 Logo used since 2022 | |
| Broadcast area | Scotland[a] |
|---|---|
| Frequencies | FM: 103.5–105MHz DAB Freeview: 712 (Scotland only) Freesat: 713 (110) Sky (UK only): 0129 (117) Virgin Media: 934 (120) |
| RDS | BBC GAEL |
| Programming | |
| Languages | |
| Format | News, music, sport, talk, entertainment |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | BBC |
| Operator | BBC Radio nan Gàidheal |
| BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Orkney | |
| History | |
First air date | 1 October 1985; 40 years ago (1985-10-01) |
Former names | BBC Radio Nan Eilean, BBC Air A'Ghaidhealtachd |
Former frequencies | 990 MW (until 23 November 2015) |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | Ofcom |
Transmitter coordinates | 58°58′31″N3°05′03″W / 58.9753°N 3.0842°W /58.9753; -3.0842 |
| Links | |
| Webcast | BBC Sounds |
| Website | BBC Radio nan Gàidheal |
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is aScottish Gaelic language radio station owned and operated byBBC Scotland, a division of theBBC. The station was launched in 1985 and broadcasts Gaelic-language programming with the simulcast ofBBC Radio Scotland. Its headquarters is located on Seaforth Road, Stornoway along with BBC Alba and MG Alba.
The station is available from FM transmitters throughoutScotland: its service licence states that "BBC Radio nan Gàidheal should be available every day for general reception across Scotland on FM";[1] 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 channelBBC Alba during periods when the channel is not carrying television programmes.[2]
Scottish Gaelic-language programming has been transmitted in Scotland since 1923, and the BBC's Gaelic-language department was established in 1935. Launching on 17 May 1976, BBC Radio Highland[3] produced a range of Gaelic programming –BBC Radio na Gaidhealtachd – and on 5 October 1979 the Scottish Gaelic serviceBBC Radio nan Eilean was established inStornoway. On 1 October 1985, these two separate services united to formRadio nan Gàidheal.[4] The main base for BBC Radio nan Gàidheal is on Seaforth Road in Stornoway, having moved in June 2014 from the Church Street studios.
Radio nan Gàidheal broadcasts for over 90 hours every week,[2] and joinsBBC Radio Scotland's medium-wave feed when they close transmission.[5] Since BBC Radio Scotland itself joinsBBC Radio 5 Live when it signs off, the same applies toRadio nan Gàidheal as well during parts of Gàidheal's sign-off time.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 theBBC Sounds app and on the BBC's website.[6]
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, entitledLetter to Gaelic Learners andThe Little Letter, the latter being a more basic version of the former.[7] Both letters are also available at learngaelic.net, with transcripts.[8]
The service budget for 2009 was £3.9m with a change of any more than 10% requiring approval of the BBC Trust.[9] The service budget in 2011 was almost the same as 2009 at £3.8m and requires the same controls as previous licences.[1] This funding comes from theBBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC which is operationally independent of management and external bodies.[10] As is the same with all BBC Radio and TV stations, the channel is funded by thelicence fees gathered.
The news (Scottish Gaelic:Naidheachdan) is broadcast in three-minute bulletins on the hour every hour between 8am and 4pm during the week and three times a day on the weekend.
Shows containing other local and national news include:
| UK stations | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International stations | |||||||
Defunct stations and services |
| ||||||
| Related topics | |||||||
| History | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dialects | |||||||||||||
| Grammar | |||||||||||||
| Writing | |||||||||||||
| Official support |
| ||||||||||||
| Topics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
