Radio Broadgreen
Coordinates: 53°24′39″N 2°53′55″W / 53.4108°N 2.8987°W
| City of license | Liverpool |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Broadgreen Hospital |
| Frequency | Closed Circuit System |
| First air date | 19 October 1983 |
| Format | Hospital Radio |
| Website | www.radiobroadgreen.co.uk |
Radio Broadgreen is the only hospital radio station currently broadcasting in Liverpool, England. It is based within Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool, England.
How It Began
Radio Newsham
Radio Broadgreen actually began at Radio Newsham in the early 1980s.
At that time, Radio Newsham was one of many hospital radio stations broadcasting in Liverpool.
Liverpool had Radio Royal (based within the Royal Liverpool University Hospital) and Sunshine Radio (based within Fazakerley Hospital).
Radio Newsham broadcast from within Newsham General Hospital which was located on Belmont Road in the city. Broadcasts started in March 1975 with the first song played being Make Me Smile by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. The patients seemed to really take to it so an idea was made to try to create a new hospital radio station at one of the other hospitals within the city. Radio Newsham was approached by the management of Broadgreen Hospital to set up and operate a service for the patients at the Broadgreen site.
The new hospital radio station at Broadgreen Hospital was given the go-ahead and broadcasts began in October 1983.
The Grand Opening
The official Radio Broadgreen opening took place on 19 October 1983 with the Lord Lieutenant A.E. Stoddart.
Liverpool Hospitals Broadcasting Service
When the opportunity arose to broadcast from both sites, Radio Newsham was renamed to Liverpool Hospital Broadcasting Service to reflect the fact that Liverpool Hospital Broadcasting Service had 2 stations broadcasting under its wing.
Initially, programmes were produced at both stations with some presenters doing one show a week at each hospital.
Both of these hospital radio stations broadcast in harmony until 1988 when a dwindling patient population and the need to cut costs left the Liverpool Area Health Authority with no option but to close down Newsham General Hospital and with it Radio Newsham.
That left Radio Broadgreen as the new base of the Liverpool Hospital Broadcasting Service.
Radio Broadgreen's Permanent Base
In 1997, after 13 years of broadcasting within the hospital building itself, the old caretakers lodge house within Broadgreen Hospital was given to Radio Broadgreen for the station to use as its permanent base. Although it took some time to set up, the first show was broadcast from their brand new studio in November 1997.
After some major fund raising, Radio Broadgreen was able to install another studio (Studio 2) and it was officially opened and used for the first time in October 2006.
To this day, Radio Broadgreen is still broadcasting live from the old caretakers lodge house.
Shows Broadcast
Radio Broadgreen have a range of volunteer DJ's that specialise in many different genres of music.
Each day, Radio Broadgreen broadcast live shows dedicated to every type of music. These include specialist country music shows; 50's, 60's and 70's shows; folk music, rock music, pop music shows and every day they broadcast any requests received.
Whenever there is a football match played by Everton FC or Liverpool FC at their home grounds, live commentary of these games takes preference over the normal show schedule and is provided by the Radio Broadgreen Sports Team in association with the Hospital Radios' Football Network.
When not live, a music based automated programme system is used as a sustaining service with hospital and health information segments to give a full 24 hour service.
A live stream of programme output (except during live sports commentary) is available to listen to via their website.
Fundraising
With Radio Broadgreen being a registered charity, they rely on donations to keep themselves afloat.
These events range from bag packing events to sponsorship deals for adverts or shows by local companies.
Slogans
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Volunteers
Radio Broadgreen is staffed wholly by volunteers who spend a minimum of 2 hours a week producing/presenting their own shows. All staff also spend time around the hospital gathering requests and interacting with the patients of the hospital that receive the hospital radio service.