BBC Introducing in Oxfordshire
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BBC Introducing in Oxfordshire and Berkshire is a local music show in Oxfordshire, and part of the main BBC Introducing brand. The show is broadcast between 20:00 and 22:00 on Thursday nights on BBC Oxford and is presented by Dave Gilyeat and Alex West.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8133000/8133515.stm|title=What is BBC Oxford Introducing?|date=4 July 2009|accessdate=9 January 2021|website=News.bbc.co.uk}}
History
BBC Oxford Introducing began as an internet only radio show, available weekly on the BBC Oxford website and presented by Tim Bearder and Dave Gilyeat.
The programme then launched on BBC Radio Oxford in March 2005 as 'The Download'. It was transmitted on Friday nights for ten weeks, before moving to Saturdays. In May 2011 it moved temporarily to Sundays.{{Cite web |url=http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2011/05/29/musicinoxford-co-uk-interviews-bbc-introducing-in-oxford |title=Musicinoxford.co.uk interview |access-date=26 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825041932/http://www.musicinoxford.co.uk/2011/05/29/musicinoxford-co-uk-interviews-bbc-introducing-in-oxford/ |archive-date=25 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}
With the launch of the new BBC Introducing brand in 2007 The Download was renamed BBC Oxford Introducing. In February 2009, a new tool was launched on the BBC Introducing website to allow users to upload their music directly to the presenters.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/uploader/ |title=BBC - Introducing - Upload Your Music |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-date=24 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024155129/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/uploader/ |url-status=dead }} In September 2009 BBC Oxford Introducing launched its own BBC podcast.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/bbcoi |title=BBC - Podcasts and Downloads - BBC Introducing in Oxford |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=17 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417183831/http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/bbcoi |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/12_december/21/oxford.shtml|title=BBC - Press Office - BBC Oxford Introducing launches weekly podcast|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
From 2010 the show has curated its own stage at Truck Festival.
In 2023 the Oxfordshire and Berkshire shows were merged because of BBC cuts. It moved to a two-hour slot on Thursdays, with a Saturday repeat.
Format
The show plays one hour of local music every week. This includes a live session from a local act, a tip from BBC Radio 1, and a recommendation from Ronan Munro, editor of music magazine Nightshift. It used to feature a weekly cameo from Bill Heine.
In September 2010, original co-host Tim Bearder departed the show to concentrate on his work for BBC News Online. He later moved into politics.{{Cite web |url=http://oxfordmusicblog.co.uk/?s=tim+bearder |title=Oxford Music Blog | Search Results | tim bearder |access-date=12 September 2010 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716111908/http://oxfordmusicblog.co.uk/?s=tim+bearder |url-status=dead }}
Notable successes
BBC Oxford Introducing regularly gives local acts their first radio play. It showcased Foals at an early live gig{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2006/08/22/download_sep06.shtml|title=The next Download Live|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}} and secured a slot at Radio 1's Big Weekend for Stornoway.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/artists/stornoway/|title=Introducing...Stornoway|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}} This led to the band's appearance on Later... with Jools Holland.
Lewis Watson received his first radio interview in February 2012.
The team provided Glastonbury festival sets for Glass Animals{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/errnc8/acts/a22q2m|title=Glastonbury 2014 - Glass Animals|website=BBC Music Events|accessdate=9 January 2021}} and A Silent Film,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/glastonbury/2008/artists/jonquil/|title=Babe, So Now Why No by Jonquil|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}} and Reading and Leeds Festivals appearances for Mr Fogg.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/festivals/readingandleeds/2010/artists/mrfogg/|title=BBC - Reading + Leeds Festival - Mr Fogg|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
Little Fish were awarded a headline slot on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/festivals/readingandleeds/2010/artists/littlefish/|title=BBC - Reading + Leeds Festival - Little Fish|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}} and a Maida Vale session.
January 2011 saw Fixers featured on the BBC Radio 1 playlist.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio/2011/01/how_to_get_your_unsigned_band_on_the_radio1_daytime_playlist.html |title=BBC - the BBC Radio Blog: How to get your unsigned band on the Radio 1 daytime playlist |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=17 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117021028/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio/2011/01/how_to_get_your_unsigned_band_on_the_radio1_daytime_playlist.html |url-status=dead }} The band, whose first radio play was on the show in August 2009,{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/dd86a33c-64b3-4160-809c-2295c0d44532#p00f2zhq |title=Fixers - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-date=17 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317211351/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/dd86a33c-64b3-4160-809c-2295c0d44532#p00f2zhq |url-status=dead }} were also awarded slots on the T in the Park and Reading and Leeds Festivals stages.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/festivals/readingandleeds/2011/stage|title=Reading and Leeds line up 2011|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/06_june/24/introducing.shtml|title=BBC - Press Office - BBC Introducing announces T in the Park line-up|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
Acts of the Year
Each year the show singles out a musician or band for the Act of the Year award. Previous recipients have included Stornoway (2009), Glass Animals (2014), Willie J Healey (2015), Rhys Lewis (2019), S1mba (2020), and Artemas (2024).
Controversy
Presenter Tim Bearder was so taken with Stornoway that he played an hour of their songs on his Breakfast show. BBC bosses suspended him for two days for doing so.{{cite web|url=http://nightshift.oxfordmusic.net/2008/sep.pdf|title=Nightshift : Oxford's Music Magazine : Stornoway|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724000757/http://nightshift.oxfordmusic.net/2008/sep.pdf|accessdate=9 January 2021|archive-date=24 July 2011}}[http://nightshift.oxfordmusic.net/2010/mar.pdf]{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Official releases
BBC Oxford Introducing has released four charity CD compilations in aid of Children In Need.
The first, The Download Sessions,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2006/04/13/download_sessions.shtml|title=The Download Sessions|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}} featured acoustic performances by local bands.
This was followed by A Quantum of Covers, which featured local artists covering James Bond songs.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/oxford/content/articles/2008/10/16/a_quantum_of_covers.shtml|title=A Quantum of Covers|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/085e23be-71ab-40b9-80b9-30a845d575ca|title=Release "A Quantum of Covers" by Various Artists - MusicBrainz|website=Musicbrainz.org|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
The programme celebrated its five-year anniversary in March 2010 with Round the Bends, a recreation of Radiohead's The Bends as performed by Oxfordshire artists.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8518000/8518020.stm|title=Introducing recreates The Bends|date=16 February 2010|accessdate=9 January 2021|website=News.bbc.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/03_march/04/oxford.shtml|title=BBC - Press Office - BBC Oxford Introducing recreates Radiohead's The Bends|publisher=BBC|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
To mark the BBC's Beatles Day (the 50th anniversary of the release of Love Me Do) the programme released a 5-song EP called Cover Me Do.{{Cite web|url=https://allycraig.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/cover-me-do/|title=Cover Me Do|date=27 February 2013|website=Allycraig.wordpress.com|accessdate=9 January 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/people_and_places/music/default.stm The official BBC Oxford Introducing website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921104652/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/people_and_places/music/default.stm |date=21 September 2009 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090902043329/http://nightshift.oxfordmusic.net/ Nightshift Music Magazine]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/uploader/ BBC Introducing Uploader]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/introducing The official BBC Introducing website]
- [http://www.myspace.com/bbcintroducing BBC Introducing on MySpace]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/introducing BBC Introducing on Radio1]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/6musicintroducing BBC Introducing on BBC 6 Music]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing/shows/ List of BBC Introducing local shows]
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