It was to be the UK’s new pop radio station, full of “live, warm-hearted swinging programmes” – and 50 years ago today the country discovered what it would be called.
Radio 1 was officially unveiled to the public on July 27 1967.
The new station did not go on air until September 30, but the announcement of its name along with the promise of “good British disc jockeys” was the start of a summer-long campaign to promote the BBC as an alternative to the soon-to-be-outlawed pirate stations.
Robin Scott, controller of Radio 1 and 2, used the occasion to acknowledge the influence on Radio 1 of the pirate stations, such as Radio Caroline and Radio London.
“Jingles, slogans and internal publicity for the station will be going out between records. But we want to avoid the mid-Atlantic style they have created.”
Government legislation banned pirates – unlicensed radio stations – from the middle of August 1967, six weeks before Radio 1 took to the air.
Speaking this year ahead of Radio 1’s own celebrations of its 50th birthday, Blackburn said that launching Radio 1 was “undoubtedly the highlight” of his career.
“Having worked on the great pirate radio ships, Caroline and London, being the first DJ on Radio 1 I saw first-hand the impact that the stations had on the British public.
The overhaul of radio services in the summer of 1967 added a total of 53-and-a-half hours to the BBC’s weekly output, though to begin with Radios 1 and 2 shared some programmes, including shows in the early morning and late evening.
The 50th anniversary is to be marked by Radio 1 later this year with a number of special programmes and events, including a three-day digital radio station called Radio 1 Vintage that will feature many of the station’s former DJs.
