UK

KL XTRA in West Norfolk has relaunched its Christmas music service on DAB.

From today, the station will be spreading holiday cheer around the clock with 24/7 Christmas music, festive fun, and a lineup of magical hosts to keep listeners entertained throughout December.
This year’s festive programming is led by an cast of AI-powered characters brought to life with Voitrai AI and PlayItLive technology.
They include having Father Christmas at Breakfast, Carol Singers on the Morning Show, Alfie the Naughty Elf at Lunchtime, Pat the Present Packer in the Afternoon, Ali Jingles in the Evening, and Andy Overnight on Overnight Duty.
Now in its second year of going all-out festive, KL XTRA’s Christmas format is the brainchild of KL1 Radio Programme Director, Richard Dix, who says: “We want to make the season brighter for everyone in West Norfolk. Whether you’re at home, in the office, or shopping locally, KL XTRA is here to provide the perfect holiday soundtrack.
“It’s all about spreading joy and getting everyone into the festive spirit!”
See more at kl1radio.co.uk.

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Original 106 is running a competition with a prize to cover the costs of listener’s December electricity bill.

The winners will be the two houses with the most dazzling Christmas light display according to Original 106 and its listeners.
To enter, listeners simply need to snap a photo or capture a video of their outdoor Christmas light displays and tell the station why their festive creation deserves to win.
“Christmas is all about spreading cheer, and this competition is a wonderful way to showcase the creative spirit of the city and shire” said Craig Lumsden, Programme Controller at Original 106.
“We can’t wait to see the amazing light displays that bring the north-east to life during the festive season.”

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Former Wave 105 presenter Stuart McGinley is taking over Drive on Easy Radio from Monday.
He joins the full-time line-up, weekdays 3pm till 7pm, after hosting weekend shows recently.
The rest of the schedule is also made up of former Wave 105 jock, with Kate Weston on Breakfast, Andy Jackson on daytime, Tim Allen on evenings and Matt Rogan on Lates.
With weekends being filled by Stuart and Andy, Easy Radio now has local programming across the day seven days a week.
Neil Greenslade, Programme Director at Nation’s Easy Radio said: “With our official audience growing fast and our streaming numbers hitting new highs, we have chosen to dramatically increase our local programming at Easy Radio.
“Listeners can now find their All Time Favourite songs, alongside friendly local presenters, seven days a week. I can’t wait to see Easy’s further growth into 2025 and beyond.”
Easy Radio has just added DAB coverage in Dorset to its existing Hampshire, West Sussex and Isle of Wight footprint, and has more than doubled its audience over the past 12 months according to RAJAR.

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Mishal Husain is departing the BBC in the new year to become Editor-at-Large on Bloomberg Weekend Edition.
She has been a presenter on the Today programme for the last eleven years and hosts The Today Debate, as well as the recent BBC UK general election debates.
In her new job, Mishal will host a brand new flagship multi-platform global interview series, to be launched with audio, video and in digital, as a central feature of Bloomberg’s recently launched weekend offering.
Mishal will also work on other editorial projects for the global news brand.
Before joining Today in 2013, Mishal was an anchor on BBC World News and has also been a familiar face to UK audiences on the main national news programmes.
She was previously based in Washington and Singapore as an anchor for the BBC.
Mishal joins Bloomberg in early 2025 and will be working exclusively for the news brand, based in Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London and reporting into Katherine Bell, Executive Editor of Bloomberg Weekend Edition.
Quotes
Mishal Husain says: “My time at the BBC has involved many memorable moments, going to places I would never otherwise have seen, witnessing history and being part of live, national conversation on Radio 4.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunities the BBC gave me, and wish the organisation and everyone who is part of it the very best.”
Editor of Today, Owenna Griffiths, says: “Mishal is not only a formidable journalist and first-rate presenter, she is an extremely generous and thoughtful colleague. It has been my great privilege to work alongside her and, along with the Today team, I’ll miss her enormously but wish her all the very best in her new venture.”
CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness says: “Mishal leaves the BBC with an incredible journalistic legacy. After more than a decade on the Today programme she is going with our gratitude and affection and we wish her the best of luck in her new chapter. I very much hope the BBC and Mishal will get the chance to work together again one day.”
Director of Speech and Controller of BBC Radio 4 Mohit Bakaya says: “Mishal’s calm, yet forensic, interviewing style has been one of the standout features of her time on the Today programme. She is a brilliant journalist with a broad intellectual hinterland. Radio 4 listeners have been waking up to her warm and trusted voice for more than a decade and we respect her decision to set the alarm clock to a different hour. She’ll be greatly missed, but we wish her all the best with what comes next.”
David Merritt, Head of Media Editorial, Bloomberg said: ‘Mishal is one of the UK’s preeminent news broadcasters and journalists and she is recognised globally for her incisive but fair interview style. Mishal started her career in television at Bloomberg, and we are delighted to welcome her back for an exciting new global chapter’.

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York Hospital Radio can now be heard on DAB across the York area.
It’s the first time since the station launched in 1964 that it will be heard outside of the hospital enviroment.
Chair of York Hospital Radio, Ian Clennan, explained: “In our 60th anniversary year, it is very exciting that we can now be heard across the city on DAB.
“This of course means that more people than ever can now hear our shows, and we can offer much better coverage for our listeners. We are now available on most car radios, for example, and of course on DAB at home, or in care facilities across York.
“We work hard to provide a service for hospitals, and to aid health and wellbeing, and being on DAB is a big step forward.”
Dave Parker, Operations Director with YO1 Radio, who are majority owners of the transmission network, said: “We are delighted to welcome York Hospital Radio to our York Digital Radio Multiplex.
“They provide a fantastic, dedicated service to patients at our local hospital, and it seems very appropriate in their 60th year to be able to enhance their service and provide patients with an additional way of listening. We wish them all the best and look forward to continuing to support York Hospital Radio going forward.”

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BBC Radio 2 has lined up Mariah Carey to host a special radio show on Christmas Day.

The singer makes her radio presenting debut, hosting an hour-long festive show to mark the 30th anniversary of the most-streamed Christmas song of all-time, Mariah’s All I Want For Christmas Is You.
The programme will air from 7pm till 8pm and features Mariah’s personally curated playlist and includes Christmas classics old and new from the artists who have inspired her, including Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Nat King Cole, Whitney Houston, The Jackson Five and Destiny’s Child.
The station says: “This is an hour of the most soulful festive music, perfect for getting you into the spirit of the season and brought to you by the Queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey.”
Mariah also takes the opportunity to thank her fans for continuing to make new memories to her Christmas smash-hit.
She tells listeners: “I can’t wait to spend Christmas with you on BBC Radio 2.
“I hope you are feeling warm and cosy and having your own Holly Jolly Christmas. I would like to thank all of my fans in the UK and around the world for continuing to make special memories with All I Want For Christmas Is You, it really means the world to me.”

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