15th March 1982
BBC Radio Jersey takes to the air
Jersey and Guernsey were each assigned a radio frequency for local use, and asked to decide how they would like to use it. It was by no means certain that either island would invite the BBC to occupy the slot but, eventually, both did. Jersey’s local station went on air one day in advance of its neighbour. It was opened by the then-chairman of the BBC Board of Governors, George Howard and was based on St Helier’s Rouge Bouillon, but moved to Parade Rose in 1994.
It launched with a staff of four, including Peter Gore, whose voice was the first to be heard on air. Initially, much of its output was a simultaneous broadcast of other services produced on the mainland, but over the years this evolved so that more of the daily content was locally produced. Various policy and budget changes meant that the balance needed to be continually adapted according to the BBC’s resources.
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Other events that occured in March
BBC Radio Jersey takes to the air
- BBC Radio Jersey went on the air in March 1982, after the States had debated whether to welcome the national broadcaster to the island.
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Jersey Zoo opens for the first time
- Jersey Zoo opened for the first time in March 1959 and, the following year, took in three unwanted rattlesnakes from the RAF.
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The States votes to build Corbière Lighthouse
- The States of Jersey had been discussing the idea of building a lighthouse at Corbière for 15 years before the project got the go-ahead.
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Dockers’ strike impacts food supplies
- Dockers went on strike in March 1920, demanding a rise of around 30% during the crucial potato harvest. The strike lasted a month.
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