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A concise history of Local Radio by Scott Ross

This week Scott Ross was Invited to the Upminster Rotary Club to give a after dinner talk on the history of local radio, it was held at Upminster Golf Club, where Scott, who was the guest speaker and Myself whom merely  run the projection av side along with a  powerpoint presentation entertained the 25 strong audience for the evening.  Below you can find the Concise history of local radio speech with some of the pictures and sound clips used in the talk. please feel free to post any questions on at the bottom of the page.

 

AS IS WELL KNOWN THIS YEAR SEES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR. WHY DO I MENTION THAT? WELL REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST HOW MUCH HAS

CHANGED  DURING THE PAST CENTURY.

 

IN 1900 BUSES WERE STILL DRAWN BY HORSES AND YET THE SAME CENTURY

HAS SEEN MEN WALK ON THE MOON.

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS CHANGES HAS BEEN IN THE

FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS.

IN 1900 THE VERY IDEA THAT PEOPLE THEN LIVING WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR

SPEECH AND MUSIC FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS

WITH NO TANGIBLE LINK WAS NOT EVEN PRESENT IN THE MINDS OF THE

SCIENTISTS OF THE DAY, LET ALONE THE GENERAL PUBLIC. NOBODY THEN LIVING

HAD ANY REASON TO THINK THAT THEY WERE SOON TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A

NEW COMMUNICATION MEDIUM THAT WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS WOULD COVER

THE GLOBE TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL, EXERTING MORE PRESSURE ON PUBLIC

OPINION THAN PULPIT, PLATFORM, THEATRE AND THE PRINTED WORD COMBINED.

PERHAPS EVEN MORE ASTONISHING IS THE FACT THAT AT THE END OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR BROADCASTING DID NOT EXIST, BUT BY THE BEGINNING OF THE

SECOND IT HAD SPANNED THE WORLD!

IN FACT RADIO BROADCASTING ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX AND WHILST

MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER THAT SO FAR AS BRITAIN IS CONCERNED

COMMERCIAL RADIO DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 1973. THIS IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE.

marconi

Marconi Transmitter Chelmsford

Chelmsford 5xx transmitter
Chelmsford 5xx transmitter

 

 

THE VERY FIRST STATIONS WERE NOT BBC OPERATED.

AS EARLY AS JUNE 1920 THE DAILY MAIL HAD SPONSORED A BROADCAST FROM

CHELMSFORD. THAT STATION WAS, HOWEVER FORCED TO CLOSE LATER THAT

YEAR, ON THE GROUNDS THAT BROADCASTING ENTERTAINMENT WAS LIKELY TO INTERFERE

WITH STATIONS DOING “REAL WORK”.

IT’S SUCCESSOR WHICH OPENED AT WRITTLE IN FEBRUARY 1922 WAS AUTHORISED TO

BROADCAST FOR JUST 15 MINUTES A WEEK!

Writtle Radio Station

2 MT Writtle

 

LATER THAT SAME YEAR THE BBC WAS FORMED AS THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY

LIMITED BY 6 BIG FIRMS: BRITISH THOMSON HOUSTON, GENERAL ELECTRIC, MARCONI,

METROPOLITAN VICKERS, RADIO COMMUNICATION AND WESTERN ELECTRIC, EACH OF WHICH

PUT UP £10,000. ANOTHER £40,000 WAS AVAILABLE IN £1 SHARES FOR OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

EVENTUALLY THE COMPANY HAD 1700 SHAREHOLDERS.  THE COMPANY HAD BEEN FORMED BY

THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS OF RADIO RECEIVERS AT THE BEHEST OF  THE POST OFFICE,

NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANY POLITICAL REQUIREMENT FOR A MONOPOLY  BUT BECAUSE THE

POST OFFICE DID NOT WANT THE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN DECIDING  AMONGST THE

VARIOUS APPLICANTS FOR LICENCES WHO HAD COME FORWARD. THE LONDON  STATION – 2LO

WAS RUN BY THE MARCONI COMPANY, THE BIRMINGHAM STATION 5IT BY  INTERNATIONAL

WESTERN ELECTRIC AND THE MANCHESTER STATION 2ZY BY METROPOLITAN  VICKERS. THE

STATIONS WERE EACH POWERED AT ABOUT 1500 WATTS. BY THE END OF 1926 AT

LEAST 70% OF THE POPULATION WAS WITHIN RANGE OF A LOCAL STATION

radio map 1

 

 

WHAT IS PERHAPS LESS WELL KNOWN IS THAT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING AT LEAST, THE BBC

STARTED LIFE AS A “PIRATE”. THE FIRST BROADCASTS WERE MADE IN NOVEMBER FROM THE

LONDON STATION “2LO” AT MARCONI HOUSE, BUT THE LICENCE, ALBEIT BACKDATED,

WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL JANUARY 18TH 1923.

2LO  at Marconi House

2LO at Marconi House

 

BY 1926 THE IDEA OF MONOPOLY BROADCASTING HAD, HOWEVER, BECOME ENTRENCHED, AND

THE ORIGINAL PRIVATE COMPANY BECAME THE CORPORATION, IT REMAINS TODAY.

THE BBC STATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL, IN PART BECAUSE THEY WERE “LOCAL”.

THE TECHNOLOGY TO NETWORK NATIONALLY HAD YET TO BE INVENTED. ONCE RADIO BECAME

NATIONAL, AUDIENCES STARTED TO STRAY ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE MORE LIVELY

ENTERTAINMENT EMANATING FROM COMMERCIAL COMPETITORS ON THE CONTINENT.

IN SPITE OF ENORMOUS OPPOSITION FROM THE BBC THEMSELVES, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

POST OFFICE THIS COMPETITION GREW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE 1930’S.

 

plugge

 

THE MAN BEHIND THIS WAS A CERTAIN CAPTAIN LEONARD PLUGGE  (pictured above) WHO MIGHT HAVE GIVEN HIS

NAME TO COMMERCIALS, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS “PLUGS” HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR

THE FACT THAT HIS NAME WAS ACTUALLY PRONOUNCED AS PLUUGE.

 

HE HAD ORIGINALLY PERSUADED SELFRIDGES TO SPONSOR A  FASHION SHOW FROM PARIS IN

1925, ALTHOUGH ONLY 4 PEOPLE ARE RECORDED AS HAVING HEARD THE BROADCAST!

 

EARLY IN THE 1930’S HE FOUNDED THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY WHO

OPERATED FROM MANY STATIONS ON THE CONTINENT, THE MOST FAMOUS OF WHICH WERE

UNDOUBTEDLY RADIO NORMANDY AND, FOR A SHORT TIME, RADIO LUXEMBOURG BEFORE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT STATION PASSED TO  WIRELESS PUBLICITY LTD, WHO WERE LINKED

WITH CABLE & WIRELESS.

 

IBC

IBC

JUST HOW EFFECTIVE COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS THEN, IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT

THAT EVEN TODAY MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE OVALTINEYS EVEN THOUGH THE

PROGRAMME HAS NOT BEEN ON AIR SINCE 1939 – THAT’S 75 YEARS!

Ovaltineys

Radio Luxemburg

Radio Luxemburg

ONLY THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR STIFLED THIS COMPETITION.

THE 1960’S THOUGH SAW THE ARRIVAL OFF OUR SHORES OF PERHAPS THE TRUE

FORERUNNERS OF THE KIND OF RADIO WE ARE USED TO TODAY.

Radio Caroline 1966

Mi Amigo
Caroline 1966

Laissez Faire

Laissez Faire

The original Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline North

 

Radio London

Radio London

Radio Caroline 1984

Radio Caroline 1984

 

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IT BECAME ECONOMIC FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BUY AIRTIME.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT ERA WAS TO BE SHORT LIVED. IT DID, HOWEVER, SERVE TO

RE-IGNITE THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL RADIO IN THE UK.

APART FROM THE SOLE PRIVATE STATION ON THE ISLE OF MAN – MANX RADIO, IT WAS AGAIN TO

THE BBC THAT GOVERNMENT LOOKED. BUT TIMES HAD CHANGED AND THE NEW BBC LOCAL

STATIONS DID NOT ENJOY THE SUCCESS OF THEIR FORERUNNERS IN THE 1920’S.

PARTLY THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE FM ONLY AND MOST PEOPLE STILL RELIED

ON GOOD OLD AM BUT THE LOCAL OUTPUT WAS RESTRICTED TO ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS A DAY

AND MUCH OF THIS WAS AIMED AT MINORITY INTERESTS!

Manx Radio

Manx Radio

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station - BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station – BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

 

AND SO A NEW KIND OF LOCAL RADIO WAS INTRODUCED. THE ORIGINAL ILR STATIONS HAD

 

NO NETWORK FROM WHICH TO DRAW PROGRAMMES AND SO THEIR OUTPUTS WERE 100%

 

LOCAL.

Local Radio in 1992

Local Radio in 1992

 

 

 

 

WITH NO CONTROL FROM THE CENTRE THEY COULD TAILOR THEIR PROGRAMMING TO SUIT THE

LOCALITY SERVED. EACH STATION THEREFORE HAD ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE FEEL AND MORE

IMPORTANTLY, SOUND.

 

THEY RE-INTRODUCED THE “FUN” ELEMENT WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED THE OFFSHORE

STATIONS BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY LINKED WITH THE COMMUNITIES

THEY WERE TRYING TO SERVE.

FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE INITIAL 19 ILR STATIONS BETWEEN 1973 AND 1976, THE NUMBER OF

STATIONS HAS DRAMATICALLY RISEN TO THE CURRENT FIGURE OF OVER  275, IN THEORY,

GIVING BOTH THE LISTENER AND ADVERTISER THE WIDEST CHOICE THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN.

ilr

 

A clip from the first ever capital radio broadcast

 

REGRETTABLY, BUT PERHAPS PREDICTABLY WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY INDEPENDENT

STATIONS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA BEING SERVED, BECAME

SWALLOWED UP AS RADIO GROUPS BEGAN TO FORM. SUDDENLY THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO

NETWORK A COMMON PROGRAMME, INTRODUCE A COMMOM PLAYLIST AND EVEN HAVE A

COMMON LOGO WITHOUT EVEN THE PRETENCE OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY.

THE LESSON THAT PEOPLE ARE LOYAL TO THEIR LOCAL STATION, BECAUSE IT IS LOCAL SEEMS

TO HAVE BEEN LOST ON SOME OF THOSE RUNNING STATIONS TODAY.

 

A VIEW WAS TAKEN BY ONE GROUP, THAT IF THEY COULD NETWORK THEIR AM GOLD

SERVICE, THEY COULD AFFORD TO EMPLOY BIG NAME PRESENTERS AND THAT

THIS WOULD INCREASE AUDIENCES. IN FACT AUDIENCES FELL AND CONTINUED TO FALL.

NOW AUDIENCES ARE FALLING ON  SOME FM SERVICES, SO WHAT DID THEY DECIDE TO DO? YOU

GUESSED IT, NETWORK AND EMPLOY BIG NAMES!

 

WITH DIGITAL RADIO NOW CATERING FOR EVERY CONCEIVABLE TASTE, THE FACT THAT

LISTENERS WILL ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO A STATION THEY CONSIDER TO BE THEIR OWN, SEEMS TO

HAVE BEEN LOST ON MANY IN THE INDUSTRY, WHO NOW SEEM DRIVEN BY THEIR ACCOUNTANTS,

RATHER THAN THE PASSION FOR THE MEDIUM WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY WHY THEY CAME INTO

IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

 

WHAT A TRAGEDY!

Radio map 2

 

MERCIFULLY WE NOW HAVE A NEW TIER – OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS LIKE

PHOENIX FM – WHICH ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO RESTORE FULL SCALE LOCALLY PRODUCED

PROGRAMMING WHILST SERVING A COHERENT LOCAL COMMUNITY.

 

STATIONS LIKE PHOENIX FM AIM TO PRODUCE PROGRAMMES RELEVANT TO

THE AUDIENCES THEY SEEK TO SERVE.

 

ONCE AGAIN COMMERCIAL AIRTIME IS WITHIN THE REACH OF EVEN THE SMALLEST LOCAL

BUSINESS. SECONDLY PHOENIX FM AIMS TO BE NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT ALSO BOTH  FUN AND

UNPREDICTABLE

THESE DAYS VIRTUALLY EVERY STATION SOUNDS THE SAME. NOT SO PHOENIX FM!

PLAYLISTS REFLECT THE TASTES OF OUR AUDIENCES AND ARE NOT DREAMT UP IN

SOME REMOTE PART OF THE COUNTRY, OR LONDON, BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT

OF WHAT PEOPLE IN OUR AREA WANT.

 

IN CONCLUSION LET ME JUST MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT EVEN THE ORIGINAL ILR

SERVICES WERE OFTEN FORCED TO TRY TO COVER TOO WIDE AN AREA.

WHAT DO THE INHABITANTS OF TWITTY FEE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THOSE

LIVING IN  DAGENHAM  OR ILFORD? VERY LITTLE, I WOULD BEG TO SUGGEST AND SO BY

COVERING A TIGHT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A TRULY UNIQUE SOUNDING

STATION TAILOR MADE TO THE COVERAGE AREA  AND THOSE LIVING WITHIN IT, SUCH THAT

LISTENERS CAN AND DO REGARD IT AS THEIR VERY OWN.

Radio Map 3

 

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

Suited n Booted and not a beer in sight…

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

 

 

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three, Sunday Lunch
More from
More from Phoenix FM


A concise history of Local Radio by Scott Ross

This week Scott Ross was Invited to the Upminster Rotary Club to give a after dinner talk on the history of local radio, it was held at Upminster Golf Club, where Scott, who was the guest speaker and Myself whom merely  run the projection av side along with a  powerpoint presentation entertained the 25 strong audience for the evening.  Below you can find the Concise history of local radio speech with some of the pictures and sound clips used in the talk. please feel free to post any questions on at the bottom of the page.

 

AS IS WELL KNOWN THIS YEAR SEES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR. WHY DO I MENTION THAT? WELL REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST HOW MUCH HAS

CHANGED  DURING THE PAST CENTURY.

 

IN 1900 BUSES WERE STILL DRAWN BY HORSES AND YET THE SAME CENTURY

HAS SEEN MEN WALK ON THE MOON.

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS CHANGES HAS BEEN IN THE

FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS.

IN 1900 THE VERY IDEA THAT PEOPLE THEN LIVING WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR

SPEECH AND MUSIC FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS

WITH NO TANGIBLE LINK WAS NOT EVEN PRESENT IN THE MINDS OF THE

SCIENTISTS OF THE DAY, LET ALONE THE GENERAL PUBLIC. NOBODY THEN LIVING

HAD ANY REASON TO THINK THAT THEY WERE SOON TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A

NEW COMMUNICATION MEDIUM THAT WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS WOULD COVER

THE GLOBE TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL, EXERTING MORE PRESSURE ON PUBLIC

OPINION THAN PULPIT, PLATFORM, THEATRE AND THE PRINTED WORD COMBINED.

PERHAPS EVEN MORE ASTONISHING IS THE FACT THAT AT THE END OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR BROADCASTING DID NOT EXIST, BUT BY THE BEGINNING OF THE

SECOND IT HAD SPANNED THE WORLD!

IN FACT RADIO BROADCASTING ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX AND WHILST

MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER THAT SO FAR AS BRITAIN IS CONCERNED

COMMERCIAL RADIO DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 1973. THIS IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE.

marconi

Marconi Transmitter Chelmsford

Chelmsford 5xx transmitter
Chelmsford 5xx transmitter

 

 

THE VERY FIRST STATIONS WERE NOT BBC OPERATED.

AS EARLY AS JUNE 1920 THE DAILY MAIL HAD SPONSORED A BROADCAST FROM

CHELMSFORD. THAT STATION WAS, HOWEVER FORCED TO CLOSE LATER THAT

YEAR, ON THE GROUNDS THAT BROADCASTING ENTERTAINMENT WAS LIKELY TO INTERFERE

WITH STATIONS DOING “REAL WORK”.

IT’S SUCCESSOR WHICH OPENED AT WRITTLE IN FEBRUARY 1922 WAS AUTHORISED TO

BROADCAST FOR JUST 15 MINUTES A WEEK!

Writtle Radio Station

2 MT Writtle

 

LATER THAT SAME YEAR THE BBC WAS FORMED AS THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY

LIMITED BY 6 BIG FIRMS: BRITISH THOMSON HOUSTON, GENERAL ELECTRIC, MARCONI,

METROPOLITAN VICKERS, RADIO COMMUNICATION AND WESTERN ELECTRIC, EACH OF WHICH

PUT UP £10,000. ANOTHER £40,000 WAS AVAILABLE IN £1 SHARES FOR OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

EVENTUALLY THE COMPANY HAD 1700 SHAREHOLDERS.  THE COMPANY HAD BEEN FORMED BY

THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS OF RADIO RECEIVERS AT THE BEHEST OF  THE POST OFFICE,

NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANY POLITICAL REQUIREMENT FOR A MONOPOLY  BUT BECAUSE THE

POST OFFICE DID NOT WANT THE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN DECIDING  AMONGST THE

VARIOUS APPLICANTS FOR LICENCES WHO HAD COME FORWARD. THE LONDON  STATION – 2LO

WAS RUN BY THE MARCONI COMPANY, THE BIRMINGHAM STATION 5IT BY  INTERNATIONAL

WESTERN ELECTRIC AND THE MANCHESTER STATION 2ZY BY METROPOLITAN  VICKERS. THE

STATIONS WERE EACH POWERED AT ABOUT 1500 WATTS. BY THE END OF 1926 AT

LEAST 70% OF THE POPULATION WAS WITHIN RANGE OF A LOCAL STATION

radio map 1

 

 

WHAT IS PERHAPS LESS WELL KNOWN IS THAT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING AT LEAST, THE BBC

STARTED LIFE AS A “PIRATE”. THE FIRST BROADCASTS WERE MADE IN NOVEMBER FROM THE

LONDON STATION “2LO” AT MARCONI HOUSE, BUT THE LICENCE, ALBEIT BACKDATED,

WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL JANUARY 18TH 1923.

2LO  at Marconi House

2LO at Marconi House

 

BY 1926 THE IDEA OF MONOPOLY BROADCASTING HAD, HOWEVER, BECOME ENTRENCHED, AND

THE ORIGINAL PRIVATE COMPANY BECAME THE CORPORATION, IT REMAINS TODAY.

THE BBC STATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL, IN PART BECAUSE THEY WERE “LOCAL”.

THE TECHNOLOGY TO NETWORK NATIONALLY HAD YET TO BE INVENTED. ONCE RADIO BECAME

NATIONAL, AUDIENCES STARTED TO STRAY ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE MORE LIVELY

ENTERTAINMENT EMANATING FROM COMMERCIAL COMPETITORS ON THE CONTINENT.

IN SPITE OF ENORMOUS OPPOSITION FROM THE BBC THEMSELVES, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

POST OFFICE THIS COMPETITION GREW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE 1930’S.

 

plugge

 

THE MAN BEHIND THIS WAS A CERTAIN CAPTAIN LEONARD PLUGGE  (pictured above) WHO MIGHT HAVE GIVEN HIS

NAME TO COMMERCIALS, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS “PLUGS” HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR

THE FACT THAT HIS NAME WAS ACTUALLY PRONOUNCED AS PLUUGE.

 

HE HAD ORIGINALLY PERSUADED SELFRIDGES TO SPONSOR A  FASHION SHOW FROM PARIS IN

1925, ALTHOUGH ONLY 4 PEOPLE ARE RECORDED AS HAVING HEARD THE BROADCAST!

 

EARLY IN THE 1930’S HE FOUNDED THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY WHO

OPERATED FROM MANY STATIONS ON THE CONTINENT, THE MOST FAMOUS OF WHICH WERE

UNDOUBTEDLY RADIO NORMANDY AND, FOR A SHORT TIME, RADIO LUXEMBOURG BEFORE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT STATION PASSED TO  WIRELESS PUBLICITY LTD, WHO WERE LINKED

WITH CABLE & WIRELESS.

 

IBC

IBC

JUST HOW EFFECTIVE COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS THEN, IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT

THAT EVEN TODAY MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE OVALTINEYS EVEN THOUGH THE

PROGRAMME HAS NOT BEEN ON AIR SINCE 1939 – THAT’S 75 YEARS!

Ovaltineys

Radio Luxemburg

Radio Luxemburg

ONLY THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR STIFLED THIS COMPETITION.

THE 1960’S THOUGH SAW THE ARRIVAL OFF OUR SHORES OF PERHAPS THE TRUE

FORERUNNERS OF THE KIND OF RADIO WE ARE USED TO TODAY.

Radio Caroline 1966

Mi Amigo
Caroline 1966

Laissez Faire

Laissez Faire

The original Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline North

 

Radio London

Radio London

Radio Caroline 1984

Radio Caroline 1984

 

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IT BECAME ECONOMIC FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BUY AIRTIME.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT ERA WAS TO BE SHORT LIVED. IT DID, HOWEVER, SERVE TO

RE-IGNITE THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL RADIO IN THE UK.

APART FROM THE SOLE PRIVATE STATION ON THE ISLE OF MAN – MANX RADIO, IT WAS AGAIN TO

THE BBC THAT GOVERNMENT LOOKED. BUT TIMES HAD CHANGED AND THE NEW BBC LOCAL

STATIONS DID NOT ENJOY THE SUCCESS OF THEIR FORERUNNERS IN THE 1920’S.

PARTLY THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE FM ONLY AND MOST PEOPLE STILL RELIED

ON GOOD OLD AM BUT THE LOCAL OUTPUT WAS RESTRICTED TO ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS A DAY

AND MUCH OF THIS WAS AIMED AT MINORITY INTERESTS!

Manx Radio

Manx Radio

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station - BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station – BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

 

AND SO A NEW KIND OF LOCAL RADIO WAS INTRODUCED. THE ORIGINAL ILR STATIONS HAD

 

NO NETWORK FROM WHICH TO DRAW PROGRAMMES AND SO THEIR OUTPUTS WERE 100%

 

LOCAL.

Local Radio in 1992

Local Radio in 1992

 

 

 

 

WITH NO CONTROL FROM THE CENTRE THEY COULD TAILOR THEIR PROGRAMMING TO SUIT THE

LOCALITY SERVED. EACH STATION THEREFORE HAD ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE FEEL AND MORE

IMPORTANTLY, SOUND.

 

THEY RE-INTRODUCED THE “FUN” ELEMENT WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED THE OFFSHORE

STATIONS BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY LINKED WITH THE COMMUNITIES

THEY WERE TRYING TO SERVE.

FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE INITIAL 19 ILR STATIONS BETWEEN 1973 AND 1976, THE NUMBER OF

STATIONS HAS DRAMATICALLY RISEN TO THE CURRENT FIGURE OF OVER  275, IN THEORY,

GIVING BOTH THE LISTENER AND ADVERTISER THE WIDEST CHOICE THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN.

ilr

 

A clip from the first ever capital radio broadcast

 

REGRETTABLY, BUT PERHAPS PREDICTABLY WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY INDEPENDENT

STATIONS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA BEING SERVED, BECAME

SWALLOWED UP AS RADIO GROUPS BEGAN TO FORM. SUDDENLY THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO

NETWORK A COMMON PROGRAMME, INTRODUCE A COMMOM PLAYLIST AND EVEN HAVE A

COMMON LOGO WITHOUT EVEN THE PRETENCE OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY.

THE LESSON THAT PEOPLE ARE LOYAL TO THEIR LOCAL STATION, BECAUSE IT IS LOCAL SEEMS

TO HAVE BEEN LOST ON SOME OF THOSE RUNNING STATIONS TODAY.

 

A VIEW WAS TAKEN BY ONE GROUP, THAT IF THEY COULD NETWORK THEIR AM GOLD

SERVICE, THEY COULD AFFORD TO EMPLOY BIG NAME PRESENTERS AND THAT

THIS WOULD INCREASE AUDIENCES. IN FACT AUDIENCES FELL AND CONTINUED TO FALL.

NOW AUDIENCES ARE FALLING ON  SOME FM SERVICES, SO WHAT DID THEY DECIDE TO DO? YOU

GUESSED IT, NETWORK AND EMPLOY BIG NAMES!

 

WITH DIGITAL RADIO NOW CATERING FOR EVERY CONCEIVABLE TASTE, THE FACT THAT

LISTENERS WILL ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO A STATION THEY CONSIDER TO BE THEIR OWN, SEEMS TO

HAVE BEEN LOST ON MANY IN THE INDUSTRY, WHO NOW SEEM DRIVEN BY THEIR ACCOUNTANTS,

RATHER THAN THE PASSION FOR THE MEDIUM WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY WHY THEY CAME INTO

IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

 

WHAT A TRAGEDY!

Radio map 2

 

MERCIFULLY WE NOW HAVE A NEW TIER – OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS LIKE

PHOENIX FM – WHICH ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO RESTORE FULL SCALE LOCALLY PRODUCED

PROGRAMMING WHILST SERVING A COHERENT LOCAL COMMUNITY.

 

STATIONS LIKE PHOENIX FM AIM TO PRODUCE PROGRAMMES RELEVANT TO

THE AUDIENCES THEY SEEK TO SERVE.

 

ONCE AGAIN COMMERCIAL AIRTIME IS WITHIN THE REACH OF EVEN THE SMALLEST LOCAL

BUSINESS. SECONDLY PHOENIX FM AIMS TO BE NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT ALSO BOTH  FUN AND

UNPREDICTABLE

THESE DAYS VIRTUALLY EVERY STATION SOUNDS THE SAME. NOT SO PHOENIX FM!

PLAYLISTS REFLECT THE TASTES OF OUR AUDIENCES AND ARE NOT DREAMT UP IN

SOME REMOTE PART OF THE COUNTRY, OR LONDON, BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT

OF WHAT PEOPLE IN OUR AREA WANT.

 

IN CONCLUSION LET ME JUST MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT EVEN THE ORIGINAL ILR

SERVICES WERE OFTEN FORCED TO TRY TO COVER TOO WIDE AN AREA.

WHAT DO THE INHABITANTS OF TWITTY FEE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THOSE

LIVING IN  DAGENHAM  OR ILFORD? VERY LITTLE, I WOULD BEG TO SUGGEST AND SO BY

COVERING A TIGHT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A TRULY UNIQUE SOUNDING

STATION TAILOR MADE TO THE COVERAGE AREA  AND THOSE LIVING WITHIN IT, SUCH THAT

LISTENERS CAN AND DO REGARD IT AS THEIR VERY OWN.

Radio Map 3

 

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

Suited n Booted and not a beer in sight…

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

 

 

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three, Sunday Lunch
More from
More from Phoenix FM


A concise history of Local Radio by Scott Ross

This week Scott Ross was Invited to the Upminster Rotary Club to give a after dinner talk on the history of local radio, it was held at Upminster Golf Club, where Scott, who was the guest speaker and Myself whom merely  run the projection av side along with a  powerpoint presentation entertained the 25 strong audience for the evening.  Below you can find the Concise history of local radio speech with some of the pictures and sound clips used in the talk. please feel free to post any questions on at the bottom of the page.

 

AS IS WELL KNOWN THIS YEAR SEES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR. WHY DO I MENTION THAT? WELL REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST HOW MUCH HAS

CHANGED  DURING THE PAST CENTURY.

 

IN 1900 BUSES WERE STILL DRAWN BY HORSES AND YET THE SAME CENTURY

HAS SEEN MEN WALK ON THE MOON.

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS CHANGES HAS BEEN IN THE

FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS.

IN 1900 THE VERY IDEA THAT PEOPLE THEN LIVING WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR

SPEECH AND MUSIC FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS

WITH NO TANGIBLE LINK WAS NOT EVEN PRESENT IN THE MINDS OF THE

SCIENTISTS OF THE DAY, LET ALONE THE GENERAL PUBLIC. NOBODY THEN LIVING

HAD ANY REASON TO THINK THAT THEY WERE SOON TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A

NEW COMMUNICATION MEDIUM THAT WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS WOULD COVER

THE GLOBE TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL, EXERTING MORE PRESSURE ON PUBLIC

OPINION THAN PULPIT, PLATFORM, THEATRE AND THE PRINTED WORD COMBINED.

PERHAPS EVEN MORE ASTONISHING IS THE FACT THAT AT THE END OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR BROADCASTING DID NOT EXIST, BUT BY THE BEGINNING OF THE

SECOND IT HAD SPANNED THE WORLD!

IN FACT RADIO BROADCASTING ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX AND WHILST

MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER THAT SO FAR AS BRITAIN IS CONCERNED

COMMERCIAL RADIO DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 1973. THIS IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE.

marconi

Marconi Transmitter Chelmsford

Chelmsford 5xx transmitter
Chelmsford 5xx transmitter

 

 

THE VERY FIRST STATIONS WERE NOT BBC OPERATED.

AS EARLY AS JUNE 1920 THE DAILY MAIL HAD SPONSORED A BROADCAST FROM

CHELMSFORD. THAT STATION WAS, HOWEVER FORCED TO CLOSE LATER THAT

YEAR, ON THE GROUNDS THAT BROADCASTING ENTERTAINMENT WAS LIKELY TO INTERFERE

WITH STATIONS DOING “REAL WORK”.

IT’S SUCCESSOR WHICH OPENED AT WRITTLE IN FEBRUARY 1922 WAS AUTHORISED TO

BROADCAST FOR JUST 15 MINUTES A WEEK!

Writtle Radio Station

2 MT Writtle

 

LATER THAT SAME YEAR THE BBC WAS FORMED AS THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY

LIMITED BY 6 BIG FIRMS: BRITISH THOMSON HOUSTON, GENERAL ELECTRIC, MARCONI,

METROPOLITAN VICKERS, RADIO COMMUNICATION AND WESTERN ELECTRIC, EACH OF WHICH

PUT UP £10,000. ANOTHER £40,000 WAS AVAILABLE IN £1 SHARES FOR OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

EVENTUALLY THE COMPANY HAD 1700 SHAREHOLDERS.  THE COMPANY HAD BEEN FORMED BY

THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS OF RADIO RECEIVERS AT THE BEHEST OF  THE POST OFFICE,

NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANY POLITICAL REQUIREMENT FOR A MONOPOLY  BUT BECAUSE THE

POST OFFICE DID NOT WANT THE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN DECIDING  AMONGST THE

VARIOUS APPLICANTS FOR LICENCES WHO HAD COME FORWARD. THE LONDON  STATION – 2LO

WAS RUN BY THE MARCONI COMPANY, THE BIRMINGHAM STATION 5IT BY  INTERNATIONAL

WESTERN ELECTRIC AND THE MANCHESTER STATION 2ZY BY METROPOLITAN  VICKERS. THE

STATIONS WERE EACH POWERED AT ABOUT 1500 WATTS. BY THE END OF 1926 AT

LEAST 70% OF THE POPULATION WAS WITHIN RANGE OF A LOCAL STATION

radio map 1

 

 

WHAT IS PERHAPS LESS WELL KNOWN IS THAT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING AT LEAST, THE BBC

STARTED LIFE AS A “PIRATE”. THE FIRST BROADCASTS WERE MADE IN NOVEMBER FROM THE

LONDON STATION “2LO” AT MARCONI HOUSE, BUT THE LICENCE, ALBEIT BACKDATED,

WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL JANUARY 18TH 1923.

2LO  at Marconi House

2LO at Marconi House

 

BY 1926 THE IDEA OF MONOPOLY BROADCASTING HAD, HOWEVER, BECOME ENTRENCHED, AND

THE ORIGINAL PRIVATE COMPANY BECAME THE CORPORATION, IT REMAINS TODAY.

THE BBC STATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL, IN PART BECAUSE THEY WERE “LOCAL”.

THE TECHNOLOGY TO NETWORK NATIONALLY HAD YET TO BE INVENTED. ONCE RADIO BECAME

NATIONAL, AUDIENCES STARTED TO STRAY ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE MORE LIVELY

ENTERTAINMENT EMANATING FROM COMMERCIAL COMPETITORS ON THE CONTINENT.

IN SPITE OF ENORMOUS OPPOSITION FROM THE BBC THEMSELVES, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

POST OFFICE THIS COMPETITION GREW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE 1930’S.

 

plugge

 

THE MAN BEHIND THIS WAS A CERTAIN CAPTAIN LEONARD PLUGGE  (pictured above) WHO MIGHT HAVE GIVEN HIS

NAME TO COMMERCIALS, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS “PLUGS” HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR

THE FACT THAT HIS NAME WAS ACTUALLY PRONOUNCED AS PLUUGE.

 

HE HAD ORIGINALLY PERSUADED SELFRIDGES TO SPONSOR A  FASHION SHOW FROM PARIS IN

1925, ALTHOUGH ONLY 4 PEOPLE ARE RECORDED AS HAVING HEARD THE BROADCAST!

 

EARLY IN THE 1930’S HE FOUNDED THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY WHO

OPERATED FROM MANY STATIONS ON THE CONTINENT, THE MOST FAMOUS OF WHICH WERE

UNDOUBTEDLY RADIO NORMANDY AND, FOR A SHORT TIME, RADIO LUXEMBOURG BEFORE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT STATION PASSED TO  WIRELESS PUBLICITY LTD, WHO WERE LINKED

WITH CABLE & WIRELESS.

 

IBC

IBC

JUST HOW EFFECTIVE COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS THEN, IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT

THAT EVEN TODAY MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE OVALTINEYS EVEN THOUGH THE

PROGRAMME HAS NOT BEEN ON AIR SINCE 1939 – THAT’S 75 YEARS!

Ovaltineys

Radio Luxemburg

Radio Luxemburg

ONLY THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR STIFLED THIS COMPETITION.

THE 1960’S THOUGH SAW THE ARRIVAL OFF OUR SHORES OF PERHAPS THE TRUE

FORERUNNERS OF THE KIND OF RADIO WE ARE USED TO TODAY.

Radio Caroline 1966

Mi Amigo
Caroline 1966

Laissez Faire

Laissez Faire

The original Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline North

 

Radio London

Radio London

Radio Caroline 1984

Radio Caroline 1984

 

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IT BECAME ECONOMIC FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BUY AIRTIME.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT ERA WAS TO BE SHORT LIVED. IT DID, HOWEVER, SERVE TO

RE-IGNITE THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL RADIO IN THE UK.

APART FROM THE SOLE PRIVATE STATION ON THE ISLE OF MAN – MANX RADIO, IT WAS AGAIN TO

THE BBC THAT GOVERNMENT LOOKED. BUT TIMES HAD CHANGED AND THE NEW BBC LOCAL

STATIONS DID NOT ENJOY THE SUCCESS OF THEIR FORERUNNERS IN THE 1920’S.

PARTLY THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE FM ONLY AND MOST PEOPLE STILL RELIED

ON GOOD OLD AM BUT THE LOCAL OUTPUT WAS RESTRICTED TO ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS A DAY

AND MUCH OF THIS WAS AIMED AT MINORITY INTERESTS!

Manx Radio

Manx Radio

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station - BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station – BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

 

AND SO A NEW KIND OF LOCAL RADIO WAS INTRODUCED. THE ORIGINAL ILR STATIONS HAD

 

NO NETWORK FROM WHICH TO DRAW PROGRAMMES AND SO THEIR OUTPUTS WERE 100%

 

LOCAL.

Local Radio in 1992

Local Radio in 1992

 

 

 

 

WITH NO CONTROL FROM THE CENTRE THEY COULD TAILOR THEIR PROGRAMMING TO SUIT THE

LOCALITY SERVED. EACH STATION THEREFORE HAD ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE FEEL AND MORE

IMPORTANTLY, SOUND.

 

THEY RE-INTRODUCED THE “FUN” ELEMENT WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED THE OFFSHORE

STATIONS BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY LINKED WITH THE COMMUNITIES

THEY WERE TRYING TO SERVE.

FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE INITIAL 19 ILR STATIONS BETWEEN 1973 AND 1976, THE NUMBER OF

STATIONS HAS DRAMATICALLY RISEN TO THE CURRENT FIGURE OF OVER  275, IN THEORY,

GIVING BOTH THE LISTENER AND ADVERTISER THE WIDEST CHOICE THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN.

ilr

 

A clip from the first ever capital radio broadcast

 

REGRETTABLY, BUT PERHAPS PREDICTABLY WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY INDEPENDENT

STATIONS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA BEING SERVED, BECAME

SWALLOWED UP AS RADIO GROUPS BEGAN TO FORM. SUDDENLY THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO

NETWORK A COMMON PROGRAMME, INTRODUCE A COMMOM PLAYLIST AND EVEN HAVE A

COMMON LOGO WITHOUT EVEN THE PRETENCE OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY.

THE LESSON THAT PEOPLE ARE LOYAL TO THEIR LOCAL STATION, BECAUSE IT IS LOCAL SEEMS

TO HAVE BEEN LOST ON SOME OF THOSE RUNNING STATIONS TODAY.

 

A VIEW WAS TAKEN BY ONE GROUP, THAT IF THEY COULD NETWORK THEIR AM GOLD

SERVICE, THEY COULD AFFORD TO EMPLOY BIG NAME PRESENTERS AND THAT

THIS WOULD INCREASE AUDIENCES. IN FACT AUDIENCES FELL AND CONTINUED TO FALL.

NOW AUDIENCES ARE FALLING ON  SOME FM SERVICES, SO WHAT DID THEY DECIDE TO DO? YOU

GUESSED IT, NETWORK AND EMPLOY BIG NAMES!

 

WITH DIGITAL RADIO NOW CATERING FOR EVERY CONCEIVABLE TASTE, THE FACT THAT

LISTENERS WILL ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO A STATION THEY CONSIDER TO BE THEIR OWN, SEEMS TO

HAVE BEEN LOST ON MANY IN THE INDUSTRY, WHO NOW SEEM DRIVEN BY THEIR ACCOUNTANTS,

RATHER THAN THE PASSION FOR THE MEDIUM WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY WHY THEY CAME INTO

IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

 

WHAT A TRAGEDY!

Radio map 2

 

MERCIFULLY WE NOW HAVE A NEW TIER – OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS LIKE

PHOENIX FM – WHICH ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO RESTORE FULL SCALE LOCALLY PRODUCED

PROGRAMMING WHILST SERVING A COHERENT LOCAL COMMUNITY.

 

STATIONS LIKE PHOENIX FM AIM TO PRODUCE PROGRAMMES RELEVANT TO

THE AUDIENCES THEY SEEK TO SERVE.

 

ONCE AGAIN COMMERCIAL AIRTIME IS WITHIN THE REACH OF EVEN THE SMALLEST LOCAL

BUSINESS. SECONDLY PHOENIX FM AIMS TO BE NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT ALSO BOTH  FUN AND

UNPREDICTABLE

THESE DAYS VIRTUALLY EVERY STATION SOUNDS THE SAME. NOT SO PHOENIX FM!

PLAYLISTS REFLECT THE TASTES OF OUR AUDIENCES AND ARE NOT DREAMT UP IN

SOME REMOTE PART OF THE COUNTRY, OR LONDON, BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT

OF WHAT PEOPLE IN OUR AREA WANT.

 

IN CONCLUSION LET ME JUST MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT EVEN THE ORIGINAL ILR

SERVICES WERE OFTEN FORCED TO TRY TO COVER TOO WIDE AN AREA.

WHAT DO THE INHABITANTS OF TWITTY FEE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THOSE

LIVING IN  DAGENHAM  OR ILFORD? VERY LITTLE, I WOULD BEG TO SUGGEST AND SO BY

COVERING A TIGHT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A TRULY UNIQUE SOUNDING

STATION TAILOR MADE TO THE COVERAGE AREA  AND THOSE LIVING WITHIN IT, SUCH THAT

LISTENERS CAN AND DO REGARD IT AS THEIR VERY OWN.

Radio Map 3

 

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

Suited n Booted and not a beer in sight…

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

 

 

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A concise history of Local Radio by Scott Ross

This week Scott Ross was Invited to the Upminster Rotary Club to give a after dinner talk on the history of local radio, it was held at Upminster Golf Club, where Scott, who was the guest speaker and Myself whom merely  run the projection av side along with a  powerpoint presentation entertained the 25 strong audience for the evening.  Below you can find the Concise history of local radio speech with some of the pictures and sound clips used in the talk. please feel free to post any questions on at the bottom of the page.

 

AS IS WELL KNOWN THIS YEAR SEES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR. WHY DO I MENTION THAT? WELL REALLY TO HIGHLIGHT JUST HOW MUCH HAS

CHANGED  DURING THE PAST CENTURY.

 

IN 1900 BUSES WERE STILL DRAWN BY HORSES AND YET THE SAME CENTURY

HAS SEEN MEN WALK ON THE MOON.

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS CHANGES HAS BEEN IN THE

FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS.

IN 1900 THE VERY IDEA THAT PEOPLE THEN LIVING WOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR

SPEECH AND MUSIC FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS

WITH NO TANGIBLE LINK WAS NOT EVEN PRESENT IN THE MINDS OF THE

SCIENTISTS OF THE DAY, LET ALONE THE GENERAL PUBLIC. NOBODY THEN LIVING

HAD ANY REASON TO THINK THAT THEY WERE SOON TO WITNESS THE BIRTH OF A

NEW COMMUNICATION MEDIUM THAT WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS WOULD COVER

THE GLOBE TO BECOME MORE POWERFUL, EXERTING MORE PRESSURE ON PUBLIC

OPINION THAN PULPIT, PLATFORM, THEATRE AND THE PRINTED WORD COMBINED.

PERHAPS EVEN MORE ASTONISHING IS THE FACT THAT AT THE END OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR BROADCASTING DID NOT EXIST, BUT BY THE BEGINNING OF THE

SECOND IT HAD SPANNED THE WORLD!

IN FACT RADIO BROADCASTING ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX AND WHILST

MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONSIDER THAT SO FAR AS BRITAIN IS CONCERNED

COMMERCIAL RADIO DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 1973. THIS IS ONLY PARTLY TRUE.

marconi

Marconi Transmitter Chelmsford

Chelmsford 5xx transmitter
Chelmsford 5xx transmitter

 

 

THE VERY FIRST STATIONS WERE NOT BBC OPERATED.

AS EARLY AS JUNE 1920 THE DAILY MAIL HAD SPONSORED A BROADCAST FROM

CHELMSFORD. THAT STATION WAS, HOWEVER FORCED TO CLOSE LATER THAT

YEAR, ON THE GROUNDS THAT BROADCASTING ENTERTAINMENT WAS LIKELY TO INTERFERE

WITH STATIONS DOING “REAL WORK”.

IT’S SUCCESSOR WHICH OPENED AT WRITTLE IN FEBRUARY 1922 WAS AUTHORISED TO

BROADCAST FOR JUST 15 MINUTES A WEEK!

Writtle Radio Station

2 MT Writtle

 

LATER THAT SAME YEAR THE BBC WAS FORMED AS THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY

LIMITED BY 6 BIG FIRMS: BRITISH THOMSON HOUSTON, GENERAL ELECTRIC, MARCONI,

METROPOLITAN VICKERS, RADIO COMMUNICATION AND WESTERN ELECTRIC, EACH OF WHICH

PUT UP £10,000. ANOTHER £40,000 WAS AVAILABLE IN £1 SHARES FOR OTHER MANUFACTURERS.

EVENTUALLY THE COMPANY HAD 1700 SHAREHOLDERS.  THE COMPANY HAD BEEN FORMED BY

THE VARIOUS MANUFACTURERS OF RADIO RECEIVERS AT THE BEHEST OF  THE POST OFFICE,

NOT BECAUSE THERE WAS ANY POLITICAL REQUIREMENT FOR A MONOPOLY  BUT BECAUSE THE

POST OFFICE DID NOT WANT THE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVED IN DECIDING  AMONGST THE

VARIOUS APPLICANTS FOR LICENCES WHO HAD COME FORWARD. THE LONDON  STATION – 2LO

WAS RUN BY THE MARCONI COMPANY, THE BIRMINGHAM STATION 5IT BY  INTERNATIONAL

WESTERN ELECTRIC AND THE MANCHESTER STATION 2ZY BY METROPOLITAN  VICKERS. THE

STATIONS WERE EACH POWERED AT ABOUT 1500 WATTS. BY THE END OF 1926 AT

LEAST 70% OF THE POPULATION WAS WITHIN RANGE OF A LOCAL STATION

radio map 1

 

 

WHAT IS PERHAPS LESS WELL KNOWN IS THAT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING AT LEAST, THE BBC

STARTED LIFE AS A “PIRATE”. THE FIRST BROADCASTS WERE MADE IN NOVEMBER FROM THE

LONDON STATION “2LO” AT MARCONI HOUSE, BUT THE LICENCE, ALBEIT BACKDATED,

WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL JANUARY 18TH 1923.

2LO  at Marconi House

2LO at Marconi House

 

BY 1926 THE IDEA OF MONOPOLY BROADCASTING HAD, HOWEVER, BECOME ENTRENCHED, AND

THE ORIGINAL PRIVATE COMPANY BECAME THE CORPORATION, IT REMAINS TODAY.

THE BBC STATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL, IN PART BECAUSE THEY WERE “LOCAL”.

THE TECHNOLOGY TO NETWORK NATIONALLY HAD YET TO BE INVENTED. ONCE RADIO BECAME

NATIONAL, AUDIENCES STARTED TO STRAY ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE MORE LIVELY

ENTERTAINMENT EMANATING FROM COMMERCIAL COMPETITORS ON THE CONTINENT.

IN SPITE OF ENORMOUS OPPOSITION FROM THE BBC THEMSELVES, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE

POST OFFICE THIS COMPETITION GREW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE 1930’S.

 

plugge

 

THE MAN BEHIND THIS WAS A CERTAIN CAPTAIN LEONARD PLUGGE  (pictured above) WHO MIGHT HAVE GIVEN HIS

NAME TO COMMERCIALS, WHICH ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS “PLUGS” HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR

THE FACT THAT HIS NAME WAS ACTUALLY PRONOUNCED AS PLUUGE.

 

HE HAD ORIGINALLY PERSUADED SELFRIDGES TO SPONSOR A  FASHION SHOW FROM PARIS IN

1925, ALTHOUGH ONLY 4 PEOPLE ARE RECORDED AS HAVING HEARD THE BROADCAST!

 

EARLY IN THE 1930’S HE FOUNDED THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY WHO

OPERATED FROM MANY STATIONS ON THE CONTINENT, THE MOST FAMOUS OF WHICH WERE

UNDOUBTEDLY RADIO NORMANDY AND, FOR A SHORT TIME, RADIO LUXEMBOURG BEFORE

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT STATION PASSED TO  WIRELESS PUBLICITY LTD, WHO WERE LINKED

WITH CABLE & WIRELESS.

 

IBC

IBC

JUST HOW EFFECTIVE COMMERCIAL RADIO WAS THEN, IS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT

THAT EVEN TODAY MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE OVALTINEYS EVEN THOUGH THE

PROGRAMME HAS NOT BEEN ON AIR SINCE 1939 – THAT’S 75 YEARS!

Ovaltineys

Radio Luxemburg

Radio Luxemburg

ONLY THE OUTBREAK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR STIFLED THIS COMPETITION.

THE 1960’S THOUGH SAW THE ARRIVAL OFF OUR SHORES OF PERHAPS THE TRUE

FORERUNNERS OF THE KIND OF RADIO WE ARE USED TO TODAY.

Radio Caroline 1966

Mi Amigo
Caroline 1966

Laissez Faire

Laissez Faire

The original Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline North

 

Radio London

Radio London

Radio Caroline 1984

Radio Caroline 1984

 

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IT BECAME ECONOMIC FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BUY AIRTIME.

UNFORTUNATELY THAT ERA WAS TO BE SHORT LIVED. IT DID, HOWEVER, SERVE TO

RE-IGNITE THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF LOCAL RADIO IN THE UK.

APART FROM THE SOLE PRIVATE STATION ON THE ISLE OF MAN – MANX RADIO, IT WAS AGAIN TO

THE BBC THAT GOVERNMENT LOOKED. BUT TIMES HAD CHANGED AND THE NEW BBC LOCAL

STATIONS DID NOT ENJOY THE SUCCESS OF THEIR FORERUNNERS IN THE 1920’S.

PARTLY THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE FM ONLY AND MOST PEOPLE STILL RELIED

ON GOOD OLD AM BUT THE LOCAL OUTPUT WAS RESTRICTED TO ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS A DAY

AND MUCH OF THIS WAS AIMED AT MINORITY INTERESTS!

Manx Radio

Manx Radio

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station - BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

a picture of the PMG, Edward Short and other dignitaries at the opening of the first BBC local radio station – BBC RADIO LEICESTER in November 1967

 

AND SO A NEW KIND OF LOCAL RADIO WAS INTRODUCED. THE ORIGINAL ILR STATIONS HAD

 

NO NETWORK FROM WHICH TO DRAW PROGRAMMES AND SO THEIR OUTPUTS WERE 100%

 

LOCAL.

Local Radio in 1992

Local Radio in 1992

 

 

 

 

WITH NO CONTROL FROM THE CENTRE THEY COULD TAILOR THEIR PROGRAMMING TO SUIT THE

LOCALITY SERVED. EACH STATION THEREFORE HAD ITS OWN DISTINCTIVE FEEL AND MORE

IMPORTANTLY, SOUND.

 

THEY RE-INTRODUCED THE “FUN” ELEMENT WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED THE OFFSHORE

STATIONS BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY LINKED WITH THE COMMUNITIES

THEY WERE TRYING TO SERVE.

FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE INITIAL 19 ILR STATIONS BETWEEN 1973 AND 1976, THE NUMBER OF

STATIONS HAS DRAMATICALLY RISEN TO THE CURRENT FIGURE OF OVER  275, IN THEORY,

GIVING BOTH THE LISTENER AND ADVERTISER THE WIDEST CHOICE THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN.

ilr

 

A clip from the first ever capital radio broadcast

 

REGRETTABLY, BUT PERHAPS PREDICTABLY WHAT WERE ORIGINALLY INDEPENDENT

STATIONS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PEOPLE LIVING IN THE AREA BEING SERVED, BECAME

SWALLOWED UP AS RADIO GROUPS BEGAN TO FORM. SUDDENLY THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO

NETWORK A COMMON PROGRAMME, INTRODUCE A COMMOM PLAYLIST AND EVEN HAVE A

COMMON LOGO WITHOUT EVEN THE PRETENCE OF INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY.

THE LESSON THAT PEOPLE ARE LOYAL TO THEIR LOCAL STATION, BECAUSE IT IS LOCAL SEEMS

TO HAVE BEEN LOST ON SOME OF THOSE RUNNING STATIONS TODAY.

 

A VIEW WAS TAKEN BY ONE GROUP, THAT IF THEY COULD NETWORK THEIR AM GOLD

SERVICE, THEY COULD AFFORD TO EMPLOY BIG NAME PRESENTERS AND THAT

THIS WOULD INCREASE AUDIENCES. IN FACT AUDIENCES FELL AND CONTINUED TO FALL.

NOW AUDIENCES ARE FALLING ON  SOME FM SERVICES, SO WHAT DID THEY DECIDE TO DO? YOU

GUESSED IT, NETWORK AND EMPLOY BIG NAMES!

 

WITH DIGITAL RADIO NOW CATERING FOR EVERY CONCEIVABLE TASTE, THE FACT THAT

LISTENERS WILL ALWAYS BE LOYAL TO A STATION THEY CONSIDER TO BE THEIR OWN, SEEMS TO

HAVE BEEN LOST ON MANY IN THE INDUSTRY, WHO NOW SEEM DRIVEN BY THEIR ACCOUNTANTS,

RATHER THAN THE PASSION FOR THE MEDIUM WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY WHY THEY CAME INTO

IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

 

WHAT A TRAGEDY!

Radio map 2

 

MERCIFULLY WE NOW HAVE A NEW TIER – OF COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS LIKE

PHOENIX FM – WHICH ONCE AGAIN STRIVE TO RESTORE FULL SCALE LOCALLY PRODUCED

PROGRAMMING WHILST SERVING A COHERENT LOCAL COMMUNITY.

 

STATIONS LIKE PHOENIX FM AIM TO PRODUCE PROGRAMMES RELEVANT TO

THE AUDIENCES THEY SEEK TO SERVE.

 

ONCE AGAIN COMMERCIAL AIRTIME IS WITHIN THE REACH OF EVEN THE SMALLEST LOCAL

BUSINESS. SECONDLY PHOENIX FM AIMS TO BE NOT JUST LOCAL, BUT ALSO BOTH  FUN AND

UNPREDICTABLE

THESE DAYS VIRTUALLY EVERY STATION SOUNDS THE SAME. NOT SO PHOENIX FM!

PLAYLISTS REFLECT THE TASTES OF OUR AUDIENCES AND ARE NOT DREAMT UP IN

SOME REMOTE PART OF THE COUNTRY, OR LONDON, BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT

OF WHAT PEOPLE IN OUR AREA WANT.

 

IN CONCLUSION LET ME JUST MAKE MENTION OF THE FACT THAT EVEN THE ORIGINAL ILR

SERVICES WERE OFTEN FORCED TO TRY TO COVER TOO WIDE AN AREA.

WHAT DO THE INHABITANTS OF TWITTY FEE HAVE IN COMMON WITH THOSE

LIVING IN  DAGENHAM  OR ILFORD? VERY LITTLE, I WOULD BEG TO SUGGEST AND SO BY

COVERING A TIGHT GEOGRAPHICAL AREA WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE A TRULY UNIQUE SOUNDING

STATION TAILOR MADE TO THE COVERAGE AREA  AND THOSE LIVING WITHIN IT, SUCH THAT

LISTENERS CAN AND DO REGARD IT AS THEIR VERY OWN.

Radio Map 3

 

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

Suited n Booted and not a beer in sight…

SAMSUNG DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

 

 

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three, Sunday Lunch
More from
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