BBC Light Programme (1940s)

[Deleted User] · 04/03/08 - 20:06

There has been some discussion in the newspapers recently about the absence of the type of Light Instrumental Music that used to be played post WW2. It appears that the musician's unions of the day had a tight grip on the BBC and had a near monopoly of airtime. But I enjoyed listening to those instrumental melodies. Practically all the stations today play the music of today (quite rightly) but I still yearn to hear some of the music I loved.
I bought the Logic 100 Internet Radio and have found some good stations but haven't hit the right one yet. If there is anyone still alive out there who knows what I am talking about, could suggest some stations on say WWW.reciva.com, I would be very grateful,
Umgal

[Deleted User] · 04/03/08 - 20:50

sorry don't know of any stations playing that type of music today, PrimeTime came close when they were on but their history I'm afraid.

you may find this website interesting, a bit of nostalgia...
http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/index.htm

Made in England · 04/03/08 - 21:00

Somebody raised a very good point on here last night: Why is the BBC disenfranchising the over 50s? The BBC caters for Asian listeners (Asian Network) and black music (1 Xtra). Therefore, why can't the BBC launch a digital station catering for the over 50s featuring a Light Programme format?

In my opinion, such a station would encourage the over 50s to purchase a DAB radio.

The over 50s pay their licence fee too!

Made in England · 04/03/08 - 21:20

BBC 6 Music should be relaunched into BBC 6 Light. In return, most of the 6 Music programming could be transferred onto Radios 1 and 2 respectively.

Here's an example of a line-up BBC 6 Light could have:

Monday to Friday

6.00am Sarah Kennedy - an easy start to the day
9.00 Keith Skues - music, competitions and requests
12.00 Debbie Thrower at Lunchtime - music and chat
2.00pm Ed Stewart
5.00 David Hamilton with Drivetime
7.00 (Mon) Humphrey Lyttleton with The Best of Jazz
7.00 (Tue) Desmond Carrington
7.00 (Wed) Malcolm Laycock
7.00 (Thu) David Allan's Country Club
9.00 (Mon) Big Band Special
9.00 (Tue) Brian Kay's Light Programme
9.00 (Wed) Listen to the Band
9.00 (Thu) The Organist Entertains
10.00 (Mon - Thu) Martin Kelner
1.00am - 6.00am 6 Light Through the Night

Friday night

7.00 Documentary / Series
7.30 Friday Night is Music Night
9.30 Reading
10.00 Don Durbridge
1.00 - 7.00am Through the Night with

Saturday

7.00am Tony Myatt
10.00 Michael Aspel
1.00pm Sandy Chalmers - Those Were the Days
3.00 Martin Kelner on Saturday
6.00 Sounds of the Sixties with Brian Matthew
8.00 Jazz Club with Geoffrey Smith
10.00 Don Durbridge
1.00 - 7.00am 6 Light Through the Night

Sunday

7.00am Tony Myatt
10.00 Michael Ball
1.00pm Elaine Paige
3.00 Russell Davies
5.00 Paul O'Grady's Sunday Soap Box
7.00 Melodies for You with Alan Titchmarsh
9.00 Richard Baker
10.00 David Jacobs Collection
12.00 - 6.00am 6 Light Through the Night

MikeBr · 04/03/08 - 22:08

Made in England wrote: »

Somebody raised a very good point on here last night: Why is the BBC disenfranchising the over 50s? The BBC caters for Asian listeners (Asian Network) and black music (1 Xtra). Therefore, why can't the BBC launch a digital station catering for the over 50s featuring a Light Programme format?

In my opinion, such a station would encourage the over 50s to purchase a DAB radio.

The over 50s pay their licence fee too!

Well I'm over 50 and among the stations I listen to are Radio 2 and 6 Music. I'd like more classic rock music on the BBC particularly if Planet Rock closes.

[Deleted User] · 04/03/08 - 22:15

I guess you would like Housewifes Choice, and Music while you work, to come back?

Martin Phillp · 04/03/08 - 22:31

Made in England, I'd doubt many of those older listeners would be bothered to go out and buy a DAB radio so they can listen to their favourite Radio 2 specialist shows on some obscure digital station. See Primetime and Saga Digital as examples.

The Radio 2 shows are good enough shows which their audience will make an appointment to listen.

Colin_London · 04/03/08 - 22:36

Would 'over 50's' really be interested in 'light instrumental' music?

Over 80's more like! My parents are in their 60's and most of the music they like is from the 60's & 70's - not the 1940's!

mrbernay · 04/03/08 - 22:47

IIRC, the Musicians' Union required the BBC to broadcast so many hours of in-house BBC orchestras. This was not just instrumental, but also vocal covers of popular songs. It was a bit like the compilation albums that came out in the Sixties. They were truly dreadful imitations. I think things changed when Radios 1, 2, etc were introduced. Heaven preserve us if we had to return to the days of the Light Programme. I don't honestly think anyone alive today would want that. There are still remnants of that stuff around on Radio 2 especially on Sundays, which I find particularly depressing if I have a long drive ahead of me... BTW, I am over 50, but "elevator" music, no thanks...

[Deleted User] · 04/03/08 - 23:11

Colin_London wrote: »

Would 'over 50's' really be interested in 'light instrumental' music?

Over 80's more like! My parents are in their 60's and most of the music they like is from the 60's & 70's - not the 1940's!

I like music from the 19th Century and earlier, as well as modern music. And yes, I like light instrumental music too and am just over 50. Funnily enough, quite a lot of the music from the 1960s was actually from the 1940s, 30s, 20s and earlier.

Made in England · 04/03/08 - 23:44

Heaven preserve us if we had to return to the days of the Light Programme. I don't honestly think anyone alive today would want that. There are still remnants of that stuff around on Radio 2 especially on Sundays, which I find particularly depressing if I have a long drive ahead of me...

Hear hear, which is why I love Radio 2 to dump the last remaining remnants of Light Programming onto its own network!

Sunday night is the most depressing night of the week on Radio 2.

Corin · 05/03/08 - 00:18

Not quite the same as the Light Program, but the similar format of beautiful music

Airstream <http://www.shoutcast.COM/directory/?s=Airstream>
(click the tune-in button)

WKTZ-FM 90.9 Jones College Radio <http://wktz.jones.EDU/>
(click the red radio icon)

A listing of the dying breed of Beautiful Music / Easy Listening radio stations can be found at

<http://www.angelfire.COM/music3/elevatormusic/radio.html>

Online stations at

<http://www.live365.COM/cgi-bin/directory.cgi?genre=easy%20listening>

MrRayDO · 05/03/08 - 02:41

umgal wrote: »

There has been some discussion in the newspapers recently about the absence of the type of Light Instrumental Music that used to be played post WW2. It appears that the musician's unions of the day had a tight grip on the BBC and had a near monopoly of airtime. But I enjoyed listening to those instrumental melodies. Practically all the stations today play the music of today (quite rightly) but I still yearn to hear some of the music I loved.
I bought the Logic 100 Internet Radio and have found some good stations but haven't hit the right one yet. If there is anyone still alive out there who knows what I am talking about, could suggest some stations on say WWW.reciva.com, I would be very grateful,
Umgal

hi go into shoutcast and then put old time radio. loads of old stuff for you.

[Deleted User] · 05/03/08 - 09:58

MikeBr wrote: »

Well I'm over 50 and among the stations I listen to are Radio 2 and 6 Music. I'd like more classic rock music on the BBC particularly if Planet Rock closes.

you're quite right about the lack of classic rock music on the BBC, apart from a few hours per week which isn't much, Planet Rock has an audience of over half a million on a regular basis, the BBC know the audience is out there so why are they not catered for, they never really replaced the late great Tommy Vance.

end of rant

TonyCurrie · 05/03/08 - 10:03

Try www.radiosix.com (or look for Radio Six International on www.reciva.com)

Sundays 1300 - 1830 LIGHT AND EASY

Phil Ander · 05/03/08 - 10:55

In the early 1950s the old Light Programme used to have at Breakfast Time a show called Morning Melody. This used to feature various Orchestrsa playing a selection of light music. The 50s also saw what many thought of as the golden age of Radio Comedy. Programmes such as Ray's a laugh, Does the Team think, Hancock's Half Hour and Life with the Lyons did good business(the Goons were on the Home Service).

There was an awful lot of rubbish on the old Light Programme as well but it did give us the wonderful Jack Jackson doing then what people like Kenny Everitt and Adrian Juste did many years later.

What has been preserved from the Light Programme days is their specialist music shows. By that I mean the things that Made in England hates on a Sunday.

Given the fact that there is no money for a separate "older listeners" channel I am afraid you will just have to put up with things like Melodies for You and Sunday Half Hour and search local radio offerings for different types of show. By local radio I mean BBC so your licence fee isn't lost on programmes you don't like.

As for me well I like Mika, Mike and the Mechanics and Mozart not to mention the Scissor Sisters, Stevie Nicks and Schubert plus Frank Sinatra. Radio 2 gives me all of that.

deepfroat · 05/03/08 - 11:06

Vocalion Records have been releasing a lot of instrumental light music on bargainn CD - Frank Chacksfield, Ambrose, Mantonvani etc.

http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/products.asp?cat=378

MikeBr · 05/03/08 - 11:19

Angel Radio which has stations in Havant and the Isle of Wight, think they have separate programmes at times, don't play anything released after 1959:

Havant:
http://www.angelradio.moonfruit.com/

Isle of Wight
http://angelradioisleofwight.moonfruit.com/

Corin · 05/03/08 - 11:32

MrRayDO wrote: »

hi go into shoutcast and then put old time radio. loads of old stuff for you.

The genre of Old Time Radio (OTR) consists primarily of comedy and drama radio shows,
eg The Green Hornet, Fibber Mcgee and Molly, Dragnet, Superman etc.

N.Dean · 05/03/08 - 12:59

ourkindof music, on the Swindon DAB mulitplex, plays that sort of music, with no presenters or adverts.

Peter the Great · 05/03/08 - 13:04

Made in England wrote: »

Somebody raised a very good point on here last night: Why is the BBC disenfranchising the over 50s? The BBC caters for Asian listeners (Asian Network) and black music (1 Xtra). Therefore, why can't the BBC launch a digital station catering for the over 50s featuring a Light Programme format?

In my opinion, such a station would encourage the over 50s to purchase a DAB radio.

The over 50s pay their licence fee too!

But the BBC has the biggest audience in this age group so they can't be ingnoring them.
It's more likely that someone in their 50's and 60's grew up listening to The Beatles not Vera Lynn.

MikeBr · 05/03/08 - 13:06

N.Dean wrote: »

ourkindof music, on the Swindon DAB mulitplex, plays that sort of music, with no presenters or adverts.

And streams online:
http://www.ourkindofmusic.co.uk/

Ray266 · 05/03/08 - 16:22

twofnine wrote: »

I guess you would like Housewifes Choice, and Music while you work, to come back?

oh no!!!! god save us:D

Inkblot · 05/03/08 - 16:33

Peter the Great wrote: »

But the BBC has the biggest audience in this age group so they can't be ingnoring them.
It's more likely that someone in their 50's and 60's grew up listening to The Beatles not Vera Lynn.

Depends what you mean by "grew up". Someone who's sixty now could well have been a fan of early Pink Floyd, Captain Beefheart, Soft Machine, Jimi Hendrix, The Mothers Of Invention etc. Why do some people think that everyone suddenly turns into a Vera Lynn fan when they reach a certain age?

[Deleted User] · 06/03/08 - 18:51

Many thanks for all the helpful & funny comments. I have even found out that there is such a thing as musical bigotry!
Thanks to the following for their practical suggestions:
Banned User,TeaCosy, Corin, MrRayDO, N.Dean and MikeBr

Corin · 07/03/08 - 14:40

Perhaps when you have had opportunity to listen to the various sources, you could report back on which one was most like the Light Programme format which you were seeking.

Hey there!

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BBC Light Programme (1940s)

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