LBC 97.3: Difference between revisions
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* [[Frank Dobson]] |
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* [[Edwina Curry]] |
* [[Edwina Curry]] |
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* [[Carol Thatcher]] |
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Revision as of 01:13, 8 May 2007
| File:LBC973logo.PNG | |
| Broadcast area | London, Nationally on DAB Digital Radio, worldwide (online) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.3 MHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/Talk |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Chrysalis Group |
| History | |
First air date | 8 October 1973 (6am BST) |
| Links | |
| Website | www.lbc.co.uk |
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973. LBC's current format - with talk on 97.3FM and rolling news on LBC News 1152 - was established in January 2003.
Launch
The launch attracted considerable attention and a sizeable audience, particularly for the pairing of the celebrated journalist Paul Callan and the writer (later national newspaper editor and TV personality) Janet Street-Porter who contrived to create a new form of radio, albeit unintentionally. The pair were pitched as co-presenters of the morning drive-time show.[1] The intention was to contrast the urbane Callan with the less couth Street-Porter, whose accents were respectively known to studio engineers as "cut-glass" and "cut-froat".
In the event friction between the ill-assorted pair led to an entertaining stream of one-upmanship that became required listening for many Londoners, the sharper put-downs being blamed for several collisions by motorists incapacitated with laughter. The programme was the first in the UK to combine interviews with celebrities and heavyweight political figures on the same show, blurring the line between classic British comedy and analysis of international affairs.
Station presenters
Current
Current LBC 97.3 presenters include: Nick Abbot; Adrian Allen; Steve Allen; Bill Buckley; Clive Bull; John Cushing; Jim Davis; Jenny Eclair; Nick Ferrari; Chris Hawkins; Jon Holmes; Iain Lee; Gary King; James Max; Carol McGiffin; James O'Brien; Jo Parkerson; Anna Raeburn; Paul Ross; Kenny Sansom and Becky Walsh.
Occasional
Presenters used to fill in for absent regulars include: Alison Bell; Anthony Davis; Peter Deeley; Bob Johnson and Alex Thomas.
Past
Past LBC presenters include: Carol Allen; Dominic Allen; Jeremy Beadle; Therese Birch; Frank Bough; Tommy Boyd; Gyles Brandreth; Paul Callan; Douglas Cameron; Mike Carlton; Mike Carson; Marcus Churchill; Andy Crane; Jamie Crick; Jono Coleman; Tim Crook; Anne Diamond; Mike Dickin; Caroline Feraday; Matthew Wright; Krishnan Guru-Murthy; Boy George; Angie Greaves; Eric Hall; Brian Hayes; Phillip Hodson; Bob Holness; Eamon Holmes; Adrian Love; Sue Jameson; Bryn Jones; Steve Jones; Lesley Judd; Henry Kelly; Allan King; Jenny Lacey; Richard Littlejohn; Wendy Lloyd; Dave Luddy; Mike Mendoza; Daisy McAndrew; Monty Modlin; Douglas Moffatt; Jane Moore; Elliot Moss; Pete Murray; Paddy O'Connell, Michael Parkinson; David Prever; Gill Pyrah; Angela Rippon; Valerie Singleton; Penny Smith; Julia Somerville; Dr Pam Spurr; Janet Street-Porter; Carol Thatcher; Sandi Toksvig; Petroc Trawlany; Michael Van Straten; and Sandy Warr.
Guest
People who have hosted 'one off' or temporary shows while regular presenters were away include:
- Tony Blair - 13 January 2004 (see below)
- Ann Widdecombe
- Abi Titmuss - 23 June 2006
- Frank Dobson
- Diane Abbott
- Edwina Curry
- Carol Thatcher
Availability
- DAB CE London Multiplex (Greater London)
- FM Radio 97.3 MHz Croydon Transmitter (Greater London)
- Tiscali TV 627
- Sky Digital 0177
- Online Streaming from station website
Since September 2006 LBC 97.3 has also been carried on the MXR Digital multiplex replacing rolling news service DNN:
- DAB MXR North East Multiplex (North East England)
- DAB MXR North West Multiplex (North West England)
- DAB MXR Severn Estuary Multiplex (West of England and South Wales)
- DAB MXR West Midlands Multiplex (West Midlands)
- DAB MXR Yorkshire Multiplex (Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire)
Podcasting
LBC claim to be the first radio station in the world to provide full-length podcasts for all its major shows, plus podcast-only shows and other things such as backstage interviews and mp3s sent to the show, under the name LBC Plus.
Tony Blair appearance
On January 13 2004, British Prime Minister Tony Blair presented an hour long phone-in show on the station, taking pre-booked calls from LBC 97.3 listeners. His appearance was part of the 'big conversation' initiative to promote Government as being more accessible and in touch with the people. During the 10:00-11:00 show, a caller explained that he'd been denied access to his children for five years and asked what Mr Blair was planning to do about other fathers in a similar situation. The Prime Minister assured the caller he would look into his case personally. It later transpired that the caller was in fact Fathers 4 Justice member Ron Davis who in May of that year was arrested for entering Parliament and throwing a condom containing purple powder over Mr Blair and nearby Cabinet members. Mr Davis claimed the attack was in response to the Prime Minister's failure to contact him or look into the matters discussed on LBC 97.3.
Ken Livingstone appearances
A regular guest on LBC 97.3 is London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who usually appears once per month on the Nick Ferrari breakfast show. During the show he takes calls from LBC listeners and discusses points put to him by Ferrari. It's become something of a running joke that the Mayor usually arrives late, blaming it on public transport, which he's famously keen to be seen using, to the extent that Nick Ferrari actually won a bet that Livingstone would be late for his next appearance on LBC.
Ken's phone in sessions alternate between LBC and BBC London 94.9 these are one of the rare opportunities that Londoners have of talking directly to him.