Radio Moments - Clips

After nine years, Sandi Toksvig hosted her final edition of 'The News Quiz' on BBC Radio 4 in June 2015. She'd first appeared as a panellist in 1992 under the stewardship of Barry Took. The News Quiz has been a trademark element of the Radio 4 schedule since 1977.

A flavour of how radio around the British Isles reflected the historic vote on the future of its position within the EU.

Radio Victory in Portsmouth was one of very few UK radio stations ever to have its right to broadcast, effectively, withdrawn by the regulator.

In the days of commercial radio’s first regulator, the IBA, franchises to broadcast were awarded; and these were rolled upon satisfactory performance. In later days, fixed terms were awarded, at the end of which a new competitive beauty contest would decide whether the incumbent should live to fight another day. DAB has, in more recent years, interrupted that process.

Whilst the law offers no specific advantage to the incumbent when a licence is advertised, regulators have, quite rightly, felt they needed a decent reason to replace a licensee. A very poor regulatory record or on the edge of bankruptcy; or just a case of not quite taking the hint about what they should be doing in the ensuing term. Famously, the original LBC lost its licence in 1993; albeit the brand name was to return, in due course, under its successor.

Witness here a telescoped edition of the excellent last programme aired by Radio Victory in Portsmouth on 28th June 1986.

This had been a slightly more complex battle as when its franchise ended; a new larger area was being offered by the IBA and three groups put their heads above the parapet.

It was told it had lost out to Ocean Sound in 1985 and closed down the following year. Ocean became Heart, and is now part of Heart South Coast.

Chris Carnegy (thanks for the audio, Chris) delivered the final words in this impressive valedictory programme beautifully; and he subsequently touched down at the replacement station which launched four months later.

A time and a place. Tony Blackburn makes his debut on the Top 40. The pro shines through, with all the rigidity and preciseness the format demand, with just a sprinkling of his personality. Jam jingles punctuate, alongside the voice of the legendary Bill Mitchell, plus some naked-sounding American girls. The music is typically late seventies, with residual punk, the jazz of Spirogyra and the Crusaders and a seasoning of Boney M, before the chart rundown is immaculately delivered.

Audio kindly supplied by the chart archivist, Richard White.

This audio, courtesy Lindsay Reid, show Ian in full flow, hosting News-Scene as he waved farewell to Hallam. This half-hour programme illustrates the depth of news aired on late seventies ILR (commercial radio).

No station will ever rule as BBC Radio 1 did through the 70s, 80s and into the 90s. Despite being, for decades, on AM only, the Corporation’s reluctant pop channel soared to victory in those halcyon red, white and blue days under its Controller Johnny Beerling. Few presenters of that era failed to send a tape in to Johnny in the hope of a plum gig.

In this episode of ‘Conversations’ from #RadioMoments, Johnny tells of Radio 1's first day; his early days in overseas radio; and his tentative steps as a Technical Operator, rising to control the Nation’s biggest radio station. He tells of his appointments and his firings, his hopes and his low moments.

In his own words, recorded in his sunny, windy North Yorkshire garden, this is Johnny’s story.

Read more in Johnny's book, 'Inside Radio 1', available at http://www.johnnybeerling.co.uk/