2002 in British radio explained
This is a list of events in British radio during 2002.
Events
January
February
- 2 February – BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra begins broadcasting as a national digital station.
- 9 February – Following the announcement of the death of Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Elizabeth II, some radio and television schedules are changed to make room for tribute programmes. Among the tributes paid to her is an edition of The Archers aired on 10 February, a programme on which the Princess made a personal appearance in 1984.[1]
- mid February – 107.7 Chelmer FM is renamed Dream 107.7.
- 28 February–1 March – The first three community radio stations – Bradford Community Broadcasting, Cross Rhythms in Stoke and Angel Community Radio (Havant) – start broadcasting as part of a trial of community radio which sees 15 stations go on air during 2002. The trial, under the title of “Access Radio”, saw each station originally licensed for one year. All three stations are still on air today.
March
April
May
June
July
- July–August – BBC North West operates BBC 2002, a temporary radio station set up to provide a bespoke service for Greater Manchester of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.[5]
- 31 July
- TeamTalk 252 closes after four months on air. The 252 kHz long wave frequency is re-subsumed by Irish broadcaster RTÉ to provide a version of RTÉ Radio 1 to the expatriate community in Britain.
- Radio 1 presenter Chris Moyles is criticised by the Broadcasting Standards Commission for remarks he made to Charlotte Church during an edition of his afternoon show.[6]
August
September
October
- 28 October – The BBC Asian Network is broadcast nationally for the first time after being launched on DAB.
November
- 11 November – BBC Radio Swindon launches as an opt-out service from Wiltshire Sound which is renamed BBC Radio Wiltshire.
- 12 November – The Radio Authority announces that London station Liberty Radio has lost its licence to Club Asia, which has previously been broadcasting for several hours each day on Spectrum Radio. This is the first time in several years that the incumbent broadcaster's licence has not been renewed. The station has repeatedly only obtained a 0.1% share of listening.
- 17 November – Mark Goodier presents the Top 40 on BBC Radio 1 for the final time on the 50th anniversary of the chart.[7] [8] [9]
December
- December – Talksport announces plans for the station's first ever music show. An easy listening music show entitled Champagne & Roses with Gerald Harper, is broadcast each Saturday evening. The show is axed after less than six months[10]
- 20 December – Sir Jimmy Young presents his final lunchtime programme on BBC Radio 2 after nearly 30 years with the network, and 50 years with the BBC.[11]
- 29 December – 'Doctor' Neil Fox presents the last Pepsi Chart Show.
Station debuts
Programme debuts
Continuing radio programmes
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
Ending this year
Closing this year
Deaths
- 12 January – Stanley Unwin, 90, comedian, creator of "Unwinese"
- 24 February – Martin Esslin, 83, drama producer
- 27 February – Spike Milligan, 83, comedian and writer, writer/performer of The Goon Show[13]
- 31 March – Barry Took, 73, comedy writer and broadcast presenter
- 24 July – Maurice Denham, 92, character actor
- 27 November – Stanley Black, 89, pianist, bandleader, composer, conductor and arranger[14]
- 1 December – Michael Oliver, 65, radio arts presenter
Notes and References
- News: Princess Margaret dies. BBC News. BBC. 9 February 2002. 9 September 2017.
- News: The Guardian. London. 2002-04-03. Memo from IRN editor Jon Godel: Why we messed up on the Queen Mother's death announcement. 2017-12-28. 2017-12-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229052419/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/apr/03/broadcasting. live.
- News: Gareth. McLean. TV review: The Falklands Play (BBC4). The Guardian. London. 2002-04-11. 2014-05-27.
- News: Billen. Andrew. Mrs T and sympathy. Progressive Media International. New Statesman. 2002-04-15. 2014-05-27.
- Web site: BBC Manchester Commonwealth Games 2002. BBC. 11 November 2011.
- News: John . Plunkett . BBC spy drama spooks TV watchdog . Guardian Media Group . The Guardian . 31 July 2002 . 9 April 2014.
- "… Radio 1 denied he has been fired because of falling listener figures, saying his contract is coming to an end."News: DJ Goodier leaves Radio 1. 15 August 2002. Entertainment News. BBC News. 18 May 2009.
- "… station bosses want to replace him with someone younger, who will be more in tune with its target audience of 15 to 24-year-olds." News: Countdown begins for Goodier's departure. Day. Julia. 15 August 2002. Media Guardian. Guardian News and Media. 18 May 2009.
- "Mark Goodier is leaving Radio 1's weekly chart show after 15 years because he is considered too old for the job." News: Goodier drops out of the charts. https://web.archive.org/web/20101115211837/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/goodier-drops-out-of-the-charts-640021.html. dead. November 15, 2010. Gray. Chris. 16 August 2002. The Independent. 18 May 2009.
- http://www.talksport1089.com/talksporthistory2003.html talkSPORT Station History – 2003
- News: Sir Jimmy Young says Bye For Good at last, but adds: 'It wasn't my idea'. https://web.archive.org/web/20110519090352/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/sir-jimmy-young-says-bye-for-good-at-last-but-adds-it-wasnt-my-idea-611674.html. dead. May 19, 2011. The Independent. David. Lister. 21 December 2002. 18 December 2009.
- Web site: Resonance FM celebrates 20 years of local radio in London. May 4, 2022. May 4, 2022.
- News: Stephen. Dixon. Obituary: Spike Milligan. Guardian Media Group. The Guardian. London. 28 February 2002. 25 July 2014.
- News: Tim. McDonald. Obituary: Stanley Black. The Guardian. London. 3 December 2002.