News UK announces plans for the launch of Times Radio, a new digital radio station in partnership between The Times, The Sunday Times and Wireless, the award-winning audio business acquired by News UK in 2016. Times Radio will bring together the peerless journalistic expertise of  The Times and The Sunday Times with the speech radio and podcasting experience of Wireless, the company behind  Virgin Radio UK. Times Radio will  be launched  later this year and broadcast on DAB, online and via app and smart speakers. The station will be ad break free, with commercial opportunities for sponsors across the schedule. 

News UK Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks said: “We acquired Wireless in 2016 with a clear ambition to bring their audio expertise to our news brands. The Times and The Sunday Times deliver world-class journalism to a substantial and highly engaged audience and Times Radio will create a new speech radio outlet to reach an even broader audience who want quality reporting and trusted, expert commentary in real time.”

Times Radio will provide a daily schedule of news, analysis and commentary with a line up of high profile presenters, as well as contributions from the rich pool of expert commentators from The Times and The Sunday Times.

Editor of The Times, John Witherow, said: “Times Radio will provide provocative, well-informed, entertaining and useful discussion covering the key stories of the day, and informing the national conversation. Times Radio, infused with our world-class journalism, will be the perfect complement to our print and online offer.”

Tim Levell is named as Programme Director for Times Radio. Latterly Editor of the award-winning Emma Barnett Show at Radio 5 Live, Tim has 25 years’ experience in radio and TV, including programming BBC Radio 5 Live’s evening and overnight schedule, editing both Newsround and Blue Peter, and producing at Sky News. He began his career as a broadcast journalist for BBC North and BBC Breakfast News. 

As Programme Director, Tim will work with Times Radio Launch Director, Stig Abell, and a team from across The Times, The Sunday Times and Wireless, including Wireless Director of Strategy Jimmy Buckland and Wireless National Speech Radio Controller Liam Fisher  to create the schedule, manage the presenters and production staff and format the station.  Wireless Studios has been working closely to support The Times’ growing roster of successful podcasts as part of its wider audio strategy.