Yorkshire Radio Network - Launch

Ah, networking. So commonplace now, but it was quite a feat in the analogue eighties. Not just a few extra hard drives, but mountains of ‘cart’ machines to be loaded manually for each transmitter. For younger readers, imagine every single bit of split audio is in a different plastic box. Every ad. Every jingle Every sound effect. Every bit of V/O music. That’s a lot of boxes to get out, put in the right place; and then put away again.

So, frankly, it’s not surprising that, in 1987, the wise folk in Sheffield decided on a simpler option when they entertained a ménage a trois comprising Hallam in Sheffield, Pennine in Bradford and Viking in Hull. They gave the single evening and overnight sustaining programme stream a single identity: the Yorkshire Radio Network; albeit they did start to name, and sing, the three constituent parts.

The programmes came from Viking in Hull. Even though this project was simpler than it might have been had the station identities been kept apart, it’s fitting that the engineers were first to be mentioned here in the launch sequence,

Hear here too, the unmistakable tones of Keith Skues on the weather credit. I never did quite work out what ‘in association with’ really meant- but it was useful IBA regulatory fudge allowing us to sponsor, or rather 'co-fund', programmes.

By the way, can you please allow carts to re-cue. DON’T take them out before they do so. Anyone who’s been in radio more than fifteen years will recall that memo.