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Julie's Message:
Gutted to see Radio
Broadland has folded. I moved away from Suffolk several years
ago now so that's why I didn't realise it had gone. Was
mooching around online and wondering if there was still a
'Bride of the Week' slot - I was one 25 years ago!
Tom Paine's Message
Just stumbled into this site,
because was wondering whatever happened to Country Bob
Morgan, who went off to jock in Nashville when he left Amber.
I asked Dave Brown a few weeks back, and he doesn't know
either. Be delighted to hear if anyone knows.
Just saw the ridiculously kind message from Fritz Wright
below. Two versions of why I got fired, both true: 1) making
one smart-arse on-air remark too many on a pre-recorded show
that went out a day or two before New Year and allegedly
embarrassed the station in the eyes of either the IBA or the
Radio Authority or both: seems that Programme Directors,
trained in the Pol Pot school of management, just can't take a
joke. 2) making one smart-arse off-air remark too many to
aforementioned Programme Director, trained in the Pol Pot
school of management, at staff Christmas party, concerning the
gold silk shirt he was ill-advisedly wearing. Immature
revenge, that's all.
By that time, I'd met my current and final missus and was
living down in Islington and it was an unholy and uneconomical
schlep every Sunday, so, while it was a show I missed doing, I
didn't cry too much (given I was getting paid 10 times as much
to do swing shifts on a London station - until a change of
management ended that little earner).
I bought an Ottoman mansion in the Casbah in Kyrenia, which
led to a long love affair with the good end of Turkish music,
as a result of which I was part of the crew which set up
Londra Turk Radyosu, where I spent a number of happy years (as
Tom) doing lates until I got too knackered to think straight
(let alone in a language with 14 tenses).
Since then it's been occasional forays back to my left-field
pirate roots under a variety of names (including the
resurrection of The Legendary Captain Jack Daniels which is
who I was before I morphed into Tom: never felt the need to
resurrect Mike Melody, Rupert D Pigg, or Muscles Tomorrow,
however), and I'm presently preparing to install a studio in
my place in the Midi, from where I'll pump out online stuff,
probably as Tom: keep an eye on the usual left centre outlets,
where you'd not be surprised to hear the Dead, Little Feat, or
the Holy Modal Rounders. This studio is part of a big
restoration project, so I hope to be running by year end,
French builders permitting.
Did I really play Dio? Dion, yes, certainly - and will again.
Deodato, even. But don't know about Dio.
I really don't love too much about what's happened to the
commercial radio industry in the UK over recent years. None of
it, actually. It's not sour grapes; Mark Germino got it on the
nail in his 1989 song Rex Bob Lowenstein
www.rock.co.za/radio/rexboblyrics.html.
I got talked at by management for playing that song on
Broadland. And, by the way, the BBC had better keep its axe
away from their local stations, too.
In closing, after he fell ill, Julian Smith and his wife Greta
came out to Northern Cyprus with us a couple of really good
times. Still miss that man an awful lot.
Don't forget Adrian Finnighan is now anchoring on Al Jazeera.
He was excellent during the Egyptian Revolution.
'Best show on radio bar none'??? Yeah. Hell, why not?
An addendum to
my message: I've just read through these postings a little
more closely, and I'm saddened to learn that Melinda Kirkbride
died. Away from the radio, she was a good friend when I needed
one, and today has been darkened to learn that she's gone.
Iain's Message:
Just remembered attending
a seminar about radio in Norwich, it was a few years ago and the
speaker was David Clayton from Radio Norfolk. One of the questions
he was asked was; Had commercial radio arrived in Norwich first,
would he have tried to get a job on there? He replied that he
probably would have. Odd to think he could have been heard to say
"Radio Broadland... we're all yours".
Something makes me think he would have jumped ship, had the BBC
arrived in 1984. Anyway it is all fantasy... the BBC got there first
in 1980 and sadly Radio Broadland is no more.
The Mysterious Nik's Message:
Well, I remember Paul
Thompson's show. It was great. Well, I think. My memory's not what
it used to be. But I remember I used to write in at least weekly,
using the pseudonym 'The Mysterious Nik'. I was probably a bit of a
tw**, being about 12 and all. I wonder if you remember, Paul? I
vaguely remember you mediating an on-air 'romance' with me and
someone long forgotten...
Fritz Wright's Message:
I'd love to know what
happened to Tom Payne - discovered him on Radio Broadland on Sunday
evenings in 1986 - my daughter would not go to sleep unless we sat
with her and to pass the time while she dozed off I listened to Tom
on earphones - absolutely loved his music - introduced me to the
likes of Jackson Brown, Dio, Belinda Carlisle - I recorded hours of
his shows and edited them down to my favourites - still have the
cassettes.
Then one week he wasn't there - no explanation given - I fear he and
Broadland had a parting of the ways - he refreshingly tended to
speak his mind, something alien to commercial radio DJs, and he
probably overstepped the mark once too often. Best show on radio bar
none.
Paul
Thompson's Message:
Hello again - nice to
read the further comments since my last post, and thanks to Terry B
for his kind mention. However Terry, I wonder whether you are aware
that Melinda Kirkbride sadly died a couple of years ago? Although it
was only a small part of her busy working week, I'm sure many people
will have fond memories of Melinda's Sunday night programme, which
ran from 1984 to 1989. I probably had more to do with her than
anyone else at Broadland as I used to 'tech op' her show. I well
remember the clock faces she used to draw for the duration of her
show each week, shading in the time taken by each piece of music and
leaving gaps for any speech. She always knew how pleased I would be
if she walked in with a piece of paper which had a large area shaded
in with no gaps, meaning a long track and perhaps even a whole side
of a record - much easier than having to cue up a lot of short
tracks, which was a bit too much like doing a normal show on the
station! I hadn't seen her for quite a while but was very sorry to
hear of her passing at quite a young age.
Just to answer Iain's question about what happened to me, I did
indeed go on to work at The Beach and stayed there for five years.
After that I didn't really go anywhere else and am still happily
pottering about in Norwich. I had some involvement in the NRG RSL in
Norwich in the summer of 2003, which was very well received and
great fun to do. Had that company been awarded the Norwich licence
which was offered a couple of years later, I have reason to believe
that I might possibly have been asked to be part of the new station
- however Ofcom's decision wasn't the one we were hoping for.
Martin Catrick's Message:
It's so sad that Radio
Broadland is now no more. It's been poor for so long and lacks any
entertainment value! I used to love this station which has been
killed. It's bred some great DJ's and happy memories but alas it's
now died. RIP Broadland Radio! I now listen to Nick Conrad, Steven
Bumphrey, David Clayton et all on Radio Norfolk, at least it's live
and entertaining and from Norwich. I wonder what the greats who have
graced those corridors would make of it now?
Terry B's Message:
We've been heart attacked
and it won't get any better. Broadland used to be such a free and
friendly sounding station back in the day when I think the jocks had
much more freedom to say and play what they wanted and believed in.
There was real HEART back in the early days.
Some old names I have
never seen mentioned here: the late Julian Smith (friendliest man in
the Golden Star next door to the studios), Melinda Kirkbride from
Pizza1 Pancakes2 doing her sexily voiced classical music show
(honest!) - mother of Stash Kirkbride from Future Radio I think -
Tom Payne doing a very free-form rock/indie programme, and I will
tip my hat to Paul Thompson who is mentioned below but deserves
another shout.
I don't think I'll be
remembering any of the Heart crew so fondly 25 years on. But when I
used to turn on the radio to original Broadland, those weren't just
voices, they were friends doing what they enjoyed with a real
passion. Long gone.
Matt's Message:
I used to listen to
broadland during the early days along with laser558 (charlie wolf
fever pitch). I loved john warwick, I really miss him. I also loved
the original name check jingles, dave brown, rob chandler nick risby,
etc. Does anyone know if they can be purchased? I've bought other
packages in the past. where's chris lee now?
Graham's Message:
Just heard that Heart is
now to be Heart East Anglia, which means they are shutting down the
Ipswich studio with job losses... So Norwich will now look after the
Whole of Suffolk now.
Iain's Message:
Rob Chandler was with
Radio Orwell (now Heart Ipswich), prior to joining Radio Broadland
at the start in 1984. He would obviously be ideal for both areas.
However, he also does a lunchtime programme on Saturdays for BBC
Radio Suffolk and I am sure this couldn't continue, should he remain
on Heart.
Defiantly sad news for the people of Ipswich, who will loose the
last remains of their local station, which was the first one in East
Anglia when it started broadcasting from Electric House in Lloyds
Avenue during 1975.
I wonder whether it will prompt Tindle Radio to merge their station
in Colchester with Radio Ipswich or get them to merge the Beach with
Radio Norwich, like they've just done with North Norfolk Radio.
Bad news all round and defiantly bad news for the listener. Global
are destroying local radio in this country and where will it all
end!
Mark's Message:
With Heart Norfolk
becoming Heart East Anglia -who will stay... Will be sad if we lose
Rob and Chrissie and Chris at drive , not forgetting Ange.
Rick's Message:
As a listener to Radio
Broadland since day one, I have never bothered to try any other
stations over the years because I didn't need to. They played the
songs I like, had interesting people on the air and kept me
entertained. Then Heart came along and it all changed for me. As i'm
not a woman, I obviously have no interest in winning the "girly
night out" of the week and there's only so many times i can hear the
likes of Abba and Michael Buble in a day before I get bored of it.
So, after all these years I have to admit to straying to Radio 2 and
I haven't looked back. I love the fact that they play a real mixture
of songs, the presenters are great fun and have the chance to say
things worth hearing and there is no obvious sway towards one sex or
the other. It really is goodbye Radio Broadland for me.
Iain's Message
Another person from
Radio Broadland was David Hoffman. Not a local boy and not one
of the original line-up. He seems to however have been working
in local radio in East Anglia for years and years. First of
all at Electric House in Lloyds Avenue, Ipswich and the long
gone "Saxon Radio" from Bury St Edmunds.
Then he appeared on Radio Broadland and can't even think he
swapped Norfolk to Suffolk and then back again.
Remember sitting watching Dave doing the afternoon stint one
Friday afternoon at Colegate. Actually we'd just been to the
BBC in the Forum and had an appointment with the engineers at
Radio Broadland!
Several years later saw him again at a conference and he was
doing the radio stints on the Tindle owned stations throughout
East Anglia, when not working for Barrcode in Harleston. Nice
bloke and great to have a chat with about radio.
After all we're all anoraks and that includes those who work
in the business. But who pretend not to be such things!
Iain's Message
Nice to see Paul Thompson
replied to my original message.
One particular memory I have of the Friday late show (10.0pm -
Midnight). Radio Broadland closed down at 10.0pm every night during
the week. But on a Friday night the station remained on-air for an
extra two hours.
As I've already mentioned Paul had this 1 to 1 with his listener and
in the days before e-mail's. He relied on letters, etc. One such
letter asked whether he could remember all the Wombles? He mentioned
he could name one... Wellington, as it was the name of the man who
got him into radio at Radio Orwell in Ipswich.
John Wellington was later to go onto manage Essex Radio and later
Radio Mercury in Surrey. I still have the cassettes of Paul also
covering Adrian Finigan on the "Broadland Beat".
Adrian was of course later to do the same slot on Radio Norfolk and
across the Eastern Counties. Whatever happened to Paul though. Did
he go onto do 'The Beach' in Great Yarmouth and more importantly
where is he today?
Stuart's Message
For me Heart is as
strange mixture of good and bad. I find the mixture of music is a
little better than
Radio Broadland was in its last couple of years,
but I find it so sad to hear the once great Rob, Chrissie and Chris
reduced to formulaic (almost scripted sounding) banter and chat.
Just a few years ago I
loved listening to Chris Marston on the afternoon show. The fun and
jokes he shared with beat the queue Lou and the newsreaders was so
endearing and natural. Now its a case of some "slick" hit and miss
gags every fifteen minutes and no interaction with anyone else.
Chris was great when he had someone to banter with. Sort it out
Heart!! Even Rob and Chrissie's show sounds limp and lifeless when
compared to the show of a few years ago. Everything is too rigid.
The "highlight" clips through the day say it all.
I say keep the music but
inject a bit more fun into the proceedings. All the faux optimism is
fine in small doses to keep the vibe of the station going, but lets
have a bit of real personality back. The presenters are oozing with
it, just let it come out once in a while!!
Pete the Poet's Message:
Poem: Don't want to lose
faith, to many hearts on the line, Do angels sleep as I'm running
out of time, we are wise in what has been left unsaid, if you can
not find an answer then it has been said. Never let a blue bleak
past out of that head it can be painted from grey from beyond a
head, that something that pulls me closer to the ground is
overshadowed by a sunset sound.
P.A
Wilde.
I know this is to deep
for your show Rob and Chrissie I could not sleep and wrote to show
you what I am capable of. I was thinking of the Santa runners to be
honest. I love the show and continue to listen rather than bore you
with my poetry but want you to know I am out here. Lots of love and
Merry Christmas. Pete x
Pete the Poet's Message:
I wanted to say how Jason
Donovan and Robbie Williams have matured into the good men they were
always meant to be......Jase....love the show.......Robbie good to
hear you sing good music again. Pete Wilde
Hannu
Leppänen's Message:
I have fond memories of
Radio Broadland from way back. It was a chilly morning at around 4
a.m. in November 1987 in Finland. I was fiddling with my radio and
on 1152 kHz MW I happened to hear Radio B! And that started a
chain of events which led to a couple of live phone interviews on
the air, a station visit in 1989 and a lot of penpals for my primary
school students. I still have some of the original material left
from that period (cassettes, a video, children's correspondence,
stickers etc.) Thanks to Nick Risby, Chrissie Jackson and Dick
Hutchinson we got connected with people in the Norwich area
(without the help of Nokia phones!!) and that wasn't very common in
those days.
Nowadays it's very easy to tune into any radio station online from
anywhere in the world. But it just doesn't feel the same anymore.
And many of them seem to sound the same even here in Finland. I
think that is a shame. I'm sure many of you still remember
listening to Radio Luxembourg when you were young. But I'm afraid
not very many will remember Heart Norwich after 20-30 years. But
then again, does anybody care?
I am going to put one of my Broadland stickers on my car window to
remind me of the good times I had with the old Radio Broadland back
in the good old days of local broadcasting stations. Times change,
but not always for the better.
Richard
Beardmore's Message:
I've only just realised
that when I wrote the message about Rob and C.J. I only put
Peppermint park in the 80's. Of course they were the originals of
Broadland too apart from Tony Gillam and Nick Risby and I think John
Warwick with Dave brown.
Well, that's me getting
old for you! I know the only reason I got into Broadland was from
Rob and James Hazell! Anyway all the best Heart! Love Rich Beardmore!
Paul
Thompson's Message:
Iain - nice to see at
least one person remembers me, it's most gratifying, thanks!
The early years seem so distant now, when presenters were pretty
much allowed to use their own knowledge of music to fill a 'blank
canvas'. What a shame that trust in the judgement of the individual
has gone - and I'll bet that many of today's presenters would
shudder at the thought of playing all the ads individually off
separate carts and doing all the paperwork we had to do as we went
along in those early years.
My luckiest break was in having worked with Tony Gillham prior to
Broadland's launch and for him to put my name forward to do the
Saturday chart show, which I got to do for the next ten years, and
that turned out to be more or less the last decade that there was
major public interest in pop charts. I still have all the printed
lists from each week's show, with my timings and scribbled notes
written whilst I was going along. Mind you, I never dared take a
single week off in all those years for fear of someone else doing it
better and getting the job permanently as a result!!
Claire
Wood's Message:
Hey Richard, Gosh... I
remember you.. Used to listen to your show and bug the hell out of
you all of the time...!! Do you remember me - Claire Woods (used to
be from Brundall). Miss the days when you were on the radio. I
remember having a coffee with you at Broadland before your show on a
Saturday afternoon.
Must admit I only listen to Radio 2 now. Can't stand any of the
local stations.
Hope you are doing well.
Richard
Beardmore's Message:
Well reading through
comments it seems like there's no place like Broadland! However!
Remember Rob and C.J. have not only taken you from Peppermint park
in the 80's and 90's. They have won our audience in the millennium
and bang up to date in 2009! Long live Rob and C.J... True
Broadlanders will listen to Rob, Chrissie and Chris not matter who
owns the station! It comes from the Heart! Or Peak (where i used to
work)! Remember this, wear sunscreen and look out for them on telly
next! Same goes for Jono Abel And Chris Marston!
WdW1's
Message:
I miss radio broadland. I
miss the playlist and i miss the local feel, i am addicted to the
radio and have it on first thing in the morning, all during the day
and on the car radio when driving home. Heart plays the same music
and it has an over kill effect, i love barry white but not in the
quantities. bring back the old music, embrace the new station. i
used to be able to win the competitions, but now it seems that its a
national competition, very wrong we want local competitions and more
local prizes and when people win say where they are don't try and
blag it its unfair, i want to know where these winning people are..
Iain's
Message:
I used to listen to Radio
Broadland from the beginning.. does anyone remember the 'Friday Late
Show with Paul Thompson'. He made radio sound so personal and
friendly. They were different and I suppose that is Norfolk... the
weather before the news.
Nick Risby at breakfast (0600 - 0900), the late John Warwick (0900 -
1230), Dave Brown (1230 - 1530) and Rob Chandler (1530 - 1900). Half
hour speech programme then the 'Broadland Beat' (1930 - 2200).
They were the great days of radio and then GWR came and destroyed it
and Global did even more damage. Broadland was a shadow of its
former self and like others local radio has gone for ever.
Triston
Russell aka Tim Russell's Message:
I have very fond memories
of Broadland in 1993/1994, especially as I got to present on the
local station I listened to from the age of 8! Dave Brown convinced
me to change my name as the Dallas jingle singers wouldn't be able
to sing my name! As it turned out, I did only 3 months of freelance
overnight shows, and I never did get my own jingle!!
As bit of a techie-wannabe, I ended up causing Brian and Robert (the
engineers) more than my fair share of agro! I was pre-fading the
travel jingle a few times during a show, which automatically kicked
off the RDS TF flags (eek), and I also wondered into the racks room
to have an anorak nose around at the Innovonics processors...which
set-off the silent alarms!! Doh!
It was my first ever paid radio gig ("paid" being a arguable term!)
- and I ended up travelling down to London to be a flying eye travel
man and now running my own IT Consultancy business.
The whole team were very very welcoming. So, to Stuart Davies,
DaveB, Chris Marston, Rob and Chrissie, Richard Beardmore, Keith and
Malcolm and all the others - thanks for the memories!
Rick's Message:
Really enjoy listening to
Chris Marston's afternoon shows. I prefer his show to Rob and
Chrissie personally. I find them a bit cringy at times but i'm sure
there are plenty of people who still love them.
Michelle's Message:
In
reply to simons comments about broadland and rob and crissy. If it
were not for rob and crissy we would not listen to heart, you listen
to them and it brigthens your morning they are like family, talking
of which a family member works for a rival radio station and she
knows that if she presented the breakfast show we would still listen
to rob and crissy. After they finish their show we promptly switch
stations as do a good many of our friends the only thing that's
keeping the station going is them. Have you ever heard of sour
grapes Simon!
Starlight Karaoke's Message:
Goodbye radio broadland another known station like vibe fm has been
made redundant and been cremated..
long live radio broadland.
let the heart beat off
also bring back vibe 105 - 108 fm
Nikki's Message:
Would like to thank
everyone for tuning in. We've increased our listener numbers by 25
thousand in the last 3 months and have seen our best figures since
2005.
Chris' Message:
When Broadland first
started their slogan was "We're all yours!" Well they certainly
aren't now since Heart took over! It's become the same day in day
out rubbish with an emphasis on national rather than local
broadcasting. If I want national radio I'll tune to the BBC. So
looks like I'll have to switch to '103.4 The Beach' in future.
Debbie's Message:
I love heart, i bet every1 else loves it as well? I'm
from trowse by the way.
Jamie's Message:
I miss radio Broadland Heart is so boring I listen to
essex fm now because at least that is more local than London I hope
Broadland comes back. Heart is ok but Broadland is better come back
broadland everyone wants you to come back!
Simon Craig's Message:
Such as shame that radio broadland has gone forever, I
remember the first frequency 97.6 fm & who could forget all the presenters
& all those great jingles, I still have the radio broadland 7inch blue
free plastic launch record, bring back radio broadland!
Simon's Message:
I think Heart sounds good, The music is better & as an
ex-employee of the good old days at Radio Broadland I think the only thing
letting the station down now is Rob & Chrissie, I have nothing against
them but the station needs to move on if it wants to change its image! I
tuned in for the re-launch & loved the new daytime show but breakfast made
me turn off!
I don't think its an issue about local radio as its generally older people
that want the localism & the older audience is not what they need for
advertising. I don't think the younger audience care to much about
Localisum! I think this is a fantastic move but people thinking its a
different radio station will tune straight back out when they hear
breakfast is just the same as it was 10 years ago!
Good Luck to Heart!
Gary's Message:
Not the real Gary Stevens but another Gary all the
same. Sunday mornings is going to be rubbish with out you mate!
I don't think people will realise how much they liked Broadland till Heart
has been on a few weeks. I'm not saying it was a fantastic station but the
lack of local input now will make Heart an 'also ran'. In this day and age
most people can listen to DAB and internet radio stations like Heart from
around the world. Local stations should be local content based. Radio
Norwich here I come...
Graham's Message:
Broadland has gone so downhill... morning show with rob
and chrissie is same format day in day out and has been for years
surprised that heart have kept it...but after listening to rob on bbc
radio suffolk on sat lunch times he seems so more happier on their...be
very surprised if he will stay with heart for long....radio broadland
R.I.P!!!!!!!!!!
Catherine's Message:
It sucks! :( Not just the final Heart takeover but ever
since they got rid of a load of local programmes and Music Control. Shows
like Club Classics don't appeal to me or, I would imagine, other teenagers
like me, and there were enough 'classics' played during the day anyway!
Bye-bye Broadland, you'll be missed!
Bill's Message:
George is right, you just heard the same records
constantly repeated on Broadland. I hope Radio Norwich gets more listeners
as at least they seem to have a mix of music as well as local news.
Julian's Message:
Shame to see Broadland go. I'm not from Norfolk, but
went on holiday there as a child in 1989 and enjoyed listening to
Broadland way back then. Since then, I've tuned in on several occasions
while on board the Hull to Rotterdam ferry which passes close to the
Norfolk coast around midnight! The network programming is nowhere near as
entertaining as in years gone by. A sad day for Broadland's loyal
listeners in Norfolk I think! Maybe Broadland will return (hopefully) in a
few years, following another takeover!
Danielle's Message:
Heart - what a joke of a change! Broadland should be a
Hit Music Network station like its sister station, 102.7 Mercury FM in
Sussex. It's turned the station into a joke - I bet Radio Norwich will get
the listening figures now!
Lee's Message:
I don't like this change, as it will be just like Heart
106.2 in London. Radio Broadland was more local and over the years it has
gone down the pan! I have been listening to other stations, online and DAB
more recently, and occasionally tuning back to hear Rob and Chrissie in
the morning. Sad to see the Heritage Name Going :(
George's
Message:
I do hope
Heart will be better than Broadland - I have never heard a radio
station play the same records OVER and OVER and OVER for so long
anywhere in the world. And I hope the news becomes less
sensationalist and mindless. Those two presenters in the morning who
think they are so funny - why don't they replace them with people
who know what they are talking about ? I hope Heart provide some
variety that has been totally lacking on Radio Boredland - pleaseeee
!
Robert I's
Message:
Shame about
Broadland being replaced by Heart. Only other pity is at the time of
the takeover they could have got rid of the Rob and Chris Breakfast
show. Get rid of that and I might excuse you Heart.
James' Message:
What a shame to see an other heritage station close. I have never,
ever visited Norwich, or any part of Norfolk, but I have heard the
original Radio Broadland jingles, and remember the original test
transmissions in 1984.
Chris' Message:
Radio Broadland & SGR, 2 of the East's finest radio
stations, gone to the dogs in place of heart. It won't be the same again on 96.4, 97.1 &
102.4 =( Goodbye Radio Broadland!
Mark's Message:
Will be missed, hope Heart is as good.
Robert's Message:
I can't believe Radio Broadland is going after so many years!
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