S1 Ep169: Lillibullero
29s Oct 08, 2011
29s
S1 Ep168: Frequency changes - 1978
1978 saw stations packing their trunks and moving homes up and down the band, both commercial and BBC. My good friends at Trent quietly moved 1kHz from 998 to 999 AM – as the separation between channels became a neat 9 kHz - but other changes were more substantial. On 23th November 1978. Radio 2 waved farewell to Long Wave, making way for Radio 4. 693 and 909 kHz became Radio 2; and Radio 1 mov...
5m Oct 08, 2011
5m
S1 Ep167: Jimmy Savile - Medley
2m Oct 06, 2011
2m
S1 Ep166: Chris Evans on Moyles rant
If one invites a piece of radio where Richard Bacon speaks to Chris Evans on the subject of Chris Moyles, one should stand well back. All three are memorable, distinctive broadcasters who have hit the headlines in various ways during their career, as is so often a pre-requisite for great talent. So, how fascinating was this exchange. Chris E suggests to Richard that Chris M is 'too old' for t...
3m Oct 06, 2011
3m
S1 Ep165: Lincs FM - launch
The launch of Lincs FM on 1st March 1992. Under its  determined management and chairman - a proud independent radio station launched in the teeth of recession - and successful against the odds, attracting one of the highest audience reach percentages in UK local commercial radio. Read more personal memories in my book Radio Moments (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Radio-Moments-Years-Life-Inside/dp/1...
4m Oct 06, 2011
4m
S1 Ep164: Frank Gillard on King's death and Queen's Wedding
When some people have an idea, they give up at the first hurdle. Thankfully for BBC Local Radio, and for its many ardent listeners, Frank didn't. As you can hear here from his measured tones, yet delivering such a vivid picture, Frank first made his name as an accomplished correspondent. He painted pictures of some of the last Century's most newsworthy dates: Royal weddings and deaths; and he...
2m Oct 05, 2011
2m
S1 Ep163: Andrew Sachs - Brand/Ross
This whole episode in October 2008 probably says more about the press; and the challenging relationship the BBC is inevitably going to have with its various ‘stakeholders’ than it says about either Jonathan Ross or Russell Brand. Two creative souls, in the full flow of enjoying making some entertaining radio go a step too far. They were not the first, and they will not be the last. The day we d...
8m Oct 05, 2011
8m
S1 Ep162: Capital Radio, launch medley - 1973
October 1973. The Conservatives, who’d been broadly in favour of commercial radio were in power again; and the experiment had begun. After the launch of LBC the week before, Capital London came on air with its ‘General Entertainment’ franchise, awarded from a choice of eight applicants by a regulator struggling with its new offspring. Even then, the IBA had to broker deals between the applicant...
6m Oct 04, 2011
6m
S1 Ep161: Radio City - launch
1m Oct 04, 2011
1m
S1 Ep160: Ocean Sound launch - 1986
Ocean Sound was a second generation ILR station, seizing its Portsmouth franchise from the clutches of its predecessor, Radio Victory, alongside the Southampton area. Victory gave up in June 86, with Ocean taking over in October with twin-output service for the two parts of the new area. In time, the two overlapping areas were to give rise to an early full dose of complementary formats, with Oc...
1m Oct 04, 2011
1m
S1 Ep159: Horizon Radio launch
1m Oct 03, 2011
1m
S1 Ep158: Vintage Woman's Hour
I recall a family who lived at the bottom of our garden as I grew up. Well, their garden backed onto ours. A frighteningly intelligent, musically-gifted bunch who drove a dark green Renault 4 and who were eco-friendly long before it was trendy; folding those old brown Sainsbury carrier bags neatly for re-use. The mother would always have 'Woman's Hour' blasting loudly from a large grey Hacker r...
3m Oct 03, 2011
3m
S1 Ep157: 3 Counties Radio Supergold - launch
1m Oct 03, 2011
1m
S1 Ep156: GLR test - 1988
GLR, Greater London Radio, had its roots in BBC Radio London which had launched in 1970. Doing 'local radio' in a big city, however, is a challenge; all the more so in London, where London news is, all too often, also National news. In failing to find its 'local radio' niche, it has veered off over the years to become BBC London Live, Radio London, or maybe BBC London 94.9. I hold the view th...
1m Oct 03, 2011
1m
S1 Ep155: Dick Barton - Devil's Gallop Sig Tune
Your older relations which smile whistfully at this signature tune; and will recall the characters in the programme it signalled. 'Dick Barton - Special Agent' was aired weekday evenings 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 Charles Williams was a...
28s Oct 02, 2011
28s
S1 Ep154: Kevin Greening & Zoe Ball
Kevin Greening was known for his work on the Radio 1 breakfast show with Zoë Ball from 1997 to 1998. After early days with the BBC, he moved to Virgin Radio in 1993. Kevin joined weekend Radio 1 in 1994, graduating quickly to breakfast for a short spell, before moving back to weekends. As with so many, he probably did his best work when alone, relaxed and away from the glare of breakfast. Kevi...
1m Sep 30, 2011
1m
S1 Ep153: Bird's Eye - The First Ad
Having beaten off four rivals for the franchise, LBC was the first station in the commercial radio network, charged with disseminating news and information to London. The station broadcast from Gough Square on the now familiar 97.3 FM frequency, albeit most listeners were still choosing Medium Wave; and here, the station occupied a temporary frequency of 417m. The press reported the station, wi...
1m Sep 29, 2011
1m
S1 Ep152: LBC - Launch Day
Apart from the coloured shirts, platform shoes and bright purple flairs, the early 70s were dark days. Serious industrial unrest and power cuts were not the best economic backdrop for the tardy launch of UK commercial radio. The fact that the medium had become a political football just added to the pressure. 60 stations were planned, although only 19 were to get to air before a review was calle...
8m Sep 29, 2011
8m
S1 Ep151: The Network Chart story - 1984
Commercial radio once involved a patchwork quilt of stations owned by many proudly independent companies.  The network knew, however that without some major UK-wide programming offerings, agencies for major consumer brands would not identify radio as being of value as an advertising medium - and national revenues would never achieve their potential. Single, clearly defined programmes such as a ...
2m Sep 28, 2011
2m
S1 Ep150: Mike Ahern - tribute
1m Sep 28, 2011
1m
S1 Ep149: Franklin Engelmann
1m Sep 28, 2011
1m
S1 Ep148: Smooth Radio UK - launch
1m Sep 28, 2011
1m
S1 Ep147: Kenny Everett's First Radio 2 show - 1981
There are some broadcasters of whom little remains by way of archive material. Thankfully, the same cannot be said of Kenny. Listening to a slice of him sounds as fresh now as it did decades ago. Is it really so long since we lost him?  His style changed over the years, almost from the typical adlib, through spells of high production, and back out the other side. His studio was always the place...
1m Sep 28, 2011
1m
S1 Ep146: BBC Radio London launch
BBC Radio London launched in 1970, after London trials back in the early 1960s; the third in the second tranche of BBC Local stations. Doing 'local radio' in a big city is a challenge; all the more so in London, where London news is, all too often, also National news. In failing to find its 'local radio' niche, it has veered off over the years to become BBC London Live, GLR and back to Radio ...
3m Sep 28, 2011
3m
S1 Ep145: Centre Radio closedown
Rinky dinky do. What do you say on-air when the station you work at is about to collapse? Frankly, "rinky dinky do" is perfectly fine - and, to this, day, I genuinely admire the alacrity. These are the last minutes in the life of Leicester's Centre Radio. The station was born in September 1981. I recall Trent being poised, back then, to battle with its new East Midlands neighbour, given until t...
3m Sep 27, 2011
3m
S1 Ep144: John Dunn
He combined smoothness of delivery with the hint of an impish smile and a healthy dose of charm and intelligence. All 6'7" of John Dunn joined the BBC as a studio manager, graduating to newsreading duties across its old Networks. On the first day of Radio 1, his was the voice which dared to announce impishly “now the news, in English” amidst a frenetic Rosko show. At a nascent Radio 2, he host...
1m Sep 27, 2011
1m
S1 Ep143: BBC Radio Gloucestershire launch - 1988
BBC Radio Gloucestershire launched on 3rd October 1988. Ken Goodwin hosted the first breakfast show.  The station's official launch came a week later - by Princess Anne.
2m Sep 27, 2011
2m
S1 Ep142: Last Les Ross BRMB breakfast show - 2002
Commercial radio is often criticised for not creating nationally known names. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that the original network of stations were local. But in those areas, the greatest personalities were huge. Few bigger, though, that Birmingham’s Les Ross. Les's radio career began at BBC Radio Birmingham, before applying to join the fresh newcomer, little BRMB. He was turned d...
5m Sep 26, 2011
5m
S1 Ep141: Radio 1 & 2 Story
Looking back, the launch of Radio 1 and 2 was quite a feat. It happened very quickly in a hostile environment: its potential audience resented the loss of their pirate favourites; many BBC listeners felt it was not what the Beeb should be doing; and the BBC machine itself was barely equipped to deliver. It happened, however, safely and at breakneck speed. Those in the driving seat were canny en...
4m Sep 25, 2011
4m
S1 Ep140: Music While You Work
Ah. Was this the first long segue? 'Music While You Work' - a cheery continuous music programme launched on 23rd June 1940, broadcast on the Forces Programme, and then on the  BBC Home Service, later on the BBC Light Programme. Originally, this show was live, moving to a pre-record by 1963. When I say live, I mean the music itself was live, with orchestras and military bands poised to strike u...
1m Sep 23, 2011
1m
S1 Ep139: Radio Times Medley
2m Sep 20, 2011
2m
S1 Ep138: WBZ memories
3m Sep 20, 2011
3m
S1 Ep137: Radio 106 test
1m Sep 19, 2011
1m
S1 Ep136: Jimmy Young package
2m Sep 18, 2011
2m
S1 Ep135: Simon Mayo package
3m Sep 18, 2011
3m
S1 Ep134: Lord Haw Haw
'Germany calling. Germany calling'. A generation can utter those words in nasal tones, recalling a frighteningly memorable sound; although my dad suggests people here just used to laugh at the utterances. The voice belonged to a chap known as Lord Haw-Haw who appeared on English-language propaganda broadcasts from his Hamburg base. His goal was to demoralise; and in a frightened world where inf...
1m Sep 17, 2011
1m
S1 Ep133: Pete Murray
14s Sep 17, 2011
14s
S1 Ep132: 2 LO
2LO was the UK's second 'proper' radio station. 11th May 1922 saw it take to the air at low power for the first time. It then broadcast just an hour a day from its home at Marconi House on the Strand in London, from the roof of which loomed its aerial. The station, alongside others, was then transferred as 'the mother station' to the new British Broadcasting Company, as the Government sought to...
11s Sep 16, 2011
11s
S1 Ep131: Gregg Stepp resigns
2m Sep 16, 2011
2m
S1 Ep130: Fox launch
2m Sep 14, 2011
2m
S1 Ep129: Ron Lundy
There is a sound now absent from British radio. In fact, it possibly never quite got here at all. The ‘Boss Jock’. Frighteningly tight, loud, and more about sound and energy than content; but the words well-chosen. Presentation which iced the music rather than interrupt it. In the ‘60s, the pirate Swinging Radio England tried to create it from its rusty hulk, with the Brits on-board trying thei...
2m Sep 13, 2011
2m
S1 Ep128: Signal Gold JAM ident
9s Sep 13, 2011
9s
S1 Ep127: First Network Chart
2m Sep 13, 2011
2m
S1 Ep126: Radio Hallam tests
1m Sep 12, 2011
1m
S1 Ep125: Savoy Hill opening
Savoy Hill is just off the Strand in London. The premises became the home of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, a natural place for the BBC (then the British Broadcasting Company) to be leased space in 1923. These were sedate days, and it's said that early radio contributors at Savoy Hill included HG Wells and George Bernard Shaw, who were offered whisky and soda as they relaxed in this ge...
1m Sep 12, 2011
1m
S1 Ep124: Nellie Melba
So, you’ve invented the technology of radio. It’s all very exciting. But there comes a time, when ‘1-2-3 testing’ gets a little dull. There are no radio stations; and few folk are listening. No-one really knew if they ever would, frankly. The Marconi Company was making the transmitters in Essex. The test output was hardly inspiring: Morse Code alongside bits out the paper or the railway timeta...
1m Sep 12, 2011
1m
S1 Ep123: You and Yours
'You & Yours' has been part of the Radio 4 schedule since October 1970. At that time, Radio 4 was changing, in the hands of Controller Tony Whitby, to develop a more cohesive schedule which nevertheless harnessed the variety that Radio 4, and most talk formats, will inevitably boast. His strategy helped to manoeuvre Radio 4 into a place for for the 70s, and place its Home Service heritage into ...
1m Sep 11, 2011
1m
S1 Ep122: Just a minute
It's simply inspired. A format which affords the truly great a pithy platform to show off. 'Just a Minute' has been cast brilliantly over the years: from the irascible Clement Freud to the whining Kenneth Williams or the hoity-toity Derek Nimmo. From the surprising Wendy Richard to the man who was born to do the show, Paul Merton. The programme began on 22nd December 1967 on a young Radio 4. T...
1m Sep 11, 2011
1m
S1 Ep121: Brian Matthew
1m Sep 09, 2011
1m
S1 Ep120: Alan Freed
29s Sep 07, 2011
29s