Radio Cracker
Encyclopedia
Radio Cracker is the name of a series of short term RSL
charity radio station
s broadcasting in the UK and around the world in order to raise awareness of issues in the developing world http://www.amfm.org.uk/amfmnews/newsletter3.html.
and the Oasis Trust
to inform and educate people about the poverty and suffering that were the everyday experience of thousands of those living in Third World
countries. It challenged and encouraged members of various Christian
bodies to show their concern in a practical manner by organising and working together with people from all faith
s and none to raise money for humanitarian projects in the developing world. One of their most innovative fundraising ideas was that of 'Radio Cracker', a chain of radio stations that under a radio authority licence could broadcast for a maximum of 28 days during the period leading up to Christmas
http://www.radiocracker.org.uk/projects.php.
In 1991, there were 90 individual Radio Cracker RSL's, while in 1992, there were 83 http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/rau/publications-archive/adobe-pdf/rslar00.pdf. In 1992, the number had grown to 180 stations, all broadcasting to their own communities across the UK. The numbers fell in later years as the organisation had moved on, the final one being Orpington Cracker in 1994.
and jingle
s. Station idents featured the slogan "Tune in - Pay Out". Other idents were made locally by each station in order to promote their individual frequencies.
satellite.
, Steve Jordan of KCFM & Phil Holmes of Real Radio
are three of them http://www.bbc.co.uk/southerncounties/content/articles/2007/07/04/sundaypm_feature.shtml http://www.kcfm.co.uk/team/presenters/steve-jordan.aspx. Dave Williams of 100.7 Heart FM
also first broadcast on a Radio Cracker station in Rugby
. Chris Fox, who first broadcast on Radio Cracker in Worcester, is now the Station manager for Youthcomm Radio http://www.youthcomm.org.uk, another station originally set up by Radio Cracker founder Richard Wood. Kevin Ford who broadcast with Radio Cracker Ipswich, is breakfast show host on 3FM in the Isle Of Man.
As well as launching new radio careers, existing Radio professionals worked on the RSLs. For example, former Radio Caroline
presenter, Eric Wiltsher, worked on the 1994 Orpington RSL, not only presenting on the station, but promoting it on his then pan-European radio show.
Restricted Service Licence
A UK Restricted Service Licence , is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event...
charity radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s broadcasting in the UK and around the world in order to raise awareness of issues in the developing world http://www.amfm.org.uk/amfmnews/newsletter3.html.
Background
In 1989, an organisation known as Christmas Cracker was set up by Richard Wood http://www.rowextreme.com/ on behalf of TearfundTearfund
Tearfund is a UK Christian relief and development agency which works in over 50 countries. It is a founding member of both the Micah Network and the Disasters Emergency Committee.-History:...
and the Oasis Trust
Oasis Trust
Oasis Trust is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by Rev Steve Chalke in August 1985, who had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years...
to inform and educate people about the poverty and suffering that were the everyday experience of thousands of those living in Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
countries. It challenged and encouraged members of various Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
bodies to show their concern in a practical manner by organising and working together with people from all faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
s and none to raise money for humanitarian projects in the developing world. One of their most innovative fundraising ideas was that of 'Radio Cracker', a chain of radio stations that under a radio authority licence could broadcast for a maximum of 28 days during the period leading up to Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
http://www.radiocracker.org.uk/projects.php.
In 1991, there were 90 individual Radio Cracker RSL's, while in 1992, there were 83 http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/rau/publications-archive/adobe-pdf/rslar00.pdf. In 1992, the number had grown to 180 stations, all broadcasting to their own communities across the UK. The numbers fell in later years as the organisation had moved on, the final one being Orpington Cracker in 1994.
Branding
Each individual station was sent a CD containing celebrity voice overs, sound effectsSound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
and jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s. Station idents featured the slogan "Tune in - Pay Out". Other idents were made locally by each station in order to promote their individual frequencies.
Programmes
The programmes were wide and varied on each station. In 1992, there was also a national sustaining service broadcast via a sub-carrier on an AstraSES Astra
Astra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
satellite.
Presenters
Many people who presented on Radio Cracker have managed to break through into professional radio. Sylvie Blackmore of BBC Southern Counties RadioBBC Southern Counties Radio
BBC Southern Counties Radio was the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Surrey and Sussex. The station also covered a large part of North-East Hampshire. It was the first BBC Local Radio station to introduce a controversial all-speech format...
, Steve Jordan of KCFM & Phil Holmes of Real Radio
Real Radio
Real Radio is a network of adult contemporary independent local radio stations in England, Scotland and Wales and is operated by . Each station broadcasts local breakfast through to drive time shows and network programming in the evening and through the night...
are three of them http://www.bbc.co.uk/southerncounties/content/articles/2007/07/04/sundaypm_feature.shtml http://www.kcfm.co.uk/team/presenters/steve-jordan.aspx. Dave Williams of 100.7 Heart FM
100.7 Heart FM
Heart West Midlands is a radio station based in Birmingham, England, as part of the Heart Network, with a regional license to broadcast to the West Midlands...
also first broadcast on a Radio Cracker station in Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. Chris Fox, who first broadcast on Radio Cracker in Worcester, is now the Station manager for Youthcomm Radio http://www.youthcomm.org.uk, another station originally set up by Radio Cracker founder Richard Wood. Kevin Ford who broadcast with Radio Cracker Ipswich, is breakfast show host on 3FM in the Isle Of Man.
As well as launching new radio careers, existing Radio professionals worked on the RSLs. For example, former Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
presenter, Eric Wiltsher, worked on the 1994 Orpington RSL, not only presenting on the station, but promoting it on his then pan-European radio show.
Official sites
- radiocracker.org.uk - Radio Cracker, Ballymena
- rugbycracker.org.uk - Rugby Radio Cracker