What was the first radio station you grew up listening as a kid?

[Calhoun]

Growing up, it was a combination of stations in Dayton (WING, WONE, WHIO) and Cincinnati (WLW, WSAI.) The first distant station I routinely listened to was KMOX. 10 year old me was amazed when I heard my uncle listening to it one evening in his car, St Louis seemed so far away. Even more fascinating to me was they had an evening talk show (At Your Service), the first I'd ever heard.

As an aside, there was an unanticipated outcome of listening to KMOX nightly as a youngster. I figuring out, more often than not, we got the same weather as St Louis, just the next day/evening. I used to impress my friends by calling weather a day in advance.

 

[Reverend]

Replying from a UK perspective, in the late 70's/early 80's my local station 'Radio Hallam' (Sheffield), launched in 1974, always seemed a bit parochial to me with its primarily soft/album rock playlist and rather flat programming style. The infamous 'Radio Luxembourg' (the Great 208) was the go-to station at night, though the selective fading did make listening very annoying at times.

BBC Radio 1 was really the only station to listen to though its AM-only signal on a dodgy frequency meant that coverage and signal quality were poor. It used to have roadshows in the summer which I used to love listening to, hearing them broadcast live from towns and cities around the UK (mostly on the coast where people flocked in the summer) was a highlight of my summer school holidays.

'Radio Trent' from Nottingham came along in 1975 and its AM signal covered my home city well. It was more upbeat than Hallam and included many of the former Radio Luxembourg DJs, but still suffered from the constraints which stations believed they had to follow in order to stay within the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA)'s rules. The rules for commercial stations were relatively strict and required a 'balanced output' which stations interpreted in ways such as including a certain number of hours of, for example, classical music programming.

When 'Viking Radio' (Hull) started up in 1984, it was a refreshing change with more upbeat presenters and a more up-to-date playlist. It's FM signal also covered the area I lived very well. A particular highlight was Eric The Viking, a construct of DJ Steve King who appeared on his weekend show and was just a sped-up version of Steve's voice. Hearing Eric sing along, out of tune, with Prince's 'Raspberry Beret' will always remain with me.

Offshore pirate Laser 558 came along also in 1984 and with its US DJ's and 'never more than 60 seconds away from the next minute' music scheduling, it ushered in a new era of more modern radio programming. The local UK stations did morph a little at that time to try and compete but never really got to grips with the US-style of presentation.

Not long after that I left to study at university which opened me up to the London radio stations, as well as the dozens of FM pirates that broadcast in the area at the time, but that's a story for another day.

 

[radiofan2023]

Replying from a UK perspective, in the late 70's/early 80's my local station 'Radio Hallam' (Sheffield), launched in 1974, always seemed a bit parochial to me with its primarily soft/album rock playlist and rather flat programming style. The infamous 'Radio Luxembourg' (the Great 208) was the go-to station at night, though the selective fading did make listening very annoying at times.

BBC Radio 1 was really the only station to listen to though its AM-only signal on a dodgy frequency meant that coverage and signal quality were poor. It used to have roadshows in the summer which I used to love listening to, hearing them broadcast live from towns and cities around the UK (mostly on the coast where people flocked in the summer) was a highlight of my summer school holidays.

'Radio Trent' from Nottingham came along in 1975 and its AM signal covered my home city well. It was more upbeat than Hallam and included many of the former Radio Luxembourg DJs, but still suffered from the constraints which stations believed they had to follow in order to stay within the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA)'s rules. The rules for commercial stations were relatively strict and required a 'balanced output' which stations interpreted in ways such as including a certain number of hours of, for example, classical music programming.

When 'Viking Radio' (Hull) started up in 1984, it was a refreshing change with more upbeat presenters and a more up-to-date playlist. It's FM signal also covered the area I lived very well. A particular highlight was Eric The Viking, a construct of DJ Steve King who appeared on his weekend show and was just a sped-up version of Steve's voice. Hearing Eric sing along, out of tune, with Prince's 'Raspberry Beret' will always remain with me.

Offshore pirate Laser 558 came along also in 1984 and with its US DJ's and 'never more than 60 seconds away from the next minute' music scheduling, it ushered in a new era of more modern radio programming. The local UK stations did morph a little at that time to try and compete but never really got to grips with the US-style of presentation.

Not long after that I left to study at university which opened me up to the London radio stations, as well as the dozens of FM pirates that broadcast in the area at the time, but that's a story for another day.

Have you seen the Laser558 streaming site?

Home

Discover the story of LASER558, an iconic pirate radio station with music at its heart, heard across the capital and the UK

laser558.live

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Discover how to listen to Laser558 on DAB radio and other platforms. Stay tuned with our updated coverage list.

laser558.live

 

[Calhoun]

Replying from a UK perspective, in the late 70's/early 80's my local station 'Radio Hallam' (Sheffield), launched in 1974, always seemed a bit parochial to me with its primarily soft/album rock playlist and rather flat programming style. The infamous 'Radio Luxembourg' (the Great 208) was the go-to station at night, though the selective fading did make listening very annoying at times.

BBC Radio 1 was really the only station to listen to though its AM-only signal on a dodgy frequency meant that coverage and signal quality were poor. It used to have roadshows in the summer which I used to love listening to, hearing them broadcast live from towns and cities around the UK (mostly on the coast where people flocked in the summer) was a highlight of my summer school holidays.

'Radio Trent' from Nottingham came along in 1975 and its AM signal covered my home city well. It was more upbeat than Hallam and included many of the former Radio Luxembourg DJs, but still suffered from the constraints which stations believed they had to follow in order to stay within the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA)'s rules. The rules for commercial stations were relatively strict and required a 'balanced output' which stations interpreted in ways such as including a certain number of hours of, for example, classical music programming.

When 'Viking Radio' (Hull) started up in 1984, it was a refreshing change with more upbeat presenters and a more up-to-date playlist. It's FM signal also covered the area I lived very well. A particular highlight was Eric The Viking, a construct of DJ Steve King who appeared on his weekend show and was just a sped-up version of Steve's voice. Hearing Eric sing along, out of tune, with Prince's 'Raspberry Beret' will always remain with me.

Offshore pirate Laser 558 came along also in 1984 and with its US DJ's and 'never more than 60 seconds away from the next minute' music scheduling, it ushered in a new era of more modern radio programming. The local UK stations did morph a little at that time to try and compete but never really got to grips with the US-style of presentation.

Not long after that I left to study at university which opened me up to the London radio stations, as well as the dozens of FM pirates that broadcast in the area at the time, but that's a story for another day.

I too listened to Radio Luxembourg, but via shortwave. The only on-air personality I remember was Kid Jensen from the early 70s. Many years later on business in the UK, I heard him on the air. Don't recall if it was BBC or commercial radio.

I also listened to John Peel's music show on the BBC via shortwave. Disappointed in revelations after his passing.

 

[CTListener]

I too listened to Radio Luxembourg, but via shortwave. The only on-air personality I remember was Kid Jensen from the early 70s. Many years later on business in the UK, I heard him on the air. Don't recall if it was BBC or commercial radio.

I also listened to John Peel's music show on the BBC via shortwave. Disappointed in revelations after his passing.

Two of my favorite BBC shortwave personalities were Stuart Hall, who did soccer commentary, and Clement Freud, a panelist on Just a Minute, a comic game show. Both were so vile in their personal lives that the BBC won't air anything they ever performed on the BBC airwaves to this day.

 

[Calhoun]

Two of my favorite BBC shortwave personalities were Stuart Hall, who did soccer commentary, and Clement Freud, a panelist on Just a Minute, a comic game show. Both were so vile in their personal lives that the BBC won't air anything they ever performed on the BBC airwaves to this day.

Until last month, the BBC was streaming JAM (a long time favorite, btw) 24/7/365.
They played shows from the late 60s through Sue Perkins' early shows after Nicholas Parsons' death. Freud was being streamed at least 18-20 hours a day, missing only from those individual programs on which he didn’t appear and those recorded after his death.

On that same stream, they frequently played an in-depth self-interview (apparently a BBC series) where Freud told a series of amusing anecdotes from life, including a few that involved his grandfather, Sigmund. They was also a special tribute episode they played, with bits taken from multiple shows over the years.

By the way, as of last month, they are only streaming the post-Parsons' JAM series.

 

[Calhoun]

Two of my favorite BBC shortwave personalities were Stuart Hall, who did soccer commentary, and Clement Freud, a panelist on Just a Minute, a comic game show. Both were so vile in their personal lives that the BBC won't air anything they ever performed on the BBC airwaves to this day.

Until last month, the BBC was streaming JAM (a long time favorite, btw) 24/7/365.
They played shows from the late 60s through Sue Perkins' early shows after Nicholas Parsons' death. Freud was being streamed at least 18-20 hours a day, missing only from those individual programs on which he didn’t appear and those recorded after his death.

On that same stream, they frequently played an in-depth self-interview (apparently a BBC series) where Freud told a series of amusing anecdotes from life, including a few that involved his grandfather, Sigmund. They was also a special tribute episode they played, with bits taken from multiple shows over the years.

By the way, as of last month, they are only streaming the post-Parsons' JAM series.

 

[CTListener]

Until last month, the BBC was streaming JAM (a long time favorite, btw) 24/7/365.
They played shows from the late 60s through Sue Perkins' early shows after Nicholas Parsons' death. Freud was being streamed at least 18-20 hours a day, missing only from those individual programs on which he didn’t appear and those recorded after his death.

On that same stream, they frequently played an in-depth self-interview (apparently a BBC series) where Freud told a series of amusing anecdotes from life, including a few that involved his grandfather, Sigmund. They was also a special tribute episode they played, with bits taken from multiple shows over the years.

By the way, as of last month, they are only streaming the post-Parsons' JAM series.

Had no idea that the Beeb was ever streaming old JAMs. There's a YouTube account posting a library of them -- flagging the ones with Freud for listeners who might not want to hear his voice again -- and years back, there was a stream at justaminute.info or some such URL that offered a 24/7 variety of episode going way back to its very early seasons. But did the BBC ever put those Freud JAM reruns ON THE AIR (via Radio 4) after Sir Clement's pedophilia was revealed several years after his death?

I still have two of Freud's books -- the one dealing with his life as a horse racing and gambling aficionado is one I'll never stop reading occasionally -- and one of Hall's, which I haven't looked at in years. I also have Nicholas Parsons' autobiography, which I treasure and hope wholeheartedly that no revelations about him ever crop up!

 

[Calhoun]

Had no idea that the Beeb was ever streaming old JAMs. There's a YouTube account posting a library of them -- flagging the ones with Freud for listeners who might not want to hear his voice again -- and years back, there was a stream at justaminute.info or some such URL that offered a 24/7 variety of episode going way back to its very early seasons. But did the BBC ever put those Freud JAM reruns ON THE AIR (via Radio 4) after Sir Clement's pedophilia was revealed several years after his death?

I still have two of Freud's books -- the one dealing with his life as a horse racing and gambling aficionado is one I'll never stop reading occasionally -- and one of Hall's, which I haven't looked at in years. I also have Nicholas Parsons' autobiography, which I treasure and hope wholeheartedly that no revelations about him ever crop up!

I haven't been back to the UK since 2006, so I don't know about what they played over-the-air after his death. I can tell you I was ecstatic when I found the JAM stream. This would have been in the late/mid teens, later I listened to many an old JAM show during COVID.

I also read Parsons' book, very interesting and talented guy. Didn't know he'd been on "Benny Hill" until I read the book. I was surprised he was never knighted. My favorite JAMmer was Peter Jones, he was hilarious. Also enjoyed Sheila Hancock.

I can't get the "search" function to work here, so I don't know if there is a JAM thread. If not, I may start one over in UK/International Radio.

 

[Voicetrack of Reason]

CKLW Windsor/Detroit, CHYR Leamington, on 710/730 AM, the original 1130 WCAR Detroit, 102.7 WLBS, Mount Clemens/Detroit

 

[IKHNetworks]

My first radio station I ever listened to was WBJZ 104.7.

At the time I found them they were stunting as all Hit Radio.

But they started their station as a jazz station.

B104 the valley is number one hit music station.

Now it's some really heavy metal Rock known as razor 94.7 104.7.

I really do miss the b104 days.

They had club cane, open house party, and party playhouse, they even had Marty in the morning.

And I would always wake up at 5 in the morning to listen to Marty in the morning.

It was awesome

 

[Schroedingers Cat]

CKLW Windsor/Detroit, CHYR Leamington, on 710/730 AM, the original 1130 WCAR Detroit, 102.7 WLBS, Mount Clemens/Detroit

CHYR (CHIR, CHYR-7) was called the "Amazing AM" at one point. It was originally CJSP (which in now 92.7), and went fulltime and big around 1967. They went from 1000 to 10000 watts, and added Nighttime service with originally just 250 watts, later 500 watts on 730 as CHIR, later CHYR-7. They eventually were 1000 watts on 710 at Night, but international complaints from WLW 700 and well known radio aficionados required them to return to 730. WCAR was Top 40 in the early 70s as "The Giant 1130", consulted by the late Conrad Jerome Jones, Jr., who insisted his first name was "CJ". With its 50000 watt Daytime signal, it soon forced WKNR Keener 13 to change to WNIC and WNIC-FM 100.3 with Beautiful Music. WLBS eventually has been able to move to a directional center of market TL as EMF's K-Love as WDKL. It's now closer to 102.9 WWWW Ann Arbor than almost any two Class Bs on first adjacent channels. CKLW 800 is now focused on Windsor with a talk format. There are few listeners across the border now. As Top 40, it was once one of the top listened to stations in the country