It was 6.30am on 13 November 1978 when 主播大秀 Radio Wales began its journey, with its first broadcast to the nation.
The breakfast show in those days was called AM, and included a mix of news and current affairs, local issues, sport and popular culture. The first voice on the station was Anita Morgan; Teleri Bevan was at the helm as station editor, and the main news story of the day was rugby, with Wales having just played New Zealand at the Arms Park in Cardiff.
Since then, Radio Wales has established itself as part of the social fabric of Wales. It has become an important forum for national debate and current affairs with a unique mix of local, national and international news. It’s become a focal point for Welsh cultural and sporting events bringing top quality commentary and coverage from around the world. It’s an important platform for Welsh bands and artists to get their music heard and championed by the presenters who are experts in their fields. And throughout this, it remains rooted in Wales, with voices from all parts of the country coming together on this national platform.
Naturally, the way we work has changed over the years. The huge old machines that we used to use in the early days would take up entire rooms, and we used to be tied to the studio. But nowadays, the technology means that we can be far more flexible. We can link up with studios across the world far more easily, and we can go out to meet with audiences with little more than a microphone. And we can hit the road, as we’re doing this week, taking our 40th birthday celebration bus across Wales to meet our audiences and say thank you for the forty years of support that they’ve given us.
During this time, it’s not just the way we broadcast that’s changed, but also the way audiences listen to Radio Wales. Many of our audiences still tune in through FM radios, and we’re pleased to have been able to boost the station’s FM coverage last month so that we now reach 400,000 more people. More and more people are now listening on DAB radios and online. And the 主播大秀’s newly launched app 主播大秀 Sounds lets listeners tune in on their phones and lets Radio Wales offer podcasts and other content alongside our schedule.
But despite changes to the way we broadcast and listen to the radio, 主播大秀 Radio Wales’ core message has remained consistent. We are committed to providing quality news, sport and entertainment for Wales. And as we celebrate our fortieth year, we continue to do that. The station is attracting the biggest names in broadcasting, producing more content from different parts of Wales and working with partners to bring great programmes to audiences across the country.
We’ll be marking our birthday with a variety gala at Swansea’s Grand Theatre on 22 November, for an evening hosted by Radio Wales’ Owen Money and joined by special guests including Gabrielle, Only Men Aloud, John Owen Jones, Mike Bubbins, Hannah Grace and many more. I hope to see you there!