Sunday, February 27, 2011

Birthday celebrations for Radio Humberside, still making waves 40 years on

IT HAS dominated the region's airwaves for four decades.

From humble beginnings above a post office in the Old Town to a purpose-built media hub in Queens Gardens, Radio Humberside has become a household name.

The station first hit the airwaves on February 25, 1971, and its first broadcasts included a match between Hull KR and Widnes and interviews with Hull trawlermen aboard the Miranda, off the Icelandic coast.

Today, 207,000 listeners tune in every week to its popular line-up, including Andy The Breakfast Show, hosted by Andy Comfort and Sportstalk, fronted by Gwilym Lloyd, David Burns, Mike White and Matt Dean.

"At 40, we are still a young cheeky puppy," said managing editor Simon Pattern.

"We don't have a heritage that spans 125 years, like the Mail, but we both understand people are the heart of what we do.

"We have seen the industry evolve from time-consuming reel-to-reel tape recorders to digital recording technology."

Key moments covered by Radio Humberside over the years include the Queen's opening of the Humber Bridge and the Tigers' promotion to the Premier League.

With listeners tuning it for an average of 11 hours each, Radio Humberside is one of the most successful local stations in the country.

Mr Pattern said: "Many people will think the BBC's first presence in Hull was in the 1970s, but it is as early as 1924.

"A Hull station was trialled in Bishop's Lane in the Old Town and was called 6KH.

"As well as providing a relay of London material, the station used to broadcast many hours of its own programmes."

BBC Radio Humberside was to come more than 40 years later, taking up residence in Chapel Street.

The tone of the station's broadcasters has also changed over the years from a stern, establishment voice in the early days to a more friendly style.

Mr Pattern said: "The world was very different back then and continues to change, but engaging with people remains the same."

Other big names include Afternoon Show presenter Phil White and Grimsby-based Lara King, the Morning Show's leading light.

Notable past presenters include Peter Adamson, who joined the station in the 1980s.

For two decades, he presented Soapbox, which ended in 2005.

Afternoon show presenter Phil White, 50, said: "I have been here for the past ten years.

"This anniversary has really proven listeners' worth of the station.

"One lady told me she remembers listening to a birthday request made on her 21st birthday by her mum in 1971.

"Beyond the big stories and the fantastic sports coverage, such small moments show the station is a big impact on people's lives. We have no doubt it will continue to do so."



Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503342/s/12fc923b/l/0L0Sthisishullandeastriding0O0Cnews0CStation0Emaking0Ewaves0E40A0Eyears0Carticle0E3270A4240Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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