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ArticlesYou are in: Oxford > BBC Radio Oxford > Articles > Radio Therapy - The story of local hospital broadcasting  Mark Watson at Cherwell in the 80's Radio Therapy - The story of local hospital broadcastingby Mark Watson In a joint project between Hospital Radio Cherwell and BBC Radio Oxford, we are celebrating 40 years of service to patients in Oxford by looking at the past, present and future of hospital broadcasting in Oxfordshire.  Live in the JR for Hospital Radio Week On the 30th of September 2007, Radio Cherwell is celebrating 40 years of broadcasting to the patients in Oxfords Hospitals and will be having a big re-union party for past and present members. They also wanted to mark the achievement by setting up a temporary FM radio station to publicise the work they do to a wider audience and attract more volunteers and supporters. Unfortunately, after months of effort and planning, they had to abandon the idea of broadcasting on FM for a week due the high cost and the need to extend their daily part time programme schedule to a full 24 hour service, which was just too much to ask from their already hard working volunteers. They then approached BBC Oxford to see if we could do a feature or programme about their history and we were glad to help by offering to co-produce a short series of programmes on 95.2fm which ran for three weeks from Sunday August 19th at 9pm. Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer  Broadcasting from the old studio It’s a great story to tell of a more personal kind of radio that has its roots as far back as 1921 when Thomas Hanstock, a local photographer in York, had the idea of cheering up patients by broadcasting events that they would otherwise miss out on because they were ill in hospital, such as Football Commentary, Church Services and Music which would take their mind off their own troubles for a while. It took him another 5 years to get all the permissions, licences and very basic equipment in place, but he did it and inspired another 10 or so hospitals to do the same before the 2nd World War came along. Afterwards, the expansion continued with mainly speech led stations, concentrating on football and other sports commentaries, until the mid 50's when music on records and the equipment to play them on became widely available. Then there was a massive increase with 70 stations by 1960 and over 100 by 1970. As broadcasting technology became easier to get hold of and to put together by hobbying engineers, the National Association of Hospital Broadcasters was formed and had around 700 services under its umbrella by 1980. Due to the rationalisation of Hospitals and the sharing of services, that number is now around 230 stations with some 4200 volunteers across the country.  Neil & Mark in Radio Cherwells studio 1 In our series of three programmes, we looked back at the history of Hospital Radio and how it started in and around Oxfordshire, how its developed since, what its like now and the challenges they face as they move into a multi-media digital world. It was be presented by BBC Radio Oxfords Mark Watson, who joined Radio Cherwell in 1982 and is still a member, and by Neil Stockton, a Cherwell volunteer since 1972 and current chairman of the station. A small team of Radio Cherwell members worked hard for two months putting together the material for this series, contacting and interviewing past and present members, and hunting out those irreplaceable tapes of old shows. You can hear a review of the series here with Mark and Neil chatting on the Afternoon Programme with a brief history of Radio Cherwell, including some archive clips and phone calls from some of their volunteers. Below you can hear the three programmes in full, except the music which has had to be edited due to copyright restrictions on the web.  The main aim is involving listeners PROGRAMME 1 - The Early Years - 19th AUGUST 2007 Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer In the first programme we discover how Radio Horton in Banbury started in 1964 and how Radio Cherwell began in Oxford in 1967 to bring Oxford United Football Commentary to the patients who couldn't get to the Manor Ground. The story is told through a mixture of live and recorded interviews with their volunteers as well as playing some archive clips of old programmes discovered in lofts and garages! Radio Cherwell have even managed to find the programme where they were re named from the Oxfords Hospitals Broadcasting Association, which was a bit of a mouthful and not easy to put in a jingle. We talk to members Richard and Peta Simmons about their early outside broadcasts and we find out how the station was and is financed. We tracked down ex members who are now working in professional radio and hear from the Oxford Mail journalist Geoff Hedge and hear clips from some of his old programmes. We also discovered that there was a short lived station in Abingdon's Hospital in the 70's, plus we'll have some music from the period in each programme to help the memories flow.  Cherwells Manor Ground Commentators PROGRAMME 2 - The 80s and 90s - 26th AUGUST 2007 Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer The second programme will take us from Radio Cherwell move into a new studio in 1982 up to 2000. The new studio facilities gave them the ability to make better programmes which later lead to winning some recognition in the National Hospital Radio Awards. We'll have more archive clips of some of the programmes of the day including the interactive programmes with the patients that make their kind of broadcasting different. We re-live the great day when Oxford United went to Wembley and beat QPR in the Milk Cup Final in 1986 and for anoraks everywhere, we listen to some of the old jingles! We hear more from past and present members about their involvement and track down more of them who went onto work for the BBC and commercial radio stations. You'll also be able to hear how a Desert Island Disc style programme became an priceless resource to help the guest in his treatment for dementure in later years.  Paul Higgs on an OB with trusty laptop! PROGRAMME 3 -The 2000s and the future - 2nd SEPTEMBER 2007 Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer In the final programme we looked at how technology has made a difference to Hospital Broadcasting in the current decade through the imagination and innovation of its volunteers. We also find out what the hospital management and patients think about the service and what difference it makes to them. We hear clips from current programmes from both Radio Cherwell and Horton and how they've branched out into providing Public Address Systems for local events to raise money to fund their broadcasting by doing something that uses their radio skills in a similar way. They also co-operate with each other and share ideas and resources including a weekly Church Service which is broadcast on both stations. You'll be able to hear the quality and range of programmes they provide including a hospital news service and the popular radio plays they produce. We find out what you have to do and what its like to become a new member and look at the challenges they face for the future with the decreasing amount of time patients spend in hospital, the limitations of the bedside transmission system and possible ideas for expansion into other caring facilities.  Some of the volunteers from the 80's We would also like to hear from you if you were a member of a hospital radio station in the area or if you've been entertained by them. Perhaps you had a record request played or took part in a competition? Were you interviewed by them or do you know someone whose stay in hospital was cheered by listening to their own personal radio service? Simply fill in the form below and share your memories, and we'd also like to hear what you thought about the series. If you want to find out more about Hospital Radio and how you could join in, either on of off air, or how to become a sponsor or supporter of your local service, follow the website links above on the right for more information. last updated: 10/09/07 Have Your SayWere you a member of a hospital radio station? Have you listened to one or were you interviewd by them? We'd love to hear your comments and feedback.
Peter
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