This is a list of events from British radio in 1964.
Events
January 5 January – Alan Freeman returns as host of Pick of the Pops. 26 January – York Hospital Radio goes on air with its first programme.
February No events
March 27 March – Children's Hour (renamed For the Young) is broadcast for the last time, on the BBC Home Service. 28 March – Radio Caroline, a "pirate" radio station set up by Ronan O'Rahilly broadcasting from MV Caroline anchored in international waters off Felixstowe, debuts as Europe's first all-day English-language pop music station.
April 3 April – The radio comedy series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again makes its debut, on the BBC Home Service.
May 12 May – "Pirate" radio station Radio Atlanta begins broadcasting from anchored off Frinton; in July its operations are merged with Radio Caroline. 27 May – Screaming Lord Sutch begins broadcasting from "pirate" station Radio Sutch on Shivering Sands Army Fort offshore in the Thames Estuary; he soon sells the operation to his manager Reginald Calvert who renames it Radio City.
June 29 June – Launch of Manx Radio, the Isle of Man's national radio station.
July 6 July – MV Caroline takes up a new anchorage on Bahama Bank off the Isle of Man and begins broadcasting as Radio Caroline North.
August 13 August – The world premiere of Mahler's Tenth Symphony, the unfinished work completed by Deryck Cooke, is given at the BBC Proms, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Berthold Goldschmidt. 30 August – The BBC Third Programme begins broadcasting during the day on Sundays. 31 August – Farming Today moves from Network Three to the BBC Home Service where it takes over the early-morning slot previously occupied by Farm Bulletin. The Light Programme begins its day an hour earlier, at 5.30am.
September 3 September – Priaulx Rainier's Cello Concerto is given its première at The Proms by Jacqueline du Pré and the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Norman Del Mar.ArkivMusik. 19 September – The programme for the Last Night of the Proms includes Alan Rawsthorne's Piano Concerto no 1, played by Malcolm Binns.Prom 49 – Last Night of the Proms 1964. Retrieved 2013-06-09. 26 September – The Light Programme begins broadcasting during the early morning and closes at 2am instead of midnight.
October 6 October – The variety programme Workers' Playtime is aired for the last time, on the Light Programme.
November No events
December 1 December – Radio Caroline publicity officer David Block contacts the BBC to request a copy of the Queen's Christmas Message with the intention of broadcasting it on Christmas Day, but is turned down because Radio Caroline is not an authorised broadcaster. 12 December – The BBC Third Programme begins broadcasting on weekdays, providing a music service from 8am to 2pm. 23 December – The "pirate" station Wonderful Radio London goes on air broadcasting from MV Galaxy anchored off Frinton with a Fab 40 playlist of popular records.
Station debuts 26 January – York Hospital Radio (1964 – present) 28 March – Radio Caroline (1964 – present) 29 June – Manx Radio (1964 – present) 23 December – Wonderful Radio London (1964–1967)
Programme debuts 17 March – Many a Slip on the BBC Home Service (1964–1979) 3 April – I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again on the BBC Home Service (1964–1973) 10 April – How's Your Father on the BBC Light Programme (series run 10 April–5 June) 26 July – Play it Cool on the BBC Light Programme (1964)
Continuing radio programmes 1940s Music While You Work (1940–1967) Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018) Desert Island Discs (1942 – present) Family Favourites (1945–1980) Down Your Way (1946–1992) Have A Go (1946–1967) Housewives' Choice (1946–1967) Letter from America (1946–2004) Woman's Hour (1946 – present) Twenty Questions (1947–1976) Any Questions? (1948 – present) The Dales (1948–1969) Billy Cotton Band Show (1949–1968) A Book at Bedtime (1949 – present)
1950s The Archers (1950 – present) Listen with Mother (1950–1982) From Our Own Correspondent (1955 – present) Pick of the Pops (1955 – present) The Clitheroe Kid (1957–1972) My Word! (1957–1988) Test Match Special (1957 – present) The Today Programme (1957 – present) The Navy Lark (1959–1977) Sing Something Simple (1959–2001) Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)
1960s Farming Today (1960 – present) Easy Beat (1960–1967) In Touch (1961 – present) The Men from the Ministry (1962–1977)
Births 11 January – Tony Livesey, journalist and radio presenter 24 February – Andy Crane, television and radio presenter 1 April – Jez Nelson, jazz presenter and media producer 16 May Rebecca Front, comic actress and scriptwriter Milton Jones, comedian 23 June – Jane Garvey, radio presenter 27 June – Lynn Parsons, radio and television presenter 5 August – Rory Morrison, radio newsreader and continuity announcer (died 2013) 19 September – Patrick Marber, comedy performer and writer 27 September – Gilles Peterson, disc jockey 12 November – Mohit Bakaya, Controller of BBC Radio 4 21 November – Liza Tarbuck, actress and radio and television presenter 28 November – Sian Williams, journalist and current affairs presenter Unknown – Peter Kerry, writer of drama for radio and television
Deaths 21 March – Nancy Spain, writer and broadcaster, died in aviation accident (born 1917) 28 September – Sir George Dyson, radio's "voice of music" (born 1883) 3 November – Julian MacLaren-Ross, writer and radio scriptwriter, heart attack (born 1912) 10 December – Charles Samuel Franklin, radio pioneer (born 1879)
See also 1964 in British music 1964 in British television 1964 in the United Kingdom List of British films of 1964
References