1998 in British radio

none October 2023 1998 British radio British television British music This is a list of events in British radio during 1998. Events January 21 January – Capital FM mid morning presenter Steve Penk attracts national attention after making a prank call to 10 Downing Street in which he pretends to be William Hague and speaks to Prime Minister Tony Blair.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/49473.stm Surprise call for PM BBC BBC News 21 January 1998 10 December 2012 February 16 February – The PopMaster quiz segment of the Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2 is first broadcast.John Aizlewood Ken Bruce and the creators of BBC Radio 2’s PopMaster: ‘There’s no such thing as a difficult question’ https://inews.co.uk/culture/radio/popmaster-2021-champions-league-ken-bruce-bbc-radio-2-interview-how-to-win-1360433 i 2021-12-20 2021-12-22 March Undated in March Andy Parfitt replaces Matthew Bannister as controller of Radio 1.Bannister's time as controller of Radio 1 is documented in Simon Garfield's book The Nation's Favourite. Isle of Wight Radio switches from AM to FM broadcasting. In addition to its main transmitter at Chillerton Down, the station uses three relay transmitters to cover the full island. April 1 April – By way of an April Fool's stunt, Kix 96 breakfast show presenter Nic Tuff calls South African president Nelson Mandela pretending to be British prime minister Tony Blair. 4 April – BBC Radio 3's weekday breakfast programme On Air begins broadcasting at the weekend.https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_three/1998-04-04 Schedule – BBC Programme Index genome.ch.bbc.co.uk Oct 7, 2023 6 April – Extensive schedule changes are made to BBC Radio 4. These include an earlier start to the day – 5:30am instead of 6am – and an earlier, 6am, start to Today. Many long standing programmes are axed as part of the shake-uphttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/66112.stm BBC News | UK | New image for BBC Radio 4 news.bbc.co.uk Oct 7, 2023 and arts magazine Kaleidoscope is replaced by Front Row. 12 April – A Sunday evening episode of The Archers is introduced. 13 April – After nearly 30 years on air, Dance Band Days is broadcast on BBC Radio 2 for the final time. Undated in April – After just seven months on air, East Midlands station Radio 106 is rebranded as Century 106 and relaunched with a new team of presenters. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/rau/radio-stations/analogue/AL200-1.htm Radio Authority Century 106 file 2010-05-17 May No events. June 1 June – Capital Gold replaces South Coast Radio. 1998 also sees Capital Gold rolled out in Birmingham and Kent, replacing Xtra AM and Invicta Supergold respectively. Undated in June – Emap purchases London station Melody 105.4 FM. July 9 July – The BBC unveils a new range of digital car stereos that will go on sale in August.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/129755.stm BBC unveils digital radio BBC BBC News 9 July 1998 3 May 2019 August Undated in August – Virgin Radio launches a new Saturday afternoon football show called Rock 'n' Roll Football.Evans 2010 September Undated in September – Kevin Greening leaves the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, leaving Zoë Ball as sole presenter. She continues to host the show until March 2000. October 2 October – John Dunn presents his final drivetime show on Radio 2 after 22 years.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/31db1d603d974c6187a3d25443639376 John Dunn – BBC Radio 2 – 2 October 1998 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 2018-01-14 4 October – On Radio 2, David Jacobs presents Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century, a 13-part documentary about the life and career of Frank Sinatra.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d00f9b140b8444d18e474ba92a28911f Frank Sinatra: the Voice of the Century – BBC Radio 2 – 4 October 1998 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 2018-01-14 The series concludes on 27 December.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7aa373c52b7d469cbf5e059c93f42f02 Frank Sinatra: theVoice of the Century – BBC Radio 2 – 27 December 1998 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 2018-01-14 5 October A major overhaul of the BBC Radio 2 schedule sees many new faces joining the network, including the singer Katrina Leskanich and former Radio 1 presenter Lynn Parsons, who present overnight shows on weekdays and weekends respectively. Johnnie Walker also joins Radio 2 as a regular presenter hosting the afternoon drivetime show (Monday to Thursday). Sally Boazman becomes the station's first official traffic presenter. One hour of Virgin Radio's breakfast show starts simulcasting on Sky One. When a track is played on the radio, viewers see the song's video. A bumper breakfast, with ulcers Hester Lacey https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/a-bumper-breakfast-with-ulcers-1176033.html The Independent London 4 October 1998 29 May 2011 9 October – Des Lynam joins Radio 2 to present a weekly drivetime programme on Fridays.http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f424abfd05554c6abba3af6370ab618b Des Lynam – BBC Radio 2 – 9 October 1998 – BBC Genome Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk 2018-01-14 12 October – Chris Moyles is promoted from the Early Breakfast show to present the Radio 1 Early Drive show, between 4pm and 5:45pm on weekdays (later being extended to 35:45pm). He replaces Dave Pearce, and is replaced on Early Breakfast by Scott Mills. 15 October – Launch of In Our Time, a weekly series of historical, scientific, literary or philosophical discussions between a presenter and three academics on BBC Radio 4. It will pass its 1000th edition in 2023https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/player BBC Radio 4 – In Our Time – Episodes (Available now) and be chaired by Melvyn Bragg until 2025.2025-09-03 Melvyn Bragg steps down from Radio 4's In Our Time Paul Glynn https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewnllp1de8o 2025-09-03 BBC News November 12 November – TalkCo Holdings, whose chairman and chief executive is former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie, purchases Talk Radio.http://www.talksport.co.uk/about About 18 January 2007 talkSPORT https://web.archive.org/web/20100820090030/http://www.talksport.co.uk/about/ 20 August 2010 dead 19 November – Mellow 1557 closes and relaunches on FM as Dream 100. http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/ILR_EA_map.pdf Launch dates and frequencies 2010-01-18 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100816005038/http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/ILR_EA_map.pdf 2010-08-16 December Undated in December – Melody Radio is renamed Magic 105.4 FM following the purchase of Melody Radio by Emap. Unknown BBC Local Radio stations start carrying BBC Radio 5 Live instead of the BBC World Service when they are not on air. Consequently, the station is heard regularly on FM for the first time, albeit only during overnight hours. Station debuts 17 January – KMFM Thanet 1 March – Huddersfield FM 7 March Isle of Wight Radio Isles FM (Outer Hebrides, Scotland) 23 March – Star Radio (Cambridge and Ely) 27 March – 107 Crash FM 10 April – Arrow FM 18 May Kestral FM Active FM 25 May – Silk FMCollins Steve https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/05/cheshires-silk-radio-celebrates-25-years-on-air-with-dab-launch/ Cheshire’s Silk Radio celebrates 25 years on-air with DAB launch Radio Today 25 May 2023 25 May 2023 6 June – Centre FM 14 June – Wave 105 15 August – QuayWest Radio 1 September – Wire FM 7 September – CAT FM 8 September – Century 105 5 October – Kingdom FM (Fife, Scotland)https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/10/kingdomfm-goes-doughnuts-to-celebrate-25th-birthday/ Kingdom FM goes dough…nuts to celebrate 25th birthday Radio Today 7 October 2023 7 October 2023 7 October – Peak FM 18 October – Chelmer FM 1 November – Fosseway Radio 28 November – RNA Arbroath 29 November – The Falcon (Gloucestershire) 11 December – Champion FM (North Wales) 13 December – Rutland Radio Programme debuts January – Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1 (1998–2022) 4 March – World of Pub on BBC Radio 4 (1998–1999) April – Bussmann and Quantick Kingsize on BBC Radio 4 (April–May) 9 April – Material World (1998–2013) 11 April – The Archive Hour on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present) 19 April – Broadcasting House on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present) 20 May – The Alan Davies Show on BBC Radio 4 (1998) 2 July – Puzzle Panel on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2005) 17 July – Like They've Never Been Gone on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2002) 31 July – The Write Stuff on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2014) 13 August – The Very World of Milton Jones on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2001) ? August – Dan and Nick: The Wildebeest Years on BBC Radio 4 (1998) 22 September – The 99p Challenge on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2004) 26 September – The Now Show on BBC Radio 4 (1998–2024) 4 October – Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century on BBC Radio 2 (1998) 5 October – Drivetime with Johnnie Walker on BBC Radio 2 (1998–2006) 9 October – Des Lynam on BBC Radio 2 (1998–1999) 15 October – In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 (1998–Present) Continuing radio programmes 1940s Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018) Desert Island Discs (1942–Present) 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) You and Yours (1970–Present) I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (1972–Present) Good Morning Scotland (1973–Present) Newsbeat (1973–Present) The News Huddlines (1975–2001) File on 4 (1977–Present) Money Box (1977–Present) The News Quiz (1977–Present) Feedback (1979–Present) The Food Programme (1979–Present) Science in Action (1979–Present) 1980s In Business (1983–Present) Sounds of the 60s (1983–Present) Loose Ends (1986–Present) 1990s The Moral Maze (1990–Present) Essential Selection (1991–Present) No Commitments (1992–2007) The Pepsi Chart (1993–2002) Wake Up to Wogan (1993–2009) Essential Mix (1993–Present) Up All Night (1994–Present) Wake Up to Money (1994–Present) Julie Enfield Investigates (1994–1999) Private Passions (1995–Present) Chambers (1996–1999) Parkinson's Sunday Supplement (1996–2007) The David Jacobs Collection (1996–2013) Blue Jam (1997–1999) Westway (1997–2005) Ending this year 3 April The Afternoon Shift (1995–1998) Breakaway (1979–1998) Kaleidoscope (1973–1998) Week Ending (1970–1998) 27 December – Frank Sinatra: The Voice of the Century (1998) Closing this year 31 May – Xtra AM (1989–1998) https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60930126.html XTRA-am waves goodbye after 9 years Trinity Mirror Birmingham Evening Mail Subscription required 30 May 1998 2018-03-18 HighBeam Research subscription https://web.archive.org/web/20180318054236/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60930126.html England usurped 17 April 2012 Unknown – South Coast Radio (1991–1998) Late 1998 – European Klassik Rock (1997–1998) Deaths 2 January – Frank Muir, comedy writer (born 1920) 11 April – Francis Durbridge, scriptwriter (born 1912) 22 June – Benny Green, jazz saxophonist and radio presenter (born 1927) 18 July – Betty Marsden, comedy actress (born 1919) 4 August – Charles Maxwell, radio producer (born 1910) 2 October Ken Platt, Lancashire comedian (born 1921) Raymond Raikes, radio drama producer (born 1910) 20 October – Frank Gillard, broadcaster and executive (born 1909) See also 1998 in British music 1998 in British television 1998 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 1998 References Sources Evans Chris Chris Evans (presenter) Memoirs of a Fruitcake HarperCollins 2010 978-0-00-734568-7 Radio British Radio, 1998 In Category:Years in British radio