August 14 1967 - 2021
Caroline continues....54 years later.
Having today searched without success in my own archives for photos, this is a Wiki Commons Licence photo of Radio Caroline's Ross Revenge taken in the mid 80s in international waters off the east coast of England.
This week's Saturday Timewatch yet again marks August 14th when in 1967 the British government's Marine Broadcasting Offences Act came into force aimed at ending the reign of the UK's offshore radio stations. At the time, Radio Caroline was the only station to carry on broadcasting and what an achievement it is that the station continues on air to this day.
The station has been jammed. A previous vessel sank. The ship has been blockaded. Storms brought down the massive Ross Revenge tower seen in this photo. Yet go here www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#home.html and there she still is broadcasting live (and legally) as Radio Caroline North from the Ross Revenge now anchored in the Blackwater Estuary, Essex. Shows are broadcast from onboard the ship on a monthly basis and this is a weekend August 14th special fund-raiser also being broadcast courtesy of their friends Manx Radio - Caroline North was moored off Ramsey, Isle of Man during the mis-60s.
These days, Caroline's standard programming is daily via the worldwide internet with a local traditional MW outlet to Essex. Those programmes are mostly from land-based studios but the marine connection is still very much alive.
I should say that my station for the last 15 years and more has been Paradise out of California, commercial free, listener-supported radio. However, there will always be that very soft spot for Caroline!
For American viewers, I reckon the nearest equivalent you had were the border-blasters, from border to border and coast to coast out of Mexico e.g. XERF out of Ciudad Acuna immediately across from Del Rio, TX.
August 14 1967 - 2021
Caroline continues....54 years later.
Having today searched without success in my own archives for photos, this is a Wiki Commons Licence photo of Radio Caroline's Ross Revenge taken in the mid 80s in international waters off the east coast of England.
This week's Saturday Timewatch yet again marks August 14th when in 1967 the British government's Marine Broadcasting Offences Act came into force aimed at ending the reign of the UK's offshore radio stations. At the time, Radio Caroline was the only station to carry on broadcasting and what an achievement it is that the station continues on air to this day.
The station has been jammed. A previous vessel sank. The ship has been blockaded. Storms brought down the massive Ross Revenge tower seen in this photo. Yet go here www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#home.html and there she still is broadcasting live (and legally) as Radio Caroline North from the Ross Revenge now anchored in the Blackwater Estuary, Essex. Shows are broadcast from onboard the ship on a monthly basis and this is a weekend August 14th special fund-raiser also being broadcast courtesy of their friends Manx Radio - Caroline North was moored off Ramsey, Isle of Man during the mis-60s.
These days, Caroline's standard programming is daily via the worldwide internet with a local traditional MW outlet to Essex. Those programmes are mostly from land-based studios but the marine connection is still very much alive.
I should say that my station for the last 15 years and more has been Paradise out of California, commercial free, listener-supported radio. However, there will always be that very soft spot for Caroline!
For American viewers, I reckon the nearest equivalent you had were the border-blasters, from border to border and coast to coast out of Mexico e.g. XERF out of Ciudad Acuna immediately across from Del Rio, TX.