Radio Trent story - Part Four

Radio Trent, from Nottingham, was the 13th commercial ('ILR') station to come on air. Launching in July 1975, it fell victim to early industrial troubles, and doubts from its regulator, the IBA, as to its ability to discharge the obligations of its franchise. The cause of those doubts were probably a result of its focus from launch at being a 'music station': it was some way ahead in its thinking from other early commercial stations which had adopted the rather more staid BBC approach as their guide. An injection of localism/talk in the early eighties into Trent's 'format radio', handled by a skilled management and on-air team, lent for a successful combination. Trent was also one of the first consolidators: adding Leicester and Derby before then merging with the West Midlands stations. I produced this documentary in 1985, as Trent celebrated ten years on air. The abrupt end of the 'Dale Winton' era was a touch too recent and sensitive for me to dare to cover analytically at the time; and this is a slightly 'sugar-coated view of the decade. But, at the time, it came from my heart, and did convey the enthusiasm of those heady days, and indeed the talents of an exceptional team. Part Four of Four. Follow me on Twitter @davidlloydradio