BBC WM is the BBC Local Radio service for the West Midlands and South Staffordshire, and Warwickshire operated by BBC Birmingham. Launched on November 7, 1970 as BBC Birmingham, it currently broadcasts from central Birmingham on 95.6 FM, DAB and on the internet.

In the 1990s the station took over BBC CWR (broadcasting to Coventry and Warwickshire). More recently the Coventry and Warwickshire frequencies have broadcast separate news bulletins for the Coventry and Warwickshire area and also a breakfast programme and afternoon programme and Coventry and Warwickshire will soon (by mid 2005) have its own full time BBC radio Station again.

Until 2004, BBC WM broadcast from the Pebble Mill studios, also in Birmingham.

On 4 July, 2004, the station moved to the new the offices of BBC Birmingham, located in The Mailbox. Over the second half of 2004, all the departments based at Pebble Mill moved to the Mailbox. BBC WM was one of the first to move, with local television news and BBC Radio 4 drama The Archers among the last.

The first presenter to officially broadcast from the new studios was BBC WM stalwart Ed Doolan. Other broadcasters include Les Ross and Tony Butler.

The new local radio facilities include two broadcast studios; a talk studio; an operations and production area; and a studio shared with the BBC Asian Network.

The BBC already streams its national radio services on the internet and is committed to extending this to its English local radio services. On 22 October, 2004, it began streaming BBC WM.

External links

• BBC WM for Birmingham and the Black Country
• BBC WM for Coventry and Warwickshire
• Station history
• Media UK - BBC WM