107.8 Radio Jackie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Broadcast area | South West London & North Surrey |
|---|---|
| First air date | March 19, 1969 |
| Frequency | 107.8 MHz |
| Format | Contemporary |
| Owner | None |
Radio Jackie is an Independent Local Radio station in England broadcasting news, classic hits, and local information to south west London and North Surrey from its studios in Tolworth.
The station began as a pirate station with a half hour slot on the Helen Network. When the station folded in 1969, however, Radio Jackie took over the broadcasting on the 1525kHz, and soon became one of the most popular pirate stations in the country. It changed frequency several times, settling on 1332kHz in 1978 when the new European frequency guidelines were implemented. From February 1971, it also broadcast on FM on 94.4MHz every Saturday evening.
By the early 1980s, Radio Jackie had become a 24 hour a day local station with studios in Worcester Park and a shop in Morden. It employed full time staff, was VAT-registered and had an entry in the phone directory—a very public operation for an illegal broadcaster. The station had huge public support with local borough councils and MPs supporting its wish to gain a licence. A recording of the station was even played in the House of Commons.
In the mid 1980s, however, new laws meant that the days of pirate stations were numbered, and as one of the highest-profile stations Radio Jackie was an early target. Despite huge local protests the station ceased broadcasting on February 4, 1985. At the time it was south west London's second most popular station.
However, as the number of regional licenses expanded, Radio Jackie was able to apply for a new broadcasting license when one became available for the area in 1996, but lost out to Thames FM. Over the years Thames Radio, as it was later renamed, fell into financial difficulty, and in 2003, the Radio Authority gave the original chairman Tony Collis permission to make a bid for the station. He purchased Thames Radio and Radio Jackie was relaunched on 107.8 MHz on Sunday, October 19 2003.
