BRMB
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96.4 BRMB is a pop/rock radio station based in Birmingham, UK. It recently changed its name to The New 96.4 BRMB, although it has now reverted back to its original title. The station is owned by GCap Media (formerly the Capital Radio Group).
BRMB plays a wide range of music, including chart music and occasionally dance. BRMB also promotes the Party in the Park concerts each year in Birmingham. These concerts attract a number of internationally-renowned artists, including, in 2004, Sugababes and Lionel Richie. This concert attracted crowds of approximately 30,000 fans.
History
Launched on 19th February 1974, on mediumwave 261 metres, and 94.8 MHz BRMB (Birmingham Broadcasting) was the fourth independent commercial radio station to broadcast in Britain after Capital Radio, LBC and Radio Clyde. Playing a wide variety of music coupled with local news and information, the station became an instant hit with Birmingham listeners.Presenters such as Ed Doolan, Les Ross, and Tony Butler became household favourites in the 1970's; all now work for BBC WM, the local BBC speech station. Les Ross was the UK's longest-serving breakfast presenter when he hung up his headphones in 2002.
BRMB was originally based in Aston Road North, in the Aston district of Birmingham, near the Spaghetti Junction. The current headquarters are based in the Brindleyplace development, off Broad Street in the heart of Birmingham's nightlife.
Notable events in BRMB's history have included: BRMB's Aston Road studios being almost taken over by Irish activists and the station being fined £100,000 for injuring contestants in a gameshow which involved sitting on a block of dry ice. The station also attracted much controversy in 1999 with its Two Strangers and a Wedding competition, in which they endeavoured to find two complete strangers who were prepared to get legitimately married in order to win a prize. The wedding took place, despite much criticism of the stunt, although the couple split up soon afterwards. It was later reported that the bride had gone on to have a relationship with the DJ on whose show the competition took place. Despite (or perhaps because of) all the controversy surrounding the stunt, a second Two Strangers and a Wedding took place in 2006, but did not come anywhere near to repeating the success of the original version.
BRMB originally launched the annual Party in the Park pop concert in 1995 to raise funds for local charities. Such was its success, however, it became an annual event, attracting an impressive list of pop acts, such as the Spice Girls, Jamiroquai, and Daniel Bedingfield.
BRMB's popularity has dwindled in recent years outside of Birmingham, with increasingly popular West Midlands rival station 100.7 Heart FM having pushed BRMB into second place in the wider West Midlands region. However, BRMB still remains the number one station in Birmingham, which is it's now the stations main focus area (as reflected in it's tagline 'Birmingham's BRMB')
BRMB is now available on DAB Digital Radio in the Birmingham area, live on the Internet, and on 96.4 FM Stereo.
DJs on BRMB
- Elliott Webb
- Caroline Martin
- Phil Upton
- Tammy Gooding
- Tom Binns
- Russ Morris
- Claire Birch
- James Blond
- Simon Clarke
- Tony Shepherd
- J (better known as Office Junior Julian)
- Justin Wilkes
- Sam Mann
- Tom Ross
Official Logos
External links
- [www.MDS975's BRMB History & Programme Schedules & Audio Clips pages.]
- [www.mds975.co.uk - More radio interest & radio hobby pages.]
- [Langley Mill AM transmitter masts on MB21.]
- [Lichfield transmitter mast on MB21.]
- [Sutton Coldfield transmitter mast on MB21.]
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