Capital Radio in 1979 

9 September 2017 tbs.pm/13329

Capital Radio・16 October 1973
95.8MHz・194m・1548kHz

Capital Radio Ltd, Euston Tower, LONDON NW1 3DR
Tel: 01-388 1288

Directors Sir Richard Attenborough, CBE (Chairman); Graham Binns (Deputy Chairman); John Whitney (Managing Director); Tony Vickers (Sales Director); Keith Giemre (Financial Comptroller and Company Secretary); B Barclay-White; A F Bartlett; W H Beets; R F G Dennis; Bryan Forbes; DRW Harrison; R D Kennedy; The Hon Norton Knatchbull; Jocelyn Stevens; R A Stiby; J R Storar; Lord Willis.

Executives John Whitney (Managing Director); Tony Vickers (Sales Director); Keith Giemre (Financial Comptroller and Company Secretary); Aidan Day (Programme Controller); Peter Black (Head of Programme Administration and Special Features); Peggy Davidson (Head of Administration); Gerry O’Reilly (Chief Engineer); Philip Pinnegar (Sales Manager).

Officers Bryan Wolfe (Head of Talks); Colin Day (Research Manager); John Wallis (Traffic Manager); Cynthia Montgomery (Accountant); Jan Reid (Public Relations Officer); Howell James (Promotions Manager); Steve Turner (Assistant Chief Engineer – Operations); Peter Jackson (Assistant Chief Engineer – Maintenance).

IBA Local Advisory Committee for Independent Local Radio in London Miss F Lane Fox, OBE (Chairman); J Bassett; Miss S Beers; Cllr Miss M M Biggart; D Brown; Cllr A D Capelin; M Elwes; L Freeman, OBE; Cllr H Hinds; Mrs S King; Mrs M Lewis; Cllr Miss Morgan; Miss P O’Brien; C Samaru; Mrs A Seeker, MVO; C Granville Smith; A Willis.


Michael Aspel (left) takes over at 9 a.m. from Graham Dene.

Each week, five million men, women and children tune into Capital, London’s entertainment and general station. The programmes go out 24 hours a day and a schedule for a typical day lists more than 100 different features.

For, while Capital is musically orientated, news, weather, traffic conditions, shopping hints, recipes, restaurants, reviews, film criticisms, interviews, a ‘swop shop’, competitions, jokes, quizzes, political commentaries, debates, investigations, feature programmes, religion and the arts all have their place in the Capital time table. And the music itself stretches over a huge spectrum, from classical to rock, soul, reggae, jazz and of course the very latest in popular music.

Capital’s front line team of DJs include some of the best known voices in radio… Michael Aspel, Dave Cash, Graham Dene, Kenny Everett, Gerald Harper, Nicky Horne and Roger Scott, with ‘names’ from the outside world having their regular Capital spots. Lord George-Brown gives the weekly Capital commentary, while Cyril Fletcher looks after the gardening interests of listeners. Fashion writer Eve Pollard keeps an eye on women’s topics and Anna Raeburn, first lady of advice columns, is on the air on Wednesdays to solve listeners’ problems.

The young have the opportunity of appearing on Sundays in Hullabaloo in the guise of ‘Young DJ’ or ‘Young Journalist’. Adults may phone in to Open Line (01-484 5255 from Monday to Friday from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m.) or mount the Sunday Soap Box, to air their views. They may take part in the lunchtime (C.O.D.) quiz, and question the panel of opinion formers in the monthly Headline debate. They compete in the Breakfast Show Double or Quits competition, may phone in with live record dedications (from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.) on weekdays, or talk about events in their locality (10.45 a.m. on Fridays) with Michael Aspel. An annual involvement with the Youth Charter organisation gives youth the opportunity to speak for themselves.

But there is more to Capital than just broadcasting. The station has become very much part of the community. Last year, Capital raised £60,000 for its Help A London Child campaign (the money being distributed to more than 100 organisations in consultation with the IBA’s Central Appeals Advisory Committee). It sponsored a scheme for sculpting dead elm trees in Hyde Park and then there’s the government-staffed job centre for school leavers in the foyer, with a specially manned telephone number (01-636 3261).

Helpline (01-388 7575) the 24-hour confidential telephone help and advice service which is not broadcast, takes up to 300 calls a day.

At the moment. Capital is giving nine young Londoners the chance in a lifetime sponsoring one on each of the nine stages of Operation Drake, which has been called the 20th Century’s greatest expedition on earth.

IBA Transmitters
VHF Transmitter
(FM with stereo capability)
Croydon (NGR: TQ 332 696)
95.8 MHz
Max erp 2 kW
Circular polarisation
Aerial ht. 905 ft aod

MF Transmitter
(medium wave, mono only)
Saffron Green (NGR: TQ 216 977)
194 m (1548 kHz)
Transmitter power 27.5 kW

Air Date: 16.10.73

VHF COVERAGE. The map shows the area within which most listeners should obtain satisfactory mono reception on VHF and, with adequate aerials, good stereo reception. Medium wave coverage is designed as far as possible to match VHF.

A Transdiffusion Presentation

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9 responses to this article

Mark Jeffries 9 September 2017 at 6:24 pm

At which point did Capital become an all-Top 40/CHR station?

Marc 18 November 2017 at 10:19 pm

September 1984 after having its arse kicked by Laser 558

Chris Ivory 2 December 2017 at 9:38 pm

388-1255 was the original open line phone number. The one you state wasn’t until years later. A little bit of proper research does the world of good.

Russ J Graham 3 December 2017 at 1:18 pm

You do realise this is a reprint from the 1979 Independent Broadcasting Authority annual? There’s no original research here: it’s what Capital Radio submitted to the IBA themselves that year.

Do you want to at least try to be less of a prick in future? Just a suggestion.

David Lear 6 January 2018 at 2:26 am

Any Hullabaloo shows still surviving from 1979 – I was interviewed by one Maggie Nemeth I belive discussing the future of telecommunications and of course that would be something I’d like to hear again, I believe September ish

Steve Crowley 29 March 2018 at 3:45 pm

Hi,

I’m trying to find old recordings of Hullabaloo “Junior DJ for a Day” too as I was in one of them. Can you help?

Russ J Graham 29 March 2018 at 5:10 pm

I’m afraid not. This page, whilst being about TV programmes, explains the difficulties of obtaining any programmes. Your first port of call should be to Capital Radio’s owners, Global, but be aware that they are very unlikely to help you, and certainly not for free.

Dapo Kayode 21 January 2023 at 1:45 am

Searching for 1979 Reggae show by David Rodigan featuring the Royal Rasses. They were touring the UKthen. I know this is a needle in a haystack. Could I ever find this? Probably on cassette.

Philip O'Connor 20 August 2023 at 10:15 am

Who presented ‘Solid Gold Sunday’ in the early ’80s? I do remember Nicky Horne saying that ‘The Boss’ was going to make it big even in those smoky days!Kenny was magic! Happy memories!

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