around the clock on BFBS the Forces Station and BFBS Gurkha Radio, and during BFBS Radio 2's music programming.
Many of the programmes on BFBS Radio 2 are sourced fromBBC Radio 4 andBBC Radio 5 Live, including the soap operaThe Archers, which was popular in Hong Kong until BFBS Radio ceased broadcasting on 30 June 1997 before thehandover toChina.[17] BFBS UK is a contemporary hit 'pop' station. It is similar in style toBBC Radio 2, playing current music and chat, as well as regular news bulletins.
On 31 May 2010,BBC Radio 1 teamed up with BFBS to transmit the 10-hour takeover show fromCamp Bastion with BFBS presenters and shout outs from the military community.[18] It repeated the link-up in 2011.[19]
In December 2011, the UK'sSmooth Radio broadcast its national breakfast show, presented bySimon Bates, from the BFBS studios in Camp Bastion.[20][21][22] On 8 April 2012,Easter Sunday, BFBS simulcast a two-hour show with Smooth, presented jointly by Bates and BFBS's Rachel Cochrane, allowing family and friends of serving troops to connect with their loved ones.[23]
BFBS currently has three main stations: BFBS the Forces Station (each with regional content), BFBS Radio 2 and BFBS Gurkha Network. In addition, there are themed online stations under the BFBS branding; they are Beats, Rewind, Best of British (replaced Unwind), Edge (formerly Dirt) and Samishran.
BFBS Gurkha Network broadcasts on AM and DAB in selected UK locations as well as on FM in theFalkland Islands,Afghanistan,Brunei,Nepal,Belize and on Ops. It provides programmes inNepali, for theGurkha units serving with theBritish Army.[24]
BFBS broadcast inMalta until 25 March 1979, when British forces left the islands.[25] It ceased broadcasts from Berlin on 15 July 1994, following the end of theCold War,German reunification, and the withdrawal of British forces from the city, after 33 years.[26] The BFBS Berlin frequency was given up on 12 December 1994. BFBS broadcast inHong Kong until 30 June 1997, before ChinesePeople's Liberation Army replaced British forces in the city. BFBS also broadcast on FM inBelize, from Airport Camp nearBelize City.[27] These broadcasts could also be received in eastern parts ofGuatemala.[28] It ceased broadcasting in Belize in August 2011.[29] The station re-opened in 2016.[30]
| Service | Description | Frequency[31] | Webcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| BFBS UK | Contemporary music, speech |
| Radioplayer |
| BFBS Radio 2 | Popular music, news, sport | BFBS Radioplayer | |
| BFBS Gurkha Network | Programming forGurkhas |
| Radioplayer |
| Service | Description | Frequency[31] | Webcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| BFBS Ascension Island | Local service | BFBS Radio:
| |
| BFBS Bahrain | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 99.1 | |
| BFBS Belgium | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 107.7 (SHAPE) | |
| BFBS Belize | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 94.3 BFBS Radio 2: FM: 96.3 BFBS Gurkha Network: FM: 98.3 | |
| BFBS Bosnia | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 102.0 (Butmir Camp) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 106.9 (Butmir Camp) | |
| BFBS Brunei | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 101.7 (Seria) BFBS Gurhka Network: FM: 89.5 (Seria) FM: 92.0 (Sitang Camp) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Canada CKBF-FM | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM:CKBF-FM 104.1 (Ralston Village /BATUS) FM: 98.1 (CFB Suffield A-Line) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Cyprus | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 89.9 (Akrotiri) FM: 91.7 (Ayios Nikolaos) FM: 91.7 (Nicosia) FM: 99.6 (Dhekelia) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 92.1 (Akrotiri) FM: 89.7 (Ayios Nikolaos) FM: 89.7 (Nicosia) FM: 95.3 (Dhekelia) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Estonia | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 94.9 (Camp Tapa) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 89.2 (Camp Tapa) | |
| BFBS Falklands | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 102.4 (Byron Heights, Mount Alice, Mount Kent) FM: 98.5 (MPA) FM: 91.1 (Sapper Hill) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 104.2 (Byron Heights, Mount Alice, Mount Kent) FM: 93.8 (MPA) FM: 94.5 (Sapper Hill) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Germany | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 91.7 (Friedrichdorf) FM 101.6 (Herford) FM: 96.6 (Porta Westfalica) FM: 105.0 (Sennelager) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 89.6 (Porta Westfalica) FM: 91.2 (Sennelager) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Gibraltar | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 97.8 (O'Haras Battery) FM: 93.5 (Oyster Cottage) BFBS Radio 2: FM: 99.5 (O'Haras Battery) FM: 89.4 (Oyster Cottage) | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Nepal | Local service | BFBS Gurkha Network: FM: 105.7 (Kathmandu) FM: 107.5 (Dharan Town Area) BFBS Radio 2: | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Netherlands | Local service | BFBS Radio: FM: 90.2 (NATO JFC Brunssum) | |
| BFBS Singapore | Local service | BFBS Radio: Online available (British Defence Singapore Support Unit) | |
| BFBS Aldershot | Local service |
| |
| BFBS Blandford | Local service |
| |
| BFBS Brize Norton | Local service | FM:106.1MHz | |
| BFBS Bovington | Local service | FM: 100.8 MHz | |
| BFBS Bulford | Local service | FM: 106.8 MHz | |
| BFBS Catterick | Local service | FM:106.9MHz | |
| BFBS Colchester | Local service | FM:107.0MHz | |
| BFBS Northern Ireland | Local service |
| Radioplayer |
| BFBS Salisbury Plain | Local service | DAB+: SSDAB (Salisbury Plain) FM:106.8MHz | |
| BFBS Scotland | Local service |
|
| Service | Description | Launched | Webcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| BFBS Beats | Rhythmic contemporary | BFBS Radioplayer | |
| BFBS Edge | Rock andindie music | 28 March 2022 | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Rewind | Classic hits | BFBS Radioplayer | |
| BFBS Best of British | British popular music | 2022 | BFBS Radioplayer |
| BFBS Samishran | Nepali and Hindi music | BFBS Radioplayer |
BFBS Television started inCelle, nearHanover in the thenWest Germany, on 18 September 1975 from Trenchard Barracks.[32] This used taped broadcasts from theBBC andITV, flown to Germany from London, which were then rebroadcast using low-powerUHF transmitters.[33] Live broadcasts of news and sport began in 1982, using amicrowave link between the UK and West Germany, extending as far east asWest Berlin.[34]
The BFBS TV service used the 625-line PAL system, used in the UK as well as West Germany.[35] By 1982, it was available at 50 sites throughout northern and central regions of West Germany.[36]
It was known asSSVC Television (Services Sound and Vision Corporation) between 1985 and 1997, when it reverted to the BFBS name.[37]Today it broadcasts live viasatellite. DVDs are still sent to forces serving in more remote areas. There was also a service known asNavy TV, which broadcast time-shifted versions of the channel toRoyal Navy vessels around the world viamilitary satellite.[38]
Most programmes came from the BBC, ITV,Channel 4,Channel 5 andSky, including news fromBBC News,Sky News andITN, and sport fromBBC Sport andSky Sports. BFBS also has its own programmes, including the daily news bulletin programmeDaily Forces News.[39]
BFBS Television was broadcast in some areas as a terrestrial service in the clear using low-power transmitters to minimise "overspill" to non-service audiences and protect copyright.[40] Despite this, it could be received inWest Berlin,[41] and its listings were carried in localGerman language magazines.[42] However, the signal was largely confined to the British Sector, reflecting the situation with its American counterpart,AFN TV, whose signal was similarly limited to the American Sector.[43]
Until 1997, it was also widely available in Cyprus, but its signal was encrypted or confined to theSovereign Base Areas ofAkrotiri and Dhekelia.[44] Following complaints from local broadcasters likeLumiere TV, which had bought local rights to show Englishfootball and other programming,[45] the decision was made to encrypt the signal, starting withNicosia in April 1997 and ending withLarnaca andLimassol in May 1998.[46] The decision was criticised byMPs in anEarly Day Motion.[47] BFBS later ended terrestrial transmissions of its TV channel in Cyprus in January 2009.[48]
However, as a result ofcard sharing by services personnel, BFBS TV (laterBFBS 1) was available to unentitled viewers on the island, along with other channels until 2011, when an illegal pay-TV service was closed down in a joint operation by theCyprus Police and the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance.[49]
In theFalkland Islands, SSVC TV was originally only available to entitled viewers inMount Pleasant, and when a repeater inSapper Hill was installed by civilians to relay the signal toStanley in 1988, it was shut down owing to issues related to broadcasting rights for US programming.[50] It was only on Christmas Eve of that year that the service became available to civilian residents.[51] Initially this consisted of prerecorded programmes brought over on cassette from the UK, meaning that they were shown two weeks after the UK,[52] However, in 1997, the channel, by now rebranded as BFBS, was broadcast via satellite, enabling news and sport to be shown on the same day as they had been shown in the UK, buttimeshifted by three to four hours to take account of the time difference.[53] This expanded the civilian terrestrial TV service as part of a digital upgrade, which included BFBS 1 and BFBS 2.[54] BFBS 1 and 2 also became available to civilian audiences inTristan da Cunha.[55]
British Forces and their families stationed atBritish Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS), located atCanadian Forces Base Suffield in Canada, had access to BFBS 1, a limited amount of BFBS 2 and BFBS 3 and Sky News on a 7-hour timeshift from CET.[56] During the day, the television channel that BFBS 2/3 broadcast on, played BFBS Radio 1.
Until 27 March 2013, there were five BFBS Television services:
A combined version of the four main channels, calledBFBS Navy TV, was available on some naval vessels.
In 2005, BFBS also began distributing commercial networksKiss TV (previouslyQ),Sky News,Sky Sports 1 andSky Sports 2 to certain areas. It also started a movie channel on 2 May 2008, using money that it saved following thePremier League's decision to waive the £250,000 rights fee.[57]
In 2010, BFBS also added Nepali TV (a TV channel in the Nepali language, based in the UK) to its channel line-up for the benefit of Gurkha soldiers.[58] This was replaced byNepal Television (the state TV broadcaster of Nepal) on 1 March 2016.[59]
SSVC was awarded a new ten-year contract by the Ministry of Defence commencing on 1 April 2013. Fewer overseas troop deployments and reduced budgets resulted in a change to the previous TV service.[60]
Since 27 March 2013, BFBS TV has offeredtimeshifted versions ofBBC One,BBC Two,ITV, as well as two channels of its own.BFBS Extra offers a variety of entertainment programming fromU&W (formerly Watch),U&Dave,Sky One,National Geographic Channel,ITV2,3 and4, theHistory Channel,Sky Atlantic and previouslyChannel 4 andChannel 5.BFBS Sport carries sport fromBT Sport (replacingESPN),Sky Sports, andEurosport.[61]
BBC Two carries children's programming fromCBBC andCBeebies until the late afternoon or early evening, while BFBS Extra 2 carries programming fromPop until the evening. Additionally, the BBC One and ITV feeds are timeshifted to hit peak time in local time zones. Channel 4 and Channel 5 later became available as separate channels in 2019.[62]
On 10 June 2014, SSVC launchedForces TV, a new channel aimed at theBritish Armed Forces. It was available on BFBS, Sky channel 181 in the United Kingdom only, Virgin Media channel 274 in the United Kingdom, Freeview channel 96, Freesat channel 165,[63] and on satellite Eutelsat 10A (10°E) alongside BFBS the Forces Station and on Astra2 satellite 28°E free-to-air. Its content was a mixture of news reports, entertainment, documentaries and features produced by BFBS. It was independent from theMinistry of Defence and was funded through advertising and sponsorship.[64] On 30 June 2022, due to the loss of its Freeview channel slot, Forces TV closed down at 11:00am.
In recent years BFBS services have become available online, in order to allow British service personnel stationed all over the world to stay connect no matter how remote.[65] It is available through the BFBS website and App as well as other media platforms such as YouTube. The BFBS online services allow for free access to the BFBS Radio Service, Entertainment and Sports services, BFBS Forces News (Available also via its own website), Documentaries, Podcasts and inter-service sports competition coverage as well as other BFBS services.[66]
Media related toBritish Forces Broadcasting Service at Wikimedia Commons51°35′17.53″N0°33′11.94″W / 51.5882028°N 0.5533167°W /51.5882028; -0.5533167
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