Radio 210 (Reading) 1976 Test

Episode 1005,   Mar 14, 2015, 12:50 PM

In the early years of commercial radio, the regulator, not the stations dirtied its hands with the business of transmission. The stations were merely programme contractors, delivering the broadcasts in immaculate quality to an expensive transmitter, owned and operated by the IBA. Consequently, the test transmissions were made 'on behalf of the IBA', and strict instructions were given on what could, and could not, be said until the station went live officially. Often they alluded to a Hampshire IBA address; a fitting start for 'local' radio. Here, hear the test transmissions from Radio 210 (Thames Valley Broadcasting), later 2-Ten FM and now Heart.