Tag Archives: radio

In Car Entertainment Sixties Style

Posted on April 28, 2011 by | Leave a comment

car_radioThese days no self-respecting person would buy a car without a CD player as well as a radio but back in 1967, when the heater and demister were often an optional extra, finding a car with a radio fitted was next to impossible.

However, if you had the money and the inclination the hardware to install a radio was already in the shops and ready to buy and fit.

But, before we start talking prices let me set the scene. In 1967 if a man had a good job he was earning around £20 a week (women and young people a lot less). A normal inexpensive 35mm film camera cost between £40 and £60 and a good pair of binoculars about £35. An eight day all-in holiday in Majorca could be had with BEA (British European Airways) for around £30 (and a lot of fun they were, too!).

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The BBC Light Program Part 6

Posted on September 22, 2010 by | Leave a comment

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.

But it’s evening now and, as we don’t have a TV yet, we are all sitting in the living room doing the things that people did before they sat and watched TV. The adults are listening to the radio while they glance at a newspaper or magazine while the children are pursuing a hobby or maybe sitting and drawing (that least that’s what I used to do!). So, lets see what they had to entertain them.

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The BBC Light Program Part 5

Posted on September 15, 2010 by | Leave a comment

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 6

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.

Looking at the listings, last week, we had another look at the Sunday Comedy Hour and there are more programs to cover but these will perhaps wait for their own article a little later.

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The BBC Light Program Part 4

Posted on September 8, 2010 by | Leave a comment

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 5

Part 6

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.

Looking at the listings, last week we finished at 2.30 in the afternoon but we will pause a moment to look at the Sunday comedy hour in a little more depth.

The BBC used to to alternate comedy shows in this hour and a glance at two other copies of the Radio Times reveal these programs that you might have heard after Sunday dinner.

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The BBC Light Program Part 3

Posted on September 1, 2010 by | 5 Comments

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 1

Part 2

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. We are looking at a typical Sunday on the Light Program from the mid 1960s. The Light program was the station that in a few years would be divided to become both Radio 1 and Radio 2.

Looking at the listings, last week we finished at 12.00 Noon so we will continue from there.

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The BBC Light Program Part 2

Posted on August 24, 2010 by | Leave a comment

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 1

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source. Looking at the listings, last week we finished at 8.00 AM so we will continue from there.

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The BBC Light Program Part 1

Posted on August 17, 2010 by | 3 Comments

bbc_radio_light_program_1960sPart 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

In the 1960s radios certainly played music but they also provided more news and entertainment and a greater range of programming than radios do now.

They were also seen as an important information source. Television was still new, not all homes had one and the information and entertainment programs on TV started much later in the afternoon. So the radio was still the main day-time news and information source.

The BBC at the start of the 1960s had three radio channels called Home, Light and Third. These remained for much of the decade only changing to the numbered stations of Radio one, two and three in 1967. You can read the first of my articles on Pirate Radio here to see more about this changeover.

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Pirate Radio Part 5 The Shivering Sands

Posted on July 21, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Radio_city_fort_pirate

Part 1 : The birth of Radio 1 and Radio 2

Part 2 : Needle Time

Part 3 : Radio Caroline

Part 4 : Caroline has competition

Screaming Lord Sutch was a fabulous character who did much to liven up, first the music scene and later the political scene in the UK. And today we look at his contribution to the dreams of pirate radio off the shores of England.

Around the same time that Radio Atlanta began, David Sutch thought that, maybe, he would like to run a pirate radio station. After some thought he decided on a slightly different venue for his station, rather than a precarious boat anchored out in the North Sea.

Off the coast of the UK were several deserted army forts that had been built during the Second World War and Sutch decided to use the fort known as The Shivering Sands to mount his operation.

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