Radio Forth in 1979 

14 October 2017 tbs.pm/13357

Radio Forth・22 January 1975
96.8MHz・194m・1548kHz

Radio Forth Ltd, Forth House, Forth Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LF
Tel: 031-556 9255. Telex: 727374

Directors L M Harper Gow, MBE (Chairman); K A Baker (Canada); Mrs W Blakey; J H Currie; DCC Ford; C B Lascelles; R McPherson; R Ridley-Thomas; J A Romanes.

Executives Richard Findlay (Managing Director); Andy Park (Programme Controller); Tom Steele (Head of News & Current Affairs); Derek Gorman (General Sales Manager); Alan Wilson (Financial Controller); Bill Greig (Sports Editor); Ian Wales (Chief Engineer); Hamish Wilson (Features & Special Projects Producer).

IBA Local Advisory Committee for Independent Local Radio in Edinburgh N Menzies (Chairman); Mrs H Birrell; J Clark; J Dawson; Miss V Foster; Cllr J Mitchell; Cllr J Sibbald; Sister Nora Smyth; D Sutherland; Cllr D Thomson; Provost G Wood.

Bill Torrance broadcasting from Edinburgh’s Sick Children’s Hospital.

The year 1978 has been a full and exciting one for Radio Forth with a substantial increase in listening reflecting the continued enthusiasm and loyalty of the audience.

The arrival of Andy Park as Programme Controller has resulted in several changes in programming including the recruitment of four new voices. This move has given Radio Forth even wider appeal and more scope to provide the right type of music at the right time for the right section of the audience.

In geographical terms. Radio Forth has one of the most extensive ILR transmission areas outside London. It is therefore not surprising that great stress is laid on the station’s outside broadcasting facilities. It moves around its area broadcasting live programming from small towns, villages, fields, shops, hospitals etc. During April the Saturday request programme went out ‘live’ from various locations around ‘Forth Country’ and included interviews with local and visiting personalities – e.g., David Frost at an Edinburgh shopping centre. This series of programmes proved to be very popular and did much to increase awareness of the local radio station in the area.

Operating from the capital of Scotland, the station must and does have an exceptional news service. The station is constantly conscious of its responsibilities in this area and the news output is prodigious. Apart from the regular bulletins throughout the broadcasting day, Radio Forth’s news team provide a daily extended news programme, Forth Report, examining national, international and local stories in depth.

The station has its own community information unit, Forthbeat, whose main concern is to provide a platform for, and information service to, all sectors of the community. In addition frequent special projects are undertaken in the interests of large sections of the audience, e.g.. Job Week, Stop Smoking Campaign, Help Line.

Radio Forth is a growing station and will continue to grow as a result of the constant efforts to improve and the ever-increasing knowledge and understanding of the needs of its listeners.

It is a highly diverse area and one with a strong economic future – Radio Forth reflects that diversity and will continue to play an important part in that future.

IBA Transmitters
VHF Transmitter
(FM with stereo capability)
Craigkelly (NGR: NT 233 872)
96.8 MHz
Max erp 0.5 kW
Circular polarisation
Aerial ht. 975 ft aod

MF Transmitter
(medium wave, mono only)
Barns Farm (NGR: NT 178 842)
194 m (1548 kHz)
Transmitter power 2 kW
(MF omnidirectional aerial

Air Date: 22.1.75

VHF COVERAGE. The map shows the area within which most listeners should obtain satisfactory mono reception on VHF and, with adequate aenals, good stereo reception. Medium wave coverage is designed as far as possible to match VHF.