Thameside Radio
Thameside Radio was an unlicensed radio station based in London UK. It launched in the winter of 1977 [1] offering [2] "very slick pop rock with competitions", according to Time Out magazine. According to the Richmond and Twickenham Times, they broadcast from "a certain Notting Hill tower block" [3] – a reference to Trellick Tower.[4]
The station received 30-40 letters each week[5] and had an estimated listenership of around 20,000.[3] It pioneered new music and is noted by the New Musical Express for giving airplay to "Win a Night Out with a Well-Known Paranoiac" by Barry Andrews which was subsequently picked up by BBC Radio 1.[6]
Increasing numbers of raids resulted in the station losing five transmitters in six months[7] and the station ceased live transmission, instead taping its shows shortly before broadcast.[7]
Recordings of a number of Thameside Radio shows are held by the British Library.[8] Many shows are available for download from fmthen.com
In late 1984, Thameside set up the first London unlicensed TV station for a one-off event, which received coverage in the national press [9]
References
- ^ "The Thameside Radio Story: Early Days".
- ^ "Free as the Air". Time Out (449). 23 March 1979.
- ^ a b Frances Welch (28 November 1981). "Secret superbeam – Pirate radio defies Post Office". Richmond and Twickenham Times.
- ^ "The Thameside Radio Story: Technology".
- ^ "Sounds", "Touch That Dial", 15 January 1983
- ^ "NME: Barry Andrews".
- ^ a b "Static Crackle and Pop". Time Out magazine (606). 2 April 1982.
- ^ "Thameside Radio", Sound and Moving Image Catalogue, British Library, retrieved 17 July 2012
- ^ Clive Edwards (9 October 1984). "TV Pirates Ahoy!". Daily Mail. p. 3.
See also
- Thameside Radio Revisited a downloadable archive of over 200 recordings of Thameside Radio shows
- The Thameside Radio Story for more information about the station
- The Intrepid Birdman's archives which include a section on Thameside Radio 90.2
- Surrey-sounds for more info on Thameside Radio and a clip from New year 79/80
- Sample of the station's output