2003 in British radio

This is a list of events in British radio during 2003.

Events

January

• 3 January – Galaxy 101 is renamed Vibe 101.
• 5 January – 'Doctor' Neil Fox presents the first Hit40UK, the successor of the Pepsi Chart Show.
• 6 January –
  • Jeremy Vine takes over Jimmy Young's old lunchtime show on BBC Radio 2.^[1]
  • Les Ross takes over from David Hamilton as breakfast show presenter on Birmingham's Saga 105.7FM.
  • The LBC services swap wavebands. The rolling news service News Direct 97.3 moves to AM and is renamed LBC News 1152 and LBC News 1152 transfers to FM and is renamed LBC 97.3. The change takes place following the purchase of the two stations by Chrysalis Radio.
• January – Neptune Radio and CTFM are rebranded KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country and KMFM Canterbury respectively.

February

• 11 February – John Peters presents the first programme (the breakfast show) on Saga 106.6 FM in Nottingham, making it his third station launch. He launched Radio Trent in 1975 and GEM-AM in 1988.^[2]
• 17 February – A breakfast presenter who was sacked from Century 106 after playing a spoof song about the Taleban in the wake of the September 11 attacks has settled his case for unfair dismissal, it is reported.^[3]

March

• No events

April

• 8 April – The Radio Academy Hall of Fame is established to honour those who have made an "outstanding contribution" to British broadcasting. Among those inducted into the Hall of Fame at the inaugural ceremony include Richard Dimbleby, Tony Hancock, Arthur Askey, John Humphrys, Alistair Cooke, Alan Freeman, Tony Blackburn and Noel Edmonds.^[4]

May

• 3 May – BBC Radio 1 cancels the first day of its One Big Weekend at Heaton Park, Manchester due to poor weather. However, the second day of the event goes ahead as scheduled.^[5]

June

• 5 June – Radio 2 presenter Johnnie Walker announces that he will be taking time off air to undergo treatment after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.^[6] During his time away the show is presented by Stuart Maconie and Noel Edmonds (who made a brief return to radio).

July

• No events

August

• No events

September

• No events

October

• 10 October – Lesley Douglas is appointed Controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.

November

• 28 November – Some of the BBC's radio and television services, including BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Five Live and BBC News 24, are blacked out by a power cut and a fire alert.

December

• 4 December – Broadcasters John Peel, Chris Tarrant, John Dunn, Sue MacGregor and Douglas Cameron are inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.^[7]
• 19 December – Sara Cox presents her final breakfast show on BBC Radio 1. She is succeeded by Chris Moyles in the new year.

Station debuts

• 1 February – Mid 106 FM
• 11 February – Saga 106.6 FM^[8]
• 1 March – Dee 106.3
• 5 May – 107 Splash FM
• 3 July – Club Asia
• 3 September – River FM
• 5 October – Dearne FM
• 18 October – CTR 105.6
• 26 October – Ivel FM
• 10 November – North Norfolk Radio
• 22 November – Two Lochs Radio
• 5 December – Dearne FM
• Unknown – Heat Radio
• Unknown – The Hits Radio
• Unknown – Insight Radio

Closing this year

• 3 July – Liberty Radio

Deaths

• 17 March – Alan Keith, 94, actor, disc jockey and radio presenter, noted for being the longest serving and oldest presenter on British radio.^[9]
• July – Kerry Juby, 55, disc jockey
• 23 September – Sarah Parkinson, 41, producer and writer of radio and television programmes

References