ILR South

Central Southern England Independent Local Radio 1975 to 1990 Digitisation Project

This project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council [AHRC].

About this project

This project originated from a search for local radio programmes in the area of Central Southern England (Hampshire and Dorset). It was known that excellent radio had been produced in the region from 1973-1990. However, changes to the licensing of Independent Local Radio and the merger of smaller companies into larger ones created considerable turmoil in the organisation of ILR in which the preservation of archives was not a priority.

By good fortune many of the archives were deposited with the Wessex Film and Sound Archive [WFSA] in the form of reel-to-reel tapes. David Lee, Director of the Wessex Film and Sound Archive approached Bournemouth University with the idea of developing a project based on this material.

The collection has within in it many excellent programmes (and some not so good ones) that represent an alternative source for recent local cultural, political and social history. The region has also played its part in national political events, such as the Falklands War, having many army and naval bases in the locality.

The project to digitise the tapes onto Gold CDRs was based in Wessex Film and Sound Archive, who had the facilities to digitise the tapes. Bournemouth University created a database, cataloguing each individual programme. The project leaves an archival copy of each programme with the Wessex Film and Sound Archive for public access and an online database hosted by BUFVC for the use of UK higher and further education.

Credits

In alphabetical order:

Luis Carrasqueiro - BUFVC
Kelly Deacon-Smith - Bournemouth University
Michelle Farley - Bournemouth University
James Fryer - Independent Consultant
Matt Holland - Bournemouth University
David Lee - Wessex Film and Sound Archive
Julia McCain - Bournemouth University
Gabriella Menni - Bournemouth University
John Moxley - Independent Consultant
Professor Sean Street - Bournemouth University
Gordon Wray - Bournemouth University

Principal Investigator:

Sean Street
Professor of Radio
Director of The Centre for Broadcasting History Research
The Media School
Bournemouth University

Further information

Frequently asked questions
Project blog