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BBC Light Programme

{{short description|Former British national radio station (1945–1967)}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox broadcasting network

| name = BBC Light Programme

| image = BBC Broadcasting House 532073098.jpg

| image_size = 220

| image_alt = A photograph of Broadcasting House showing the art deco styling of the main facade was made from Portland stone.

| caption = The Light Programme headquarters was at Broadcasting House in London.

| country = United Kingdom

| headquarters = Broadcasting House, London, England

| owner = BBC

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1945|07|29|df=y}}

| dissolved = {{End date and age|1967|09|29|df=y}}

| language = English

| replaced = BBC General Forces Programme

| replaced_by = BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2

}}

The BBC Light Programme was a national radio station which broadcast chiefly mainstream light entertainment and light music from 1945 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2.{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/channel/light_prog/|title=BBC Light Programme|publisher=British Comedy Guide|access-date=2024-02-28}} It opened on 29 July 1945, taking over the long wave frequency which had earlier been used{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_launch.htm|title=BBC Light Programme Launch|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-28}} – prior to the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939 – by the BBC National Programme.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/september/closedown-of-television|title=Close down of Television service for the duration of the War|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-28}}

The service was intended as a domestic replacement for the wartime BBC General Forces Programme which had gained many civilian listeners in Britain as well as members of the British Armed Forces.{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2001/08/15/forces/|title=Forces of Light|date=2001-08-15|publisher=The Transdiffusion|last=Hancock|first=Dafydd|access-date=2024-02-28}}

History

The long wave signal on 200 kHz / 1500 metres was transmitted from Droitwich in the English Midlands (as it still is today for BBC Radio 4, although adjusted slightly to 198 kHz / 1515 metres from 1 February 1988){{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2011/oct/09/bbc-radio4-long-wave-goodbye|title=Radio 4's long wave goodbye|last=Sabbagh|first=Dan|date=2011-10-09|work=The Guardian|access-date=2024-02-28}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbceng.info/Operations/transmitter_ops/Reminiscences/Droitwich/droitwich_calling.htm|title=Droitwich Calling|last=Phillips|first=John F.|date=December 2006|publisher=BBCeng.info|access-date=2024-02-28}} and gave fairly good coverage of most of the United Kingdom, although a number of low-power medium wave transmitters (using 1215 kHz / 247 metres) were added later to fill in local blank spots.{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/01/absolute-radio-to-switch-off-all-am-transmitters-across-the-uk/|title=Absolute Radio to switch off all AM transmitters across the UK|last=Martin|first=Roy|date=2023-01-04|publisher=RadioToday|access-date=2024-02-28}}{{cite report|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/BBC/BBC-Books/BBC-Engineering-Development-1962.pdf|title=BBC Sound Broadcasting: Its Engineering Development|date=August 1962|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-28|pages=28, 30–31, 35, 94}} Over the course of the 1950s and 1960s, the Light Programme (along with the BBC's two other national stations – the BBC Home Service and the BBC Third Programme) gradually became available on what was known at the time as VHF, as the BBC developed a network of local FM transmitters.

From its first day of broadcasting in 1945 until Monday 2 September 1957, the Light Programme would be on the air from 9:00 am until midnight each day, apart from Sundays when it would come on the air at 8:00 am until 11:00 pm.{{cite book|title=Sound and Vision|series=The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom|volume=IV|last=Briggs|first=Asa|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/BBC/BBC-Books/History-of-Broadcasting-UK-IV-Sound-&-Vision-Biggs.pdf|date=1979|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=55–56, 61, 113, 543–545, 849|access-date=2024-02-28}}

There was, however, a period of a year when the Light Programme was forced to end its broadcasting day one hour earlier at 11:00 pm. This commenced in mid-February 1947 as an effect from the appalling winter of 1946–1947 which saw a fuel shortage in the country with the government enforcing electricity saving measures, one of which was losing one hour of broadcasting per day from the Light Programme.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/genome/entries/d2f886b8-0eb5-4b6c-9582-4b3f4e36e6c0|title=The Sunday Post: The 1947 Fuel Crisis and the BBC|last=Martin|first=Andrew|date=2017-03-05|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} Even after the fuel shortage had ended by spring 1947, the 11:00 pm closedown each night continued as BBC Radio found itself in financial problems and needed to save money. The midnight closedown of the Light Programme resumed one year later from Sunday 11 April 1948.{{cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/0317d317dd674879be093156115c93a7?page=9|newspaper=Radio Times|title=SUNDAY Light Programme|issue=1278|date=1948-04-09|via=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-28|page=9}}{{cite news|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/8279340668084f7d870abf112f7a6497?page=11|title=MONDAY Light Programme|newspaper=Radio Times|issue=1221|date=1947-03-07|page=11|via=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-28}} The long-running soap opera The Archers was first heard nationally on the Light Programme on New Year's Day 1951,{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4703411/William-Smethurst-the-man-who-turned-The-Archers-into-a-cult.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131140416/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4703411/William-Smethurst-the-man-who-turned-The-Archers-into-a-cult.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 January 2014|title=William Smethurst: the man who turned The Archers into a cult|first=Gillian|last=Reynolds|date=24 August 1996|work=The Telegraph|location=UK}} although a week-long pilot version had been broadcast on the Midlands Home Service in 1950.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thearchers/entries/f06c5ad0-1238-45e4-81d6-c07b43b2a08c|title=The Archers pilot episode - 65th anniversary|last=Smith|first=Andrew|date=2015-05-29|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}}

From Monday 2 September 1957, {{citation needed|date=February 2024}} the Light Programme's broadcasting hours would start to increase, with a new early morning start time of 7:00 am until midnight, later moving to 6:30 am{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2017/03/13/the-new-look-in-radio/|title=The new look in radio|last1=Gillard|first1=Frank|last2=Manduell|first2=John|last3=Graham|first3=Russ J.|date=2017-03-13|publisher=Transdiffusion|access-date=2024-02-28}} from Monday 29 September 1958.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

In 1964, broadcasting hours were increased even more, with a new morning start time of 5:30 am from Monday 31 August. Up until September 1964, the Light Programme would always end its broadcasting day at midnight; however this changed on Sunday 27 September 1964, when a new closedown time of 2:02 am was introduced.{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/light/1964-09-26|title=Light Programme – 26 September 1964|publisher=BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/light/1957-09-02|title=Light Programme – 2 September 1957 |publisher=BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/light/1958-09-29|title=Light Programme – 29 September 1958|publisher=BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/light/1945-07-29|title=Light Programme – 29 July 1945|publisher= BBC Genome|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}

The Light Programme closed down for the last time at 2:03 am on Saturday 30 September 1967.{{cite web|title=BBC Light Programme schedule for 29 September 1967|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1967-09-29|website=BBC Genome|access-date=20 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/History_Transmission.pdf|title=History of Radio Transmission in the UK|publisher=Frequency Finder UK|access-date=2024-02-28|pages=3, 9}} At 5:30 am, it was replaced by BBC Radio 2 and at 7:00 am by BBC Radio 1 on medium wave.{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/history_of_radio_1_details.htm|title=Why create Radio 1?|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}

Programming

Some programmes broadcast from the Light Programme still continue today, such as Junior Choice,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001qxb|title=Junior Choice|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} The Archers,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr|title=The Archers|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} Pick of the Pops,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqx7|title=Pick of the Pops|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} Desert Island Discs{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnmr|title=Desert Island Discs|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} and Woman's Hour.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qlvb|title=Woman's Hour|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}} Other programmes included:

{{Div col}}

  • The Al Read Show{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_comedy.htm|title=Light Programme Comedy|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Appointment with Fear{{cite journal|url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/scope/documents/2010/october-2010/mann.pdf|title=An Aristocratic Plod, Erstwhile Commandos and Ladies who Craved Excitement: Hammer Films' Post-War BBC Crime Series and Serial Adaptations|last=Mann|first=David|journal=Scope|issue=18|date=October 2010|pages=3}}
  • The Archers (1951–1967)
  • The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride (1965){{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/bbc-celebrates-the-beatles|title=The BBC celebrates The Beatles|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Beyond Our Ken
  • Billy Cotton Band Show
  • Breakfast Special
  • The Clitheroe Kid
  • Dick Barton – Special Agent{{cite book|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/UK-Books/The-BBC-70-Years-of-Broadcasting-Cain-1992.pdf|title=The BBC: 70 years of broadcasting|last=Cain|first=John|date=1992|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-28|pages=60–62, 146}}
  • Does the Team Think?
  • Desert Island Discs (1945–1946)
  • Easy Beat (1960–1967){{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_demise.htm|title=Light Programme Demise|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Educating Archie
  • Family Favourites (1945–1967)
  • Friday Night Is Music Night (1953–1967)
  • From Us to You (1964)
  • The Goon Show {{small|(repeats from the Home Service)}}
  • Hancock's Half Hour
  • Have a Go!
  • Housewives' Choice{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2019/07/31/tonights-bbc-radio-in-1964/|title=Tonight's BBC Radio... in 1964|last1=Graham|first1=Russ J.|last2=Bowden-Smith|first2=Kif|date=2019-07-31|publisher=Transdiffusion|access-date=2024-02-28}}
  • Ignorance is Bliss
  • I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again
  • It's That Man Again {{small|(repeats from the Home Service)}}
  • Journey into Space (1953–1958)
  • Junior Choice (1954–1967){{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_music.htm|title=Light Programme Music|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Life with the Lyons
  • Listen with Mother (1950–1964)
  • Meet the Huggetts{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/meet_the_huggetts/|title=Meet the Huggetts|publisher=British Comedy Guide|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Movie-Go-Round{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d57372f8e6e14417b694e221b6b7a46a|title=Movie-Go-Round|date=December 1957 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Midday Spin{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/bdf8ecadc0d24bfd96c291898ebba65f|title=Midday Spin|date=27 September 1966 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Mrs Dale's Diary (1948–1967)
  • Much Binding in the Marsh
  • Music While You Work{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2022/09/30/the-new-pattern-of-sound-broadcasting/|title=The new pattern of sound broadcasting|last=Wellington|first=Lindsay|date=2022-09-30|publisher=Transdiffusion|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • The Navy Lark
  • Orbiter X{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2016/15/7th-dimension-orbiter-x|title=7th Dimension: Orbiter X|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Pick of the Pops (1955–1967)
  • Parade of the Pops (1960–1967)
  • Paul Temple{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_drama.htm|title=Light Programme Drama|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • The Public Ear{{cite web|url=https://www.the-paulmccartney-project.com/album/live-at-the-bbc/|title=Live at the BBC|publisher=The Paul McCarthy Project|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Pop Go the Beatles (1963)
  • Radio Newsreel
  • Ray's a Laugh
  • Richard Attenborough's Record Rendezvous{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a110bc36778845ea8bd48b1f25b96e99|title=Richard Attenborough's Record Rendezvous|date=2 September 1951 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Riders of the Range{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1b661b495810473c8c044bfd8a1b4151|title=Riders of the Range|date=6 July 1953 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Round the Horne (1965–1967)
  • Roundabout
  • Saturday Club (1957–1967)
  • Shadow of Sumuru{{cite book|title=BBC Year Book 1947|date=1947|publisher=BBC|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/BBC/BBC-Annual/BBC-Year-Book-1947.pdf|pages=48}}
  • The Showband Show{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/46a4c0624e2e46029585f395ad718298|title=Show Band Show|date=16 July 1953 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Side by Side
  • Sing Something Simple (1959–1967)
  • The Sunday Half-Hour (1945–1967)
  • The Slide{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/992cf52967e34123aaadf38461a87254|title=The Slide: 1: Moment of Silence|date=13 February 1966 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Sports Report
  • Take It from Here
  • Teenager's Turn – Here We Go
  • Top Gear (1964–1967; a music show unrelated to the car franchise)
  • Variety Bandbox
  • Waterlogged Spa{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/waterlogged-spa/|title=Waterlogged Spa|publisher=British Comedy Guide|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Welsh Rarebit
  • Woman's Hour (1946–1967)
  • Workers' Playtime {{small|(Home Service until September 1957)}}
  • Your Hundred Best Tunes

{{Div col end}}

Presenters

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}

  • Barry Alldis{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/barry_alldis_page.htm|title=Barry Alldis|publisher=Radio Rewind|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Marjorie Anderson
  • Richard Attenborough{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/656f9afff7134c55a271f709472f2248|title = Broadcast - BBC Programme Index|website=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk| date=April 1950 }}
  • Tony Blackburn
  • Tim Brinton{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1965-01-01|title=Programme Index - January 1, 1965|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Michael Brooke
  • Desmond Carrington{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/m4pSxV7HRSqgTVPWd4klcF/desmond-carrington|title=Desmond Carrington|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Sam Costa
  • Bill Crozier{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/54212b5edcff40d0a19470c1b8a26384|title=Two-Way Family Favourites|date=15 November 1964 |publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Alan Dell
  • Robert Dougall{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1952-06-01|title=Schedule: Sunday, 1 June 1952|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • David Dunhill
  • John Dunn{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/nov/30/bbc.guardianobituaries|title=Obituary: John Dunn|work=The Guardian|date=2004-11-30|last=Barker|first=Dennis|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Don Durbridge{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/06/tributes-paid-to-former-radio-2-host/|title=Tributes paid to former BBC Radio 2 host|date=2012-06-26|publisher=Radio Today|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Simon Dee{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2009/sep/01/simon-dee-bbc|title=Simon Dee's rise and fall in pictures|date=2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Franklin Engelmann
  • Peter Fettes{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1949-12-09|title=Schedule - Friday, 9 December 1949|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Alan Freeman
  • Keith Fordyce
  • Tim Gudgin{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/nov/20/bbc-tim-gudgin|title=BBC's Tim Gudgin calls time with: Airdrie United 11, Gala Fairydean 0|last=Bagchi|first=Rob|date=2011-11-19|work=The Guardian|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Peter Haigh
  • Colin Hamilton{{cite web|url=https://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/06/20/live-sydney-stadium-sydney-3/|title=The Beatles live: Sydney Stadium, Sydney|date=2024-01-24|publisher=Beatles Bible|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • David Hamilton
  • Paul Hollingdale{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/paul-hollingdale-obituary-rtdsxm8cg|title=Obituary: Paul Hollingdale|date=2017-08-09|work=The Times|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • David Jacobs{{cite book|title=This is the BBC: Entertaining the Nation, Speaking for Britain, 1922-2022|last=Potter|first=Simon J.|date=2022-04-14|doi=10.1093/oso/9780192898524.001.0001|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780192898524|pages=116–121, 148, 171–174}}
  • Brian Matthew
  • Jean Metcalfe
  • Sandy MacPherson
  • Roger Moffat{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/100-voices/radio-reinvented/timelines/radio-2|title=The Radio 2 Timeline|publisher=BBC|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Ray Moore{{cite web|url=http://www.radiocafe.co.uk/ray-moore.htm|title=Ray Moore|publisher=Radiocafe|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Pete Murray
  • Annie Nightingale{{cite web|url=https://qthemusic.com/p/rip-annie-nightingale-trailblazing-dj-and-the-coolest-woman-who-ever-graced-the-airwaves/|title=RIP Annie Nightingale: Trailblazing DJ and the 'Coolest Woman Who Ever Graced the Airwaves'|last=Utton|date=2024-01-12|first=Dominic|publisher=Q Magazine|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Ray Orchard{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1964-06-27|title=Schedule: Saturday 27 June 1964|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Robin Richmond{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1949-03-01|title=Schedule: Tuesday 1 March 1949|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Phillip Slessor
  • Douglas Smith{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/02/12/42294/how_bona%21_round_the_horne_named_best_radio_comedy_ever|title=How bona! Round The Horne named best radio comedy ever|publisher=Chortle|date=2019-02-12|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Ken Sykora{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/mar/24/radio.obituaries|title=Obituary : Ken Sykora|date=2006-03-24|last=Barker|first=Dennis|work=The Guardian|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • David Symonds{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2022/07/15/ocean-sound-and-me/|title=Ocean sound and me|last=Harding|first=Tony|date=2022-07-15|publisher=Transdiffusion|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • John Webster{{cite web|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2022/03/04/the-story-of-announcers-and-announcing-over-thirty-years/|title=The story of announcers and announcing over thirty years|last=Pedrick|first=Gale|date=2022-03-04|publisher=Transdiffusion|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Roy Williams
  • Bruce Wyndham{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_light_programme/1967-09-23|title=Schedule: Saturday 23 September 1967|publisher=BBC Genome|access-date=2024-02-29}}
  • Terry Wogan
  • Jimmy Young

{{Div col end}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/light_programme_page.htm Radio Rewind – The 1500m Light Programme]

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