DR P4
P4 is the regional radio channel of Denmark's national public broadcasting corporation, DR. The 11 regional stations which make up P4 originate their own local programming and also carry jointly produced nationwide content. P4's programming is a mixture of popular music, traffic announcements, and national and regional news.
History
It was the expansion of FM radio, which necessitated the building of a denser network of transmitters to ensure good reception in all parts of the country, which also made regional radio technically possible. Plans for such a service had been in existence for years before the broadcasting committee of the Parliament of Denmark finally recommended they go ahead.
Regional radio began in April 1960 with the establishment of six stations: Bornholms Radio in Rønne, Midtjyllands Radio in Århus, Nordjyllands Radio in Aalborg, Radio Fyn in Odense, Sjællands Radio in Næstved, and Sønderjyllands Radio in Aabenraa. In 1962 Københavns Radio was added, broadcasting to the area around Copenhagen. In 1974 Radio Midt- og Vest was started in Holstebro, and Kanal 94 i Vejle began in 1980.
At the beginning each station broadcast only half an hour of its own programming, each Monday from 19.15. Two years later this was expanded to 45 minutes. From 1967 a 40-minute round-up from all the regions was also broadcast on Tuesdays.
The regions were restructured on 1 January 2007. DR Vejle/Kanal 94 was renamed P4 Trekanten and now covers a smaller area. Also in 2007 two of the biggest regions, Radio Syd and Regionalen, were divided into smaller regions.
Note
"P4" had earlier – in the days when DR had only three radio channels – been the name of a radio programme directed towards the younger audience and broadcast on Sunday evenings on P1.
DR P4 Regional stations
DR P4 Esbjerg
Formerly DR P4 Syd
DR P4 Sjælland
Formerly DR Regionalen
DR P4 Trekanten
Formerly DR Kanal 94