Aircheck Radio Museum

Radio 1 & Radio 2 - 1967-today

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Radio Caroline; 1964. The fact was known that a new radio station was to come on air and so, at the crack of dawn, people were up and about to listen from the very start.  If you had the right kind of radio, such as a Murphy radio with 'Bandspread' that enlarged the top end of the MW dial from 187-210, you could easily find stations like Radio Luxembourg and Caroline.  And so, with the ship's bell and the voice saying 'This is Radio Caroline on 199 - your all-day music station.' a moment in history was made.  

Nobody would have believed that just three years later, the BBC would create a group of their own stations, including 'Wonderful Radio 1' on 247m, the 'Wonderful' tag a hark back and homage payment to 'Wonderful Radio London' - almost a BBC appeal to confuse the lisstener into thinking this was something familiar, cosy and even 'the same as'.  But there wasn't a great deal of delight shown for the new stations - the offshore stations had made too much of dent to be forgotten in a fit of excitement about something that had arguably been part of the demise of the offshore stations.  The Government brought in the Marine Offences (Broadcasting) Act in what seemed like an endless torrent of excuses, a harsh clash with the easy going nature of 60's attitudes.  But it wasn't just the offshore fans that were offended - the older folks were against the changes and the abolition of the Light Programme - fearing a drop in standards.  

It's a little known fact that it was Radio 2 that went on first at 5:30am on the morning of 30th September 1967, with Paul Hollingdale on the Breakfast Special, albeit very much the same as the old Light Programme - so it was clearly a business of spot the difference, at least for the moment.  Hence the reason the start of Radio 1 was such a dominant memory in the annals of radio history.   At 7:00am, Robin Scott, the controller of the first two BBC stations, spoke, played the most memorable piece of music by George Martin, called 'Theme One', accompanied by the advice to retune dependent on what you wanted to listen to - '5, 4, 3, Radio 2, Radio 1, GO!' when the legend was officially born with ex-Radio Caroline DJ Tony Blackburn on 247m, playing The Move's 'Flowers In the Rain' as the first tune to be followed by another legend - the legend of the Tony Blackburn joke!   A hour and a half later, the two networks rejoined with Leslie Crowther on Junior Choice.  

The first BBC local radio station, Radio Leicester, launched shortly afterwards on 8th November 1967.  The first commercial station, Capital Radio, launched almost six years later on 8th October 1973, which really allowed the BBC networks to achieve the sort of dominance the offshore stations had previously enjoyed.  Capital's first voice was that of David Symonds, a Radio 1 DJ himself.  

In the early years, Radio 1 & 2 were actually one and the same on a regular basis - money was tight and needletime restrictions also hit hard.  On the first day of Radio 1, five and half hours were Radio 1 solely, and this didn't go down too well with the younger audience who'd been use to 'Radio Caroline on 199 - your all-day music station'.  Of course, the offshore stations didn't have to abide by the regulations hence the continuous music.  Radio Caroline, the sole survivor from the implementation of the Marine Offences Act, still broadcasting out at sea, continued to provide a real alternative.  Radio Northsea International joined Caroline in the 1970s, to hit the needletime Radio 1 restriction further.  RNI was jammed during the 1970 election campaign, the only time such activity was carried out in the UK - although it was regular in Eastern Block countries.  

A reorganisation of the BBC stations came about on 6th April 1970.  This brought cohesion to Radio 1 & Radio 2 - evening programmes that had appeared oon both networks then started to come under the Radio 2 name - this was something the press couldn't quite grasp and regularly used to put Radio 2 presenters under Radio 1 listings as late as the late 1970s.  

Progressive music came to the fore around this time, and between six & seven at night, Radio 1 featured specialist programming with the likes of heavy rock and folk on prime time radio - arguably groundbreaking radio.  Predominantly featured on albums, this made it hard to fit on the general Radio 1 playlist - 'Sounds Of The Seventies' came to air in October 1971 with the likes of John Peel, Bob Harris, Anne Nightingale and Alan Black at the controls, but again, simulcast on Radio 2 FM and on Radio 1's AM 247metres frequency.   

1970's shortages in energy caused some problems to both networks - early in 1975, late shows were dropped, presenters were moved backwards into the early evening and Radio 2 early hours shows were cancelled completely - and all this almost ten years after launch.  Normality returned after Radio 1's tenth birthday when Radio 2 opened up it's hours again, latterly becoming the first 24hour station on 27th January 1979.  The energy problems took their toll on Radio 1 though and it took more time to get hours back on air.  David Hamilton's show was carried on both services for over two years from January 1975 to November 1977 when he moved to Radio 2 only.  A full mid-evening service came to Radio 1 in the November of 1978 only to be hacked down again to save money in 1980.  

The advent of the commercial stations, especially the London based stations which started first in 1973, expanding nationally through the mid seventies and into the early eighties, provided strong competition to Radio 1.  In 1982, Radio 1's service ran from 6:00am to Midnight every day from December, with small uses of Radio 2's FM frequency for the Top 40, John Peel and Paul Gambaccini's American Chart Show - all seen as hugely popular because the commercial stations didn't care much for the sort of programming offered by Radio 1 at night.  

Music played on the two stations was largely similar, David Hamilton being a pioneer of some of the most popular bands of the 80s.  This wasn't too popular with the old Light Programme audience even though Radio 2' was meant for them - at least that's the intention of statements made by controller Bryan Marriott and head of music Frances Line who, in 1986, had concluded Radio 2' had been trying to 'entertain everyone aged 25 to dead' - a conclusion which led to a policy of 'melody, familiarity, excellence and breadth.'  In stark contrast, 'Sounds Of Jazz' with Peter Clayton and gardening information with Andy Peebles were still aired on Radio 1!

Radio 2' got a revamp in April 1986 - popular pop music was ditched - old classics and instrumentals put in their place.  Derek Jameson, cockney voice and all, was slotted in to breakfast, previously vacated by Terry Wogan in December 1984 - but he still made it his own.  

David Hamilton hopped off to Reading's Radio 210, frustrated Radio 2 'geriatric' music policy claiming 'there's only so much Max Bygraves and Vera Lynn you can play'.  All talk of further simulcasting with Radio 1 was scrapped.  Radio 1 began to form the list of names which would become almost a 'who's who' of UK radio and TV - Steve Wright, Gary Davies, Bruno Brookes, Mike Smith & Mike Read.  Late in the 1980's, radical frequency amendments changed the face of BBC network radio.  Firstly in London, Monday 2nd November 1987, over 20 years since it's inception, then nationally between 97 & 99 FM, by 1989, half of the UK audience would be able to receive Radio 1 in stereo, with the entirety, equally able by the beginning of the 1990's.  

Radio 2 was full stereo from 3rd October 1988 - Radio 1 stopped using Radio 2 FM frequencies at weekends in March 1990.  Radio 5 used Radio 2's AM frequencies, 693 & 909khz from 27th August 1990 to cover sport, news and children's programming, sport previously dominant on Radio 2 - 'Sport On 2' becoming 'Sportt On 5'.  Radio 1 meanwhile went 24 hours on 1st May 1991.  And so, gone were the five minute jingle jams which had previously opened Radio 1 from 5:55am.  

It was at this point that both networks needed stirring into life.  Radio 1 still claimed the audiences of 1967 were still listening - and they were probably right - all the familiar names and styles remained and programming harked back to those very periods with 50's and 60's documentaries ringing bells across the land.  Radio 2 became under the control of Frances Line who continued the 1986 'melody, familiarity, excellence and breadth' policy employed presenters like Judith Chalmers and Katie Boyle, there were people doing hour long specials of their favourite music, and Brian Hayes was replaced when Terry Wogan returned following the end of his TV talk show.

Over on Radio 1, 55 year old controller Johnny Beerling was staying loyal to station favourites DLT, Fluff Freeman, Simon Bates and Bob Harris.  Rumours spread of a Radio 1 sell off - absurd by the standards of today, but to such an extent back then - with alleged plans to play more album tracks, talk more and get more 'newsy' in particular.  Enter Matthew Bannister in 1993.  Exit the masses.  The man who stood up to be counted was Dave Lee Travis who visited the office of Frances Line at Radio 2 to offer his service to the station to broaden it's appeal.  She refused on the basis that his enthusing of nostalgia and his audience were too young for her station - exit Dave to commercial radio, almost 25 years after he joined the BBC.  

Meanwhile, having rode the storm of the exit of the Radio 1 names, Matthew Bannister was bringing in comparitive nobodies, indie-rock, hip hop, R&B, dance and more - Radio 1 would never be the same again.  Radio 2 meanwhile quietly plodded on offering nostalgic documentaries and comedies, news and current affairs reflections and other elements of the 1986 revamp.  If neither station appealed to you, there was always Commercial Radio, local and national with the advent of Virgin on AM.  

The lift Radio 2 needed came in 1996 when Jim Moir took the controller's hat.  Rumours flew in all directions that nothing would change, but a quiet excitement also buzzed due to the freshness given to BBC1 television, all from Jim Moir. This good element saw the re-emergence of ex-Radio 1 names on Radio 2.   Jim knew the station had to be dragged back from the brink of a fuddy-duddy precipice.  Steve Wright returned to the afternoon show, albeit on Radio 2 - Bob Harris, Alan Freeman gave 'Pick Of The Pops' back, and Johnnie Walker replaced the popular John Dunn at drivetime, Janice Long on overnights - all of which contributed to making Radio 2 the number one BBC national network whilst Radio 1 focussed on a core audience, thus, arguably removing it's 'National Pop Station' title.  

It could be argued that the Light Programme audience have either reduced in size, warmed to Radio 2, found an alternative, or switched off altogether.  Radio 2 continues to be of wide appeal weekdays and late nights, with educational documentaries, comedies, and easy listening of dominance at weekends - of obvious appeal, in part at least, to the Light Programme audience, if that's what you could continue to address them as.  

Whilst they remain, Desmond Carrington, David Jacobs and the like, are unlikely to be replaced when they hang their proverbial headphones up.  This will make Radio 2 merely change with the times.  Which, kind of makes it interesting to wonder who may move over from Radio 1 as their predecessors have done before them.  Chris Moyes & Jo Whiley on Radio 2?  It's time to get your log tapes out and start capturing some of it while it's here now - because as Joni Mitchell once said ...'coz you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.'  

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