Neil Carter, BFBS Radio Middle East's presenter, checks out his detachment.

British Forces Broadcasting began during the latter part of World War II. Since that time the operation has turned into a complex outfit that broadcasts to over 23 countries.

How it works

There are two distinct services operating out of our headquarters at Chalfont Grove, Buckinghamshire. The first, BFBS Radio, is similar in style to UK comtemporary pop radio; playing new music throughout the day as well as taking regular news summaries.

The second, BFBS Radio 2, is a mix of more laid-back music, extended talk sequences as well as re-broadcasting the main news programmes and comedy from BBC Radio 4 and sport from BBC Radio Five Live.  BFBS Radio services worldwide are run from the UK by Charles Foster, Controller BFBS Radio.  Charles has spent 26 years in the British Forces Broadcasting Service.

Satellites broadcast programmes around the world. Both services are beamed out of Buckinghamshire by satellite dishes based on site. BFBS Radio 2 is a continuous stream simply re-broadcast wherever it is needed.

However, with BFBS Radio, it gets a little more complicated; the station has studios in all the main countries that British forces are based; each of these countries produces locally based live programmes at peak times supplemented by UK-based shows.

To add to the complication, the programmes made at our headquarters are automatically time-shifted so they appear to be broadcast at the same local time wherever you are in the world. So whether you are in Brunei or Canada you will get the UK Top 40 on Monday at 7pm local time - even though they are fifteen hours apart.

The service is often running a dozen radio stations simultaneously; the exact number depends on where British Forces are currently based. As well as the more permanent services covering the bases in Germany and the Falklands, services have been set up in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Kuwait.

The BFBS Forces Radio raison d'être

Our remit is to entertain forces away from home.  As Alan Phillips, Managing Editor UK, explains, "The whole ethos is about creating a ‘home from home" normality.  We're not serving ex-pats,” he says, “They've chosen to leave this country. The forces have been sent there.”

It is why BFBS sees itself very much as a community station and why presenters working on the local services are required to live with the audience they serve. They'll often be expected to put up with the same conditions - Alan himself tells of his experience of going to Afghanistan by spending 17 hours in the back of a Hercules.

The stations reach 130,000 service personnel and their families, many of which are based in Germany.

SSVC is contracted by the Ministry of Defence, to provide BFBS services. BFBS is not part of the Forces and is editorially independent.

BFBS is currently testing a new system that allows its satellite broadcasts to be picked up by warships. Two vessels have this receiving equipment - HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean.  To serve the other ships and submarines, each week BFBS supplies fifty hours of programming on CD.

Much of the BFBS output is simply to entertain troops in otherwise fairly bleak environments. There isn't a great deal to do in places like Afghanistan when you are not at work, and along with the other services that are provided by SSVC, BFBS provides relief from duty through music, comedy and chat.

News and current affairs

BFBS also has a role to play in informing the forces on what is going on in the world; as well as providing the standard mix of news, there is an emphasis on military and diplomatic stories.

A team of journalists produces regular updates during the daytime for both radio services, and when conflict does break out involving British forces there are round-the-clock bulletins from the UK HQ in. As well as using their own staff, BFBS has access to both BBC and commercial radio newsgathering facilities.

This not only helps British forces understand their role within a wider context, but can be vital for families back at the bases who want to know the latest on their loved ones. Indeed the service is so popular for families posted abroad, that they often complain on returning to the UK that they don't have access to the facility to keep them informed.

Expanding our role at home...