S1 Ep576: Severn Sound - Launch
Severn Sound launched from Gloucester on 23 October 1980, based in what had been a pub. Many of the early commercial stations had homes with history; often hugely impractical but immensely characterful. The station too was typical of its age, with an active newsroom and commitment to local music and local talk. And, as you can hear here, it quite rightly enjoyed its compulsory Alfasound jingles...
3m Oct 22, 2012
3m
S1 Ep575: KDKA, launch of first commercial station in US - 1920
In the United States, as in the UK, it was left to the manufacturers to make the early strides in broadcasting. Like the companies which came together to form the British Broadcasting Company in the UK, Westinghouse in the US knew there had to be content on-air if any radio sets were to be sold. Luckily, Westinghouse became aware of good old Dr. Frank Conrad in Pittsburgh. You know the sort of ...
1m Oct 21, 2012
1m
S1 Ep574: Ray Moore - News 1970 on Radio 1
2m Oct 21, 2012
2m
S1 Ep573: My Dad - 90 years of radio
As the BBC celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2012, it struck me that my Dad was around a year before it began. Over a cup of tea, I asked him about his memories of the first Century of radio. The sets - and the programmes.
8m Oct 20, 2012
8m
S1 Ep572: Wilfred Pickles - December 1941
Wilfred Pickles was a Yorkshireman; and proud of it. On the BBC North Regional Programme, then on the Home Service, he was said to be the first newsreader not to speak with Received Pronunciation. It is easy to see how his slightly warmer approach comforted in the dark days of War; and, it was said, was 'a deliberate attempt to make it more difficult for Nazis to impersonate BBC broadcasters'. ...
1m Oct 17, 2012
1m
S1 Ep571: Hurricane of 87 - LBC Douglas Cameron
For a broadcaster, crisis is memorable. Isolated in one’s studio, in touch with - and insulated from – reality. One commentates on what seems like a parallel world. In 1987, just hours after Michael Fish, and TV colleagues remembered less well, suggested no hurricane was imminent, it crashed into our Nation. We awoke to atrocious conditions. Radio stations rallied round, disseminating vital in...
2m Oct 14, 2012
2m
S1 Ep570: Jeff Wayne - LBC Theme
1m Oct 14, 2012
1m
S1 Ep569: Dick Barton
Your older relations will smile wistfully at this signature tune; and will recall every character in the serial it signalled. 'Dick Barton - Special Agent' was aired weekday evenings, with a weekend omnibus, from 1946 until 1951 on the BBC Light Programme. Dick, and his two best mates, Jock Anderson and Snowey White, captured the imagination of a generation. Its theme tune, Devil's Gallop by ...
14m Oct 06, 2012
14m
S1 Ep568: Nicky Campbell - 25 years since Radio 1
3m Oct 03, 2012
3m
S1 Ep567: Real Radio South Wales Launch - 2000
As GMG muscled into radio, headed by the irrepressible John Myers, its first licence win was in South Wales. Real Radio - a new version of the old Century format - arrived on 3rd October 2000. 
3m Oct 03, 2012
3m
S1 Ep566: FOOC - Anthony Lawrence
From Our Own Correspondent is simply a perfect use of radio. Listen with your eyes closed and you hop around the world, sharing a little quality time with engaging communicators who let you know what they’ve seen and felt in utterly engaging dispatches. In this programme, broadcast originally from 1955 on the BBC Home Service, the BBC’s correspondents open their hearts and tell you the sort of...
1m Sep 24, 2012
1m
S1 Ep565: Nick Grimshaw - Radio 1 Breakfast launch
Breakfast shows ebb and flow in their styles and successes. Just like choosing a partner, some work out and some don’t. After Moyles enjoyed the longest ever reign on the Radio 1 breakfast show, it was always to be a tough act to follow. Time will tell. In the light of pressure on Radio 1 to realise a younger audience, and frankly likely because Radio 1 programme management quite sensibly want...
3m Sep 24, 2012
3m
S1 Ep564: Bill Ballance
Bill Ballance is credited with helping to create the 'shock jock' genre - and a Howard Stern influence - although, hearing him now, his act seems naturally tamer. Bill hosted shows from the late 50s on KFWB; then on KGBS in LA, where he hosted 'The Feminine Forum' radio show from 1971. KFMB in San Diego was his next home. Bill retired in 1993, and died in 2004.
4m Sep 22, 2012
4m
S1 Ep563: Colin Berry - Last Radio 2 News bulletin
Some voices leap out the radio. The warm, friendly, voice of Colin Berry did just that as he caressed and polished every word. Colin was a Caroline broadcaster in the 60s, followed by TV announcing duties and some BBC Medway work. After a spell writing and producing Radio 1 trails, much like Noel Edmonds, he joined Radio 2 which was to become his long term home. He could be heard frequently ho...
1m Sep 19, 2012
1m
S1 Ep562: Take It From Here
'Take It From Here' was a BBC comedy series which began in 1948. Written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden; these shows saw the early days of their powerful writing partnership. It changed much over the years, featuring an array of talent. In its early days, maybe ironically, the series was set in the office of a commercial radio station. As the series evolved, it included a new Talking Point' f...
1m Sep 19, 2012
1m
S1 Ep561: Ronan O'Rahilly speaking in 1967
Radio Caroline was a survivor. Probably the most fondly-remembered of the 60s pirates, Caroline was the one which continued as the UK legislation was introduced, prohibiting Brits from playing a part in the stations. Caroline was more than a business, it was a cause. In 1967, as that law approached, the station's founder, Ronan O'Rahilly, spoke here about his strategy.
1m Sep 16, 2012
1m
S1 Ep560: Scottie McClue - Scot FM
9m Sep 15, 2012
9m
S1 Ep559: Anthony Wedgwood Benn speaks in 1966 on pirates
The faces of two parliamentarians are principally associated with the demise of offshore pirate radio in the 1960s. One was Prime Minister, Harold Wilson; the second, Tony Benn - then Sir Anthony Wedgwood-Benn and one of the last holders of the office of Postmaster General, which had existed since 1661. An earlier Postmaster General, Reginald Bevins, had asserted that Radio Caroline was causin...
1m Sep 15, 2012
1m
S1 Ep558: Manx Radio - Station IDs and close 1967
1m Sep 15, 2012
1m
S1 Ep557: Peter Tait - Tribute (Trent/Aire)
He was a real, entertaining character. Off-air, funny and hugely likeable. Cited in Dale Winton's biography as the guy who gave Dale some of his first opportunities, after meeting at the White Hart in Willesdon. He - was Peter Tait. After a roadshow career, and then a United Biscuits Network presenter, then host of, variously, Drivetime and Breakfast at Trent in Nottingham, he was a real, lovea...
1m Sep 15, 2012
1m
S1 Ep556: Have a Go - Intro
This is the sort of show your grandparents would smile about - and sing the theme to: 'Have a Go'. Wilfred Pickles, accompanied by his wife Mabel, visited church halls across the Country 'bringing the people to the people' . Wilfred had been a newsreader too; notably the first with a regional accent. The 'Have a Go' format worked: at its peak...
1m Sep 15, 2012
1m
S1 Ep555: Tony Blackburn speaks in the 70s
1m Sep 14, 2012
1m
S1 Ep554: Chris Moyles - Radio 1 Farewell
6m Sep 14, 2012
6m
S1 Ep553: John Peel - First Show on Radio 1
When Radio 1 launched, it signed up just about everybody. Nice, if you can afford it, mind you contracts were just eight weeks in duration. Many of the ex -pirates got a shot, not least because some programmes were just one hour in duration. From American work to the 'Perfumed Garden' on the pirate Radio London, John Peel had created a name for himself, and he was duly appointed to the fledglin...
6m Sep 12, 2012
6m
S1 Ep552: Derek Jameson
'Morning, Morning'. It was a very particular sort of breakfast show. One cannot quite imagine the likes of it on BBC Radio 2 now. Derek Jameson’s gruff, distinctive voice which, like that of many good communicators, was not really designed for radio; but he had the companionship in which the medium revels. He woke up Radio Two listeners for five years from 1986, before moving to a late slot, w...
1m Sep 12, 2012
1m
S1 Ep551: Tony Blackburn's last show on Radio 1 - 1984
2m Sep 11, 2012
2m
S1 Ep550: Paul Hollingdale looks ahead to commercial radio launch
Most people know that Blackburn was the first presenter on Radio One in 1967. Fewer know that Paul Hollingdale was first man on Radio Two. Here in 1972, having left the BBC, he speaks of his enthusiasm for commercial radio and yet his worries for the challenge ahead. Paul was later to be the first voice on Radio 210 in Reading in 1976.
2m Sep 08, 2012
2m
S1 Ep549: Fosseway Radio - Launch
Fosseway Radio in Hinckley was part of the Lincs FM Group, although its origins pre-dated the Lincs involvement. Launched on November 1st 1998, the station broadcast to South West Leicestershire. Programmed at the outset by Paul Robey as almost a full time station at launch, like so many other stations its scale and the economic climate suggested the wisdom of later efficiencies. Fosseway beg...
6m Sep 08, 2012
6m
S1 Ep548: Hughie Green harangues Trent reporter
A great piece of audio. Students of commercial radio history will recall that Hughie Green was one of the people campaigning for legalised commercial radio as far back as the early sixties, as groups began to form of the big guns, anticipating a fairly swift and lucrative entry into the sector. He was to be disappointed. Accordingly , Hughie felt a certain 'ownership' of the stations when they...
1m Sep 08, 2012
1m
S1 Ep547: Saga 106.6 - launch - 2003
4m Sep 07, 2012
4m
S1 Ep546: Radio Hallam - 1982 Montage
9m Sep 05, 2012
9m
S1 Ep545: Alan Dell - Pick of the Pops
Middle-aged Britons will recall Alan Dell as host of ‘Dance Band Days’ on, ultimately, BBC Radio 2, via the Light Programme and Luxembourg. It’s true, though, that Alan notably played a key role in the origins of Pick Of The Pops. He hosted the show, then broadcast on a Tuesday night, for nine months from January 1956, having taken over from its first host Franklin Engelman. Back then, the sho...
17s Sep 04, 2012
17s
S1 Ep544: David Jacobs - Pick of the Pops
1m Sep 04, 2012
1m
S1 Ep543: Pams - Series 18
There are many great jingle sites (like www.jinglemad.com), and this Boom cannot do justice to the subject. But maybe, in any tribute to radio, jingles must play some part. And – if they do - it’s only right, we should mark the work of PAMS, seen as the first ‘jingle company’, although some stations were making their own idents in various ways before PAMS. Bill Meeks was PAMS: a company which s...
11m Sep 02, 2012
11m
S1 Ep542: Radio Scilly - Launch
2m Sep 02, 2012
2m
S1 Ep541: Key 103, launch - 1988
As the first tranches of commercial radio stations were given the strong steer to split their AM and FM frequencies, most chose to put a Gold station on AM; and keep the heritage brand on FM, adding a CHR twist to what had been a full-service format. There was even debate at the time as to which of the frequencies was the ‘lead’ one, given even Radio 1 was on AM-only back then. The oldies bran...
3m Sep 02, 2012
3m
S1 Ep540: Roger Moffat - Obituary (Hallam)
As the BBC prepared to number its networks in 1967, the Light Programme split into Radio 2, and a part time Radio 1, It was left to announcer Roger Moffat do the honours and read the peaceful last rites of a service which had taken us from War to flower power. Roger was time-served at Radio Luxembourg and, most notably, the BBC, before moving to become part of the accomplished launch team at R...
1m Sep 01, 2012
1m
S1 Ep539: Alex Dickson - Speaking in 1988 on music scheduling
In days when few stations are operating without some form of computer-aided song selection, it's strange to believe that this was once a revolutionary prospect. Music is such a subjective area, how can a computer do the job of deciding which songs should be played? 'My listeners listen to me because of the songs I choose' cried many presenters. Programmers were divided. The likes of Mike Powel...
4m Sep 01, 2012
4m
S1 Ep538: Keith Skues - Speaking in 1988 on music scheduling
In days when few stations are operating without some form of computer-aided song selection, it's strange to believe that this was once a revolutionary prospect. Music is such a subjective area, how can a computer do the job of deciding which songs should be played? 'My listeners listen to me because of the songs I choose' cried many presenters. Programmers were divided. The likes of Mike Powel...
5m Sep 01, 2012
5m
S1 Ep537: UBN - The first hour
There are some people still in British radio who would nod sagely if told that someone began their career ‘on the Biscuits’. The Biscuits were United Biscuits – a series of factories in large British cities who were to be linked by an internal radio station. When the station launched in 1970, of course, it was impossible to turn on any British radio station which would provide the sort of cont...
16m Sep 01, 2012
16m
S1 Ep536: The AM transition - Gold (West Mids) to Free Radio 80s
1m Aug 31, 2012
1m
S1 Ep535: Radio One - At 25
2m Aug 29, 2012
2m
S1 Ep534: Kiss 100 - Launch
2m Aug 27, 2012
2m
S1 Ep533: Radio Aire launch - 1981
Leeds had to wait until the second tranche of commercial radio launches - some years after neighbouring, and smaller, Bradford. This resulted from a combination of the premature end to Round One of the franchising - and the agreements between the BBC and the regulator, the IBA, about who should launch local stations where.  Aire came on air on 1st September 1981.  Thanks to Stephanie Hirst for ...
4m Aug 27, 2012
4m
S1 Ep532: Neil Armstrong
15s Aug 26, 2012
15s
S1 Ep531: Broadcasting House Bombing, Bruce Belfrage - 1940
Broadcasting House was first bombed just after 8 p.m. on 15th October 1940. A 500lb delayed-action high explosive destroyed the BBC switchboard before the gram library on the fifth floor was hit. Staff tried to move the bomb, but it exploded. Seven people were killed. Parts of the fifth and sixth floor frontage of Broadcasting House were blown into Portland Place and studios were demolished. Th...
1m Aug 25, 2012
1m
S1 Ep530: Harry Harrison - Montage
2m Aug 25, 2012
2m
S1 Ep529: Leicester Sound - 5th Anniversary
Here, scraped from cassette is the fifth anniversary of Leicester Sound. Back then, five was actually 'old' for a radio station, so it was a due cause for celebration, not least because this station's predecessor had gone bust. Kenny Hague hosted the breakfast show on 'Sound FM' that morning in 1989. As you can hear here, the City is his, and he was well able to navigate the nicotine-coloured ...
12m Aug 25, 2012
12m
S1 Ep528: BBC Radio Five - Launch
2m Aug 24, 2012
2m
S1 Ep527: Ronan O'Rahilly
Radio Caroline was a survivor. Probably the most fondly-remembered of the 60s pirates, Caroline was the one which continued as the 1967 UK legislation prohibited Brits from playing a part in the stations. Caroline was more than a business, it was a cause. As her ships floundered, with the Mi Amigo suffering in bad 1980 weather, she needed a new home. August 1983 saw her return, on board the Ro...
1m Aug 20, 2012
1m