Times Radio

The launch of Times Radio was first announced on 28 January 2020.{{cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |title=Times to launch talk radio station to challenge BBC Radio 4 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jan/28/the-times-to-launch-talk-radio-station-to-challenge-bbc-radio-4-times-radio-rupert-murdoch |work=The Guardian |location= London |date=28 January 2020 |access-date=20 May 2020 |archive-date=11 April 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200411141233/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jan/28/the-times-to-launch-talk-radio-station-to-challenge-bbc-radio-4-times-radio-rupert-murdoch |url-status=live }} Unusually for a commercial radio station, it was conceived with the specific purpose of increasing take-up of the digital subscription package for The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers. The focus of the station was outlined in a webcast on 18 May 2020, where the tone was described as "measured, well-informed and non-adversarial".{{cite web |title=Times Radio introductory video |url= https://newscommercial.co.uk/news-live/events/times-radio-introduction |publisher=News LIVE |date=18 May 2020 |access-date=5 July 2020 |archive-date=5 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200705145241/https://newscommercial.co.uk/news-live/events/times-radio-introduction |url-status=live }} The station announced its full schedule on 2 June, and launched at 6 am on 29 June.{{cite news |last=Lerone |first=Toby |title=Launch date and schedule revealed for Times Radio |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/06/launch-date-and-schedule-revealed-for-times-radio/ |access-date=2 June 2020 |work=Radio Today |date=2 June 2020 |archive-date=3 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200703091807/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/06/launch-date-and-schedule-revealed-for-times-radio/ |url-status=live }}

On its first day on air, the station broadcast interviews with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Chancellors George Osborne and Alistair Darling, actress Rose McGowan and the author Margaret Atwood.

On 15 October 2020, the first TV advertisement for the station was launched in the UK; it featured presenters John Pienaar, Giles Coren, Aasmah Mir, Matt Chorley, Michael Portillo, Mariella Frostrup and Stig Abell.{{cite news |title=Television marketing starts for Times Radio |url= https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/10/television-marketing-campaign-starts-for-times-radio |work=Radio Today |date=15 October 2020 |access-date=17 October 2020 |archive-date=17 October 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201017080321/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/10/television-marketing-campaign-starts-for-times-radio/ |url-status=live }}

Gloria De Piero left the station in May 2021 to present a weekday afternoon show on GB News.{{Cite news |date=19 April 2021 |title=Former Labour MP Gloria De Piero quits Rupert Murdoch's Times Radio to join GB News |url= https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/former-labour-mp-gloria-de-piero-quits-rupert-murdoch-times-radio-join-gb-news-962661 |last=Sherwin |first=Adam |access-date=6 May 2021 |website=inews.co.uk |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210506150225/https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/former-labour-mp-gloria-de-piero-quits-rupert-murdoch-times-radio-join-gb-news-962661 |url-status=live}} Her Friday morning slot was replaced by Matt Chorley's programme, which became a Monday to Friday show.{{Cite news |date=6 May 2021 |title=Matt Chorley goes five days a week on Times Radio |url= https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/05/matt-chorley-goes-five-days-a-week-on-times-radio/ |access-date=6 May 2021 |website=RadioToday |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210506124449/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/05/matt-chorley-goes-five-days-a-week-on-times-radio/ |url-status=live}}

In May 2024 it was announced that Matt Chorley would be leaving Times Radio to take up a new job at BBC Radio 5 Live presenting a daily politics show.{{Cite news |last=Tobitt |first=Charlotte |date=31 May 2024 |title=Andrew Neil to start at Times Radio one month ahead of election |url= https://pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/media-jobs-uk-news/matt-chorley-leaves-the-times-for-bbc-5-live/ |access-date=13 June 2024 |website=Press Gazette |location= London }} Following the calling of the 2024 United Kingdom general election, it was announced that Andrew Neil's hiring would be brought forward in order to provide daily election coverage, analysis, commentary, interviews and debates. Neil's first Times Radio show was broadcast on 3 June.{{Cite news |last=Collins |first=Steve |date=31 May 2024 |title=Andrew Neil joins Times Radio earlier after General Election announced |url= https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/05/andrew-neil-joins-times-radio-earlier-after-general-election-announced/ |access-date=13 June 2024 |website= RadioToday}}

Times Radio consists mostly of live three-hour blocks fronted by a single presenter, except for the four-hour breakfast show with two presenters, and (on weekdays) a one-hour "early breakfast" at 5 am.{{cite web |url= https://www.radiotimes.com/radio-programme/e/mgct9z/calum-macdonald-with-early-breakfast--07072020 |title=Calum Macdonald with Early Breakfast |work=Radio Times |location= London |access-date=7 July 2020 |archive-date=11 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200711204051/https://www.radiotimes.com/radio-programme/e/mgct9z/calum-macdonald-with-early-breakfast--07072020/ |url-status=dead }} With the exception of early breakfast and Matt Chorley's programme, the presenting line-up on Fridays is entirely separate from the Monday–Thursday schedule, with the weekend schedule also being distinct in its programming. Overnight hours are filled with a combination of highlights from the day's output and The Times{{'}}s own podcasts. At weekends at 7 pm there are also original pre-recorded features.{{cite news |url= https://inews.co.uk/culture/radio/times-radio-launch-schedule-presenters-line-up-how-listen-app-dab-online-station-458269 |title=Times Radio launch: full schedule |last=Finnis |first=Alex |work=inews.co.uk |date=29 June 2020 |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=7 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200707102257/https://inews.co.uk/culture/radio/times-radio-launch-schedule-presenters-line-up-how-listen-app-dab-online-station-458269 |url-status=live }}

There are news bulletins on the hour and summaries on the half-hour. The half-hourly summary is followed by a sports bulletin provided by Times Radio's sister station Talksport. The format accommodates live coverage of major political statements or statements from the House of Commons when required.

The content of the station builds to a large extent on the content of The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers. Discussion is mainly studio-based, although there are occasional outside reports when resources allow. The station does not generally use pre-recorded "packages" as heard on the BBC and elsewhere. Nor does it carry phone-ins, though listeners are invited to submit comments via text message, email and social media.{{cite news |url= https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/times-radio-to-shun-public-phone-ins-and-adversarial-interview-style |title=Times Radio to shun public phone-ins and "adversarial" style interview |last=Tobitt |first=Charlotte |work=Press Gazette |location= London |date=18 May 2020 |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=23 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200723041233/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/times-radio-to-shun-public-phone-ins-and-adversarial-interview-style/ |url-status=live}}

The station was originally free of spot advertising, which was introduced in February 2022. Certain programmes are sponsored; the first programme to gain a sponsorship deal was Giles Coren's Friday lunchtime show, which was sponsored by Fortnum and Mason. The station also raises revenue by generating subscriptions to The Times and The Sunday Times online.{{cite news |url= https://www.economist.com/britain/2020/06/27/times-radio-tries-to-lure-listeners-to-the-paper |title=Times Radio tries to lure listeners to the paper |newspaper=The Economist |location= London |date=27 June 2020 |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=24 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200724221150/https://www.economist.com/britain/2020/06/27/times-radio-tries-to-lure-listeners-to-the-paper |url-status=live}} There are frequent announcements encouraging listeners to take out a subscription, especially after items directly related to a newspaper article.

Presenters are at times changed when a major news story breaks, as when the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was announced, which happened shortly before Giles Coren's programme was due to air and led to the show being cancelled in favour of a live programme covering the death, initially hosted by Cathy Newman and Stig Abell.{{Cite news |date=12 April 2021 |last=Coren |first=Giles |authorlink=Giles Coren |title=When a big story breaks you'll find me at home |url= https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/when-a-big-story-breaks-youll-find-me-at-home-r6qjxwr8q |access-date=15 April 2021 |work=The Times |location=London |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210414201218/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/when-a-big-story-breaks-youll-find-me-at-home-r6qjxwr8q |url-status=live }}

Times Radio is available in the UK on DAB digital radio and worldwide via a free app on iOS or Android or via an internet stream,{{cite web | url=https://www.radio-browser.info/history/d1b0b82d-aa27-49e5-a98e-716ceff7e2f7 | title=Radio-browser.info }} via the newspaper's own website, and on some smart speakers. Programmes are available for seven days after broadcast either via the app or via the website.{{Cite web |url= https://www.thetimes.com/radio/how-to-listen-to-times-radio/faqs |title=Times Radio FAQs |work=The Times and Sunday Times |access-date=5 July 2020 |archive-date=24 July 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200724100152/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/how-to-listen-to-times-radio/faqs |url-status=live}}

Times Radio primarily broadcasts from a dedicated studio complex within The News Building in Central London, which is the headquarters of its ultimate owner News UK. It broadcasts from the 14th floor.{{cite news |title=talkRADIO moves to new studio at News UK |url= https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/talkradio-moves-to-new-studio-at-news-uk/ |work=Radio Today |date=18 May 2020 |access-date=20 May 2020 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200804004337/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/talkradio-moves-to-new-studio-at-news-uk/ |url-status=live }}

{{Clear}}

The station gained some unexpected publicity on its launch day when some listeners on smart speakers were directed to a similarly named radio network in Malawi operated by The Daily Times.{{cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |title=Times Radio launches with Boris Johnson and Malawi mix-up |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/29/times-radio-launches-with-boris-johnson-and-malawi-mix-up |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 2020 |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802010208/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/29/times-radio-launches-with-boris-johnson-and-malawi-mix-up |url-status=live }} A phone call to the Malawian network was featured on the following morning's breakfast programme. On the station's launch day, Mark Lawson wrote in The Guardian that "on the early evidence, Times Radio most resembled a good-quality karaoke BBC Radio 5 Live."{{cite news |last=Lawson |first=Mark |title=Rupert's radio: can Murdoch's Times Radio compete with the BBC? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/29/ruperts-radio-can-murdoch-times-radio-compete-with-the-bbc |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 2020 |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-date=27 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727015021/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/29/ruperts-radio-can-murdoch-times-radio-compete-with-the-bbc |url-status=live }}

Writing in The Observer after the first week's broadcasting, Miranda Sawyer said: "Pre-launch, there was much speculation that Times Radio would be a rival to Radio 4. But aside from news shows, Radio 4 is structured around many non-live 'built' programmes: documentaries, drama, panel shows with audiences. For the moment, Times Radio doesn't have the resources to create these, and aside from a couple of pre-recorded phone interviews, everything on air is going out live. It's less Radio 4, more a light version of Radio 5 Live. 5 Lite."{{cite news|title=The week in audio: Times Radio; Newsbeat: 100 Days of Lockdown – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jul/04/times-radio-launch-first-week-review-newsbeat-100-days-of-lockdown|work=The Guardian|last=Sawyer|first=Miranda|date=4 July 2020|access-date=5 July 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727015139/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jul/04/times-radio-launch-first-week-review-newsbeat-100-days-of-lockdown|url-status=live}}

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• Stig Abell
• Kait Borsay
• Adam Boulton
• Alexis Conran
• Jane Garvey
• Fi Glover
• Ayesha Hazarika
• Rod Liddle
• Kate McCann
• Aasmah Mir
• Darryl Morris
• Andrew Neil
• Cathy Newman
• John Pienaar
• Hugo Rifkind
• Chloe Tilley
• Carole Walker
• Rosie Wright

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• Matt Chorley
• Giles Coren
• Ruth Davidson
• Gloria De Piero
• Mariella Frostrup
• Jenny Kleeman
• Tom Newton Dunn
• Michael Portillo
• Rachel Sylvester
• Alice Thomson
• Phil Williams

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• {{official website}}

{{News UK}}

{{News Broadcasting}}

{{Media in the United Kingdom|radio}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2020}}

Category:News and talk radio stations in the United Kingdom

Category:Radio stations established in 2020

Category:2020 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Radio stations in England

Category:Digital-only radio stations

Category:News Broadcasting