What did Independent Local Radio look like?

Today you might pick up a webcam based in a studio relaying live pictures of the presenters at work. Take a look at the Radio 5 Live web cam. An appropriate choice as the broadcasting style of Radio 5 Live owes much to techniques pioneered by LBC/IRN. In the 1970’s and 1980’s listeners would not have had such immediate access to a ‘behind the scenes’ view radio programmes in the making.

The picture reproduced from Sean Street’s history of British radio (2002) was taken in c1985. It features Bob Holness, Douglas Cameron and an unidentified guest presenting the LBC’s AM show which pioneered the use of two presenters in a partnership which ran from 1975-1985. The AM show was a key part of LBC’s output and regularly featured in LBC and IBA’s publicity together with a picture of Holness and Cameron.

“AM is the pacemaker every day. Presented by Douglas Cameron and Bob Holness on the five weekdays, its ranges from the tide times at London’s seaside resorts, through information on Heathrow flights, to national and international weather reports. These are some of the fixed points in a fast moving presentation of news and information , 6-10 a.m. Monday to Friday and 7-10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.” (IBA 1978, 153).

Another thing that helps date the photograph, at least to the right decade, is the poster with LBC’s logo and strapline News Radio in use from c1982 – 1988.

Reference and sources

Independent Broadcasting Authority, 1978. Television & Radio 1978. London: IBA.

Street, S., 2002. A concise history of British radio, 1922-2002. Tiverton: Kelly Publications.