Plymouth Sound - Test Transmission

In the early years of commercial radio, the regulator, not the stations, dirtied its hands with the business of transmission. The stations were merely programme contractors, delivering the broadcasts in immaculate quality to an expensive transmitter, owned and operated by the IBA. Consequently, the test transmissions were made 'on behalf of the IBA', and strict instructions were given on what could and could not be said until the station went live officially. Some stations, like Trent or Beacon had music flow and presenters making informal announcements, other stations were more formal.

Here, hear Plymouth Sound go to considerable pains to explain each programme. As on many stations, the Programme Controller seized the mic, in this case, David Bassett.