Quote:
Originally Posted by Junk Box Nick
In an early on-air commentary Simon Dee mentions the installation of Gates turntables on the Frederica (which became the Caroline North ship). In another interview he mentions that in the early days some taped programmes were broadcast
|
Caroline used records from the start but back-up taped programmes could be substituted if conditions became very bad. Atlanta, on the other hand, followed the Radio Veronica model with all programmes being taped on land and played out on the ship.
This changed, of course, when Atalanta merged with Caroline to become Caroline South.
Something that happened, almost imperceptibly, during the pirate era was that the Light Programme changed slowly to meet the pirate challenge. How much it had changed only became apparent when Radio 390 started broadcasting with a format which was essentially the pre-pirate Light Programme!
Radio 390 closed down at midnight as the 'old' Light Programme had done and in an identical manner: "The time is 12 midnight and Radio 390 is now closing down, On behalf of all the staff here I'd like to wish you all a very good night. Goodnight!" Followed, of course, by the National Anthem.
Some of Radio 390's programmes were prerecorded, including the last ever programme, a copy of the BBC's Newly Pressed, from memory, where the presenter was faded out after the first record while he was saying "That was Alan Price with 'Simon Smith and his amazing dancing bear' ..." and replaced by another voice announcing "Estuary Radio very much regrets that, due to an injunction passed in the High Court this afternoon, Radio 390 is now required to cease broadcasting, ..."
This was followed by the National Anthem - not just the normal recording, though, but the full three verse choral version!