BBC Radio Wales - History

History

In November 1978, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio Wales were created as distinct stations on the former Radio 4 Scottish and Welsh medium wave opt-out frequencies of 810 and 882 kHz. They would be part-time initially, broadcasting for only 20 hours per week, still relaying Radio 4 at other times, however the groundwork had been laid for the stations to become important, respected full-time services. In the case of Radio Wales, the station now broadcasts for 19 and a half hours each weekday and 20 hours on Saturday & Sunday with a simulcast of the BBC World Service following closedown every night.

BBC Radio Wales was preceded in the autumn of 1978 by four local experimental radio stations broadcasting for a week, including Radio Wrexham, Radio Deeside, Radio Merthyr and Radio Rhondda - the services were broadcast for just one week using an RTE OB transmitter. The first editor of BBC Radio Wales was Teleri Bevan, a former BBC Radio 4 Wales producer. Anita Morgan presented a breakfast show called AM, but this soon gave way to a more modern show for the period presented by Chris Stuart. The other main presenters for the first decade were Mike Flynn, Vincent Kane, Noreen Bray and Alun Williams.

By 1985, Roy Noble was also a regular daily voice, presenting weekday magazine shows for the station for 27 years. Old Radio 4 type continuity studios were modified to become 'self operated' by the early 1980s. Outside broadcasts from different towns in Wales were also introduced with Mike Flynn and Alun Williams hosting a weekly three-hour Friday morning live programme. BBC Radio Wales also started to embrace publicity similar to that used by UK commercial radio. Part of this included sponsorship of a light aircraft (G-ARRP) flown by Mike Flynn. Other early presenters included Wyn Calvin, Maureen Staffer, Sylvia Horn, G.V.Wynne Jones (Geevers), Claire Vincent, Piet Brinton, Jackie Emlyn and Princess Anne's biographer Brian Hoey.