For me it started, as it did for many, in 1964.

The first time I heard offshore radio was while on holiday in the Lake District. when just a child. My father tuned in to Radio Caroline North on his tiny transistor radio and what we heard was near-continuous pop music. We had heard nothing like it before - the nearest having been Radio Luxembourg (remember Horace Batchelor - Keynshammmm, spelt K E Y ...?) but they only broadcasted by night.

Radio Caroline actually started broadcasting in March 1964, from the MV Caroline, moored off Felixstowe and broadcasting on the famous wavelength of 199 metres. Moored nearby was the MV Mi Amigo, beaming out Radio Atlanta, which came on air in May. In no time the two stations merged, and one ship sailed round to the Isle of Man to become Radio Caroline North.

Caroline wasn't actually the first offshore radio station, but it was the first to be moored off the British coastline. Radio Veronica had been broadcasting from the MV Borkumriff moored off Holland since 1960, and astute radio listeners in Eastern England had found they could pick this up. Even earlier, in 1959, Radio Mercur had been broadcasting off the Danish coast, but that was certainly out of listening range.

So what was the purpose of broadcasting from a ship? Quite simply, the British Broadcasting Company had a monopoly of the British airwaves, but was not broadcasting to suit everybody's tastes. Radio Atlanta and Radio Caroline were both conceived by small-time record companies that couldn't get their music played on the radio. The BBC would only play very limited amounts of pop music, and then only from the major record labels. Radio Luxembourg would play anything, provided you paid them enough for the privilege. It was cheaper to set up your own radio station, broadcasting from just outside the BBC's monopoly - the sea.

Things quickly escalated and offshore radio stations sprung up all over the place. Apart from the ships, a number broadcasted from old wartime forts in the Thames estuary. From my home in London you could twiddle your dial and find Radio Caroline, Radio London, Radio City, Swingin' Radio England and many more.

Offshore radio made pop music something that everybody could have. Record companies officially disapproved (breach of copyright etc.) but at the same time would dish records out freely to radio stations, begging them to give their records air time.

It wasn't long before some companies started paying to have their records played, although this often led to a decline in the standard of music being broadcasted. They called this the "payola" system.

The BBC could not tolerate this competitive situation for ever. They wanted monopoly, and they had no trouble convincing the government to make sure they got it. The Marine Offences Act of 1967 was designed to silence offshore radio by making it illegal to broadcast from within territorial waters. In return, the BBC grudgingly provided "Radio One", which was supposed to be all day pop music although this initially fizzled out at teatime when the transmissions combined with Radio Two, the former Light Programme.

The MOA silenced all stations except Radio Caroline, who were determined to stay. Offices were opened in overseas (because it became illegal to do have them in the UK) and the ship had to be outside the three mile limit.

Unfortunately, in a very short time the two Caroline stations suffered financial problems, and both ships were repossessed in true pirate fashion in 1968 and towed to Holland where they were sold for scrap.

The end. Or was it . . .

Next >