This episode explores the historical development of commercial radio in the United Kingdom, focusing on the emergence of Piccadilly Radio within the wider context of broadcasting policy, pirate radio, and youth culture. It examines how technological, political and cultural changes shaped the radio landscape from the 1920s through to the 1980s.

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This podcast is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Manchester Libraries Trust.

Archive credits

Archive audio from the Piccadilly Radio Collection, full shows available at  Manchester Central Library. Copyright Bauer Media – all rights reserved:

• News File, 29 Jul 1983 12:45pm (PICCNEWS/124)
• News File, 20 Apr 1984 5:45pm (PICC/111)
• Arena: The 50s with Mick Sawyer, 10 Nov 1978 (PICC/622)
• Top Twenty – Across the Universe by Peter Whalley, 25 Jan 1982 (PICC/221)
• Top Twenty – Another Brick In The Wall by Dave Simpson, c.1982 (PICC/237)
• If The Bombs Dropped Now documentary, c. 1974-1980 (PICC/775)
• Mike Sweeney interview with NUM Lancashire president Sid Vincent, Mar 1984 (PICC2/412)
• Ads and promos by the Piccadilly Commercial Production Department, 1970s (PICC/801)

Licensed audio

• Babylon5DoorButto – HollywoodEdge – Envato Elements
• Button Press – ldj_audio – Envato Elements
• Cartoon Fog Horn – Top-Up-Sounds – Envato Elements
• Computer Or Electronic Beeps – Sound-Ideas – Envato Elements
• Electronic Turn On – Cinematic-Sound-Design – Envato Elements
• Incidental Encounter – Arthur Benson – Epidemic Sound
•  In-Surf – ArtHaiz – Envato Elements
• Maple Leaf Rag – gballx – Envato Elements
• News – Boomopera – Envato Elements
• Orchestral Shocking Moment – applehillstudios – Envato Elements
• Press Button Device – Top-Up-Sounds – Envato Elements
• Radio Tuning – applehillstudios – Envato Elements
• Rain Storm Thunder – az_studio – Envato Elements
• Record-Scratch – SoundJay – Envato Elements
• Seagulls Near Seashore – FxProSound – Envato Elements
• Seashore Waves – lokohighman – Envato Elements
• Thunder Storm – Cinematic-Sound-Design – Envato Element
• Time Travel Machine – LoopsLab – Envato Elements
• Time Warp Vanish 46560 – prosoundfx – Envato Elements
• Ui Old Button Harsh Push Hard 01 – SmartSoundFX – Envato Elements
• Warp Drive 05 – sonic-boom – Envato Elements
• Zoom – TibaSFX – Envato Elements

Rights statement

All licensed material is used in accordance with the terms of the relevant subscription licences. All archive and third-party material remains the property of its respective rights holders.

Narration

Podcast narrative written, researched and read by Dr. Philip Johnstone: Creative Commons licence CC-BY-4.0 (Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Licence).

Our next bonus episode on the Piccadilly Radio's drama and sound design is out on 15 July!