The Birth

ON AIR - 5th September 1983

After being granted the licence by the IBA, the real work started to turn a dream into reality. Signal Radio assembled a team of radio professionals. Premises in Stoke Road, Shelton, were transformed into a series of studios and offices.

Originally Signal Radio was just one station on both frequencies 104.3fm Stereo and 257 medium wave, now known as 1170am.

The first jingle package used by the station was made locally at Alfasound in Cheshire. Steve England and Alan Fawkes were two of the leading jingle producers in the UK and they enlisted as lead vocalist Clifford T Ward and to give a powerfull sound a full symphony orchestra was used, but not just any orchestra, it was the world famous Halle Orchestra. They produced a series of instrumental and vocal cuts that gave Signal Radio its first identity. The assocaiation with Alfasound was to last for a number of years, seeing a steady evolution in the stations sound through their jingles.

 

John Evington was the station first breakfast presenter and later programme director in an association with Signal that was to last for 22 years. It was John who played that first record, Neil Diamond's "Beautiful Noise" to launch the station on 5th Septembr 1983. Chris Moore the then Head of News read the first news buetin on that morning, bringing local news to Staffordshire and Cheshire like never before.

The new presentation team also included local legend

Mel Scholes, who for many years had been associated with

Jolleys caberet club.

Staffordshire born Digby Taylor with assistance from Jules

Bellerby were given the mid morning slot on the station. They

were followed by a pirate radio legend Ray Teret. Known as

'Ugly' Ray Teret. His career had seen him work at Radio

Caroline together with Manchester's Piccadilly Radio, one of

the first commercial stations in the UK.

Some of the days biggst news stories were brought to air

each evening by Richard Howells.

Originally Signal Radio only broadcast for fifteen hours a

day, and extended to 10pm at the weekends. It closedown

overnights just like the BBC and ITV television services.

Signal Radio came to air promising Staffordshire and

Cheshire a lively, refereshing and friendly approach to

local radio.

A station at the heart of the community, proud to serve the

people with a mixture of music, local news, sport and

features. The station also featured some specialist

music programming including local bands and four

nights a week a rock show.

For the stations lauch a commemorative newspaper

was released. It introduced the presenters and news

teams together with features about some of the

backroom staff who the station coudln't do without.

Since Signal Radio's inception, the station has been

at the forefront of events across the area, even having

a RSL (restricted service licence) to broadcast a

unique station from the Garden Festival site. This was

one of the first stions of its kind in the UK to

broadcast from an event of this nature.

MONDAY - FRIDAY

06.00 John Evington

09.00 Digby Taylor

12.00 Mel Scholes

15.00 Ray Teret

17.45 Signal Newscene

18.05 Richard Howells

20.00 Rock On With Stannage (Mon)

  Mother Knows Best (Tues)

  Dick Fisher (Wed)

  Prefade (Thurs)

  Nashville Tracks (Fri)

 

SATURDAY

06.00 Digby Taylor

10.00 Colin Cooke

13.00 Signal Sport Express

18.00 Saturday Night With Di Mather

20.00 Dick Fisher

 

SUNDAY

06.00 Morning Has Broken

07.00 Country Matters

08.00 Reflections

08.30 Junior Jukebox

10.00 Ray Teret

13.00 Hit 40 Show

15.00 Up Front

17.00 Decision Makers

17.30 Headline

18.00 Counterpoint

19.00 Network

20.00 Gerry Dee

 

To change your logo go to the 'Page Master' under the 'Design' menu