13 January – The BBC admits that it gave undue prominence to the band U2 in February 2009 after it repeatedly broadcast a “U2 = BBC” graphic and allowed presenters to claim the corporation was “part of launching” the group's latest album.[7]
15 January – N-Dubz singer Dappy and the BBC are forced to apologise after the rapper sent abusive text messages, which included death threats, to a woman who complained about him during an appearance on Radio 1's Chris Moyles Show on 12 January.[8]
17 January – Lynn Parsons returns to Radio 2 as a regular presenter with an early Sunday morning breakfast show. The show airs until April when the Radio 2 schedule is overhauled.
17 February – It is announced that the newspaper review show What the Papers Say, which was on television for many years, will be revived on BBC Radio 4, airing for 12 episodes in the run up to the 2010 general election and then returning on a permanent basis if it proves to be popular.[10]
18 February – Talksport obtains more Premier League football in the latest radio bidding wars. Whilst relinquishing their 15:00 package to football newcomers Absolute Radio, they win two packages from BBC Radio 5 Live and will take over the national radio rights to broadcast the late kick-off every Saturday evening from the Premier League (usually kicking off at 17:30), and the early Sunday games (before 15:00). This agreement covers the 2010–11 to 2012–13 Premier League seasons[11]
27 February – The six stations in the Smooth Radio network stage a "Starlight Supper", en event aimed at raising money for a number of charities: Breast Cancer Care in London, Macmillan Cancer Support in the Northwest, North East and West Midlands, the Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People in the East Midlands and Marie Curie's Big Build in Glasgow.[12][13]
10 March – The Official Chart Update is launched to give a midweek insight into the Official Singles Chart is shaping up.[15] and is broadcast as a 30 minute mid-afternoon programme on Wednesdays.
11 March – BBC Radio 2 confirms plans to overhaul its schedule from April. This will include moving two of its longest-running shows, Big Band Special and The Organist Entertains to different timeslots, and switching its comedy hour from Thursday to Saturday evenings – the second time it has done this in 12 months.[16]
24 March – The five radio stations owned by YMC Ltd (3TR FM, Bath FM, Brunel FM, Quay West 102.4/100.8 and Quay West 107.4) are closed by administrators after multiple refusals on the part of regulator Ofcom to transfer the licenses, following a number of financial issues at the stations after TLRC's sale.[17]
4 April – The timeslot for Bob Harris's Saturday evening/Sunday morning show on Radio 2 is moved forward an hour, meaning it airs from 12am until 3am instead of 11pm – 2am.
5 April – Huddersfield station Pennine FM closes down at 6pm, having been on air in various guises since 1998 and the licence is handed back to Ofcom.[18]
15 April – Under new guidelines from Ofcom, from May commercial radio rivals will be allowed to co-locate to cut costs, and to slash local programming. The guidelines are a result of the recently passed Digital Economy Act.[19]
19 April – Amanda Bowman becomes presenter of a late night show syndicated across BBC Local Radio in the Midlands.[20]
It is reported that Smooth and Real Radio have become the official broadcasters of the switch-on ceremony for the Blackpool Illuminations, after securing the broadcast rights from BBC Radio 2 which had aired it since 1997.[21]
21 June – Global Radio announces plans to reduce the number of its local Heart stations from 33 to 15 so-called "super stations" in a reorganisation that will lead to the loss of up to 200 full-time and freelance posts. The stations will have their own breakfast and drivetime shows, and local news bulletins, but all other output will come from London. A further two stations owned by Global will also be subsumed into the Heart network.[27]
29 June – Smooth Radio announces plans to merge its five stations based in England, creating a national network. The new station will be based in Manchester and will see the loss of 60 jobs at Smooth's other bases. A phased launch will begin on 4 October.[29]
5 July – The BBC Trust rejects BBC plans to close the digital station 6 Music saying there is not a strong enough case for closure. However, plans to axe the Asian Network, reduce the BBC online services by 25% and close the teenage service Blast! are given the go-ahead.[30]
30 July – At midday, Quay Radio stops broadcasting after owners Portsmouth F.C. went into administration. The station is sold to Celador Radio Broadcasting, who replaces Quay Radio with Breeze 107.
15 August – Frank Wappat presents his last show for BBC Radio Newcastle after 40 years at the station[32] A programme celebrating Frank's career is broadcast the following Sunday.[33]
17 August – It is announced that Simon Bates will leave Classic FM after 13 years to join Smooth Radio as its new national breakfast presenter from January 2011.[34]
BBC Radio 2 announces that Dawn Patrol presenter Sarah Kennedy is leaving the network after 17 years. By this time she has been absent from the show for several weeks, and will not return to the programme before the schedules are reorganised in October. Lynn Parsons acts as the show's stand-in presenter for its remaining time on air.[36]
13 September – Global announce plans to scrap the Galaxy Network in order to create a nationwide Capital FM. The plans will also include the closure of four further stations, with the new network going live in early 2011.[37]
5 November – Members of the National Union of Journalists at the BBC begin a 48-hour strike in a dispute over proposed changes to the corporation's pension scheme. Programmes affected include the Today programme on Radio 4.[39]
6 December – While presenting the Radio 4Today programme, James Naughtie makes a slip of the tongue while referring to the British Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt that turns his surname into what the BBC later describes as "an offensive four-letter word". A little later in the day Andrew Marr uses the same word on Start the Week while talking about the incident and after declaring "we won't repeat the mistake".[42]
11 December – It is reported that David "Kid" Jensen is leaving his mid morning show at Gold to join Smooth Radio as an afternoon presenter. He will make his debut on the network in 2011.[43]
^Robinson, James (3 September 2010). "Sarah Kennedy to leave BBC Radio 2". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 5 September 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
