1986 in British radio

August

• 25 August – An early evening service of specialist music programmes launches on the BBC's four local radio stations in Yorkshire. The programmes are broadcast on weeknights between 6 pm and 7:30 pm.

September

• 30 September –
  States of Jersey
  proceedings. The broadcasts are made a permanent feature from 25 November.

October

• 1 October – Downtown Radio's broadcast area is expanded when it begins broadcasting to the north western area of Northern Ireland.
• 12 October –
  Ocean Sound begins broadcasting. It replaces Radio Victory in East Hampshire, but also covers Southampton, Winchester and the Isle of Wight
  . Ocean Sound launches as a split frequency service – Ocean Sound West on 103.2 FM and 1557 AM and Ocean Sound East operates as the replacement for Radio Victory on 97.5 FM and 1170 AM – due to management identifying two potential audiences: one familiar with commercial radio (in the East area), and one largely acquainted with the BBC (the West area). Ocean Sound East launches with a livelier sound than the West service although both services share breakfast and evening programmes with split programming airing during daytime.

• November – Following its purchase of
  Chiltern Radio
  launches a networked service called The Hot FM. The service is broadcast on three ILR licenses with local programming restricted to mid-mornings.
• 30 November – Northants 96 launches at 10 am and becomes part of The Hot FM.

December

• 24 December – John Timpson presents The Today programme for the final time.^[3]
• 28 December – Apna Hi Ghar Samajhiye (Make Yourself at Home) is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 for the final time. It had been broadcast on Radio 4 and the BBC Home Service every Sunday morning since 1965.

Station debuts

• 12 October –
  Ocean Sound
• 5 November –
  BBC Radio Essex
• 30 November – Northants 96

Changes of station frequency

Closing this year

• 28 June – Radio Victory (1975–1986)

Programme debuts

• 4 January –
  Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4
  (1986–Present)
• 8 March – Take Me To Your Reader on BBC Radio 4 (1986)
• 14 July – Counterpoint on BBC Radio 4 (1986–Present)

Continuing radio programmes

1940s

• Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
• Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
• Down Your Way (1946–1992)
• Letter from America (1946–2004)
• Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
• A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)

1950s

• The Archers (1950–Present)
• The Today Programme (1957–Present)
• Sing Something Simple (1959–2001)
• Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)

1960s

• Farming Today (1960–Present)
• In Touch (1961–Present)
• The World at One (1965–Present)
• The Official Chart (1967–Present)
• Just a Minute (1967–Present)
• The Living World (1968–Present)
• The Organist Entertains (1969–2018)

1970s

• PM (1970–Present)
• Start the Week (1970–Present)
• Week Ending (1970–1998)
• You and Yours (1970–Present)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–Present)
• Good Morning Scotland (1973–Present)
• Kaleidoscope
  (1973–1998)
• Newsbeat (1973–Present)
• The News Huddlines (1975–2001)
• File on 4 (1977–Present)
• Money Box
  (1977–Present)
• The News Quiz (1977–Present)
• Breakaway (1979–1998)
• Feedback (1979–Present)
• The Food Programme (1979–Present)
• Science in Action (1979–Present)

1980s

• Radio Active (1980–1987)
• In Business (1983–Present)
• Sounds of the 60s (1983–Present)
• Delve Special (1984–1987)
• After Henry (1985–1989)

Ending this year

• Unknown – Pirate Radio Four on BBC Radio 4 (1985–1986)

Births

• 25 February – Jameela Jamil, model and broadcast presenter
• 8 July – Alice Levine, broadcast presenter and style guru
• 9 September – Nikki Bedi née Vijaykar, broadcast presenter

Deaths

• 19 March – Elisabeth Barker, 75, current affairs radio administrator
• 8 December – Henry Reed, 72, radio dramatist, poet, parodist, translator and journalist

See also

• 1986 in British music
• 1986 in British television
• 1986 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1986

References