Sport 3 + News 2 + Phone-ins 1 = 5 Live (Radio 5)

Member Name: JJJJ

Product:	Radio 5
Date:	13/07/09 (124 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Sports Coverage

Disadvantages: News get repetitive when listening for a long time

As a sports fan, 'BBC Radio 5 Live' is without doubt my favourite radio station. The channel usually broadcasts a comprehensive range of live events from football to athletics, rugby to golf, and is usually my first source for breaking sports news. As I don't have Sky Sports, and Setanta (which I did have) has now gone bust, I now find myself frequently listening to the radio in order to enjoy live sports coverage.

Located at 909 and 693 Medium Wave, 5 Live isn't just about sports, as there are a wide range of topical shows and phone-in's to enjoy. Special praise must be given to the Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo film phone-in which is always entertaining to listen to.

Not only do I listen to the station during the day, but I also enjoy the 'Up all Night' show with Dotun Adebayo in the small hours. Actually, it has become a bit of a ritual that I will fall asleep with Radio 5 turned on (very quietly), either on the digital radio next to the bed, or on my small wind up radio by my pillow!

My favourite show on the station is the 'Science with Dr Karl' phone-in, which takes place at 3.05am on a Thursday night. Dr Karl (an Australian genius who is not to be confused with 'Dr Karl Kennedy' from Neighbours) answers questions on basically anything. I remember someone phoning in once and asking how many grains of sand there are on the planet - and within a few moments, Dr Karl had come up with an equation to provide a rough estimate! - legend!

If there is a downside to the station, it probably comes in the form of the frequent news bulletins. Whilst I appreciate the need for regular news, it can become quite repetitive when the same headlines are repeated every hour - although I can't really see a way around this.

I would highly recommend Radio 5 Live as an excellent station which delivers a high standard of sports broadcasting, combined with a decent range of topical shows - perfect for a long car journey when you've had enough of listening to music.

The full schedule can be viewed at www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive

Summary: Excellent Radio Station