Radio Cracker

Radio Cracker is the name of a series of short term RSL charity radio stations 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 Tearfund 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 faiths 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 [http://www.radiocracker.org.uk/projects.php] .

Branding

Each individual station was sent a CD containing celebrity voice overs, Sound effects and jingles. Station idents featured the slogan was "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 astra satellite.

Presenters

Many people who presented on Radio Cracker have managed to break through into professional radio. Sylvie Blackmore of BBC Southern Counties Radio, Steve Jordan of KCFM & Phil Holmes of Palm 105.5 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 Heart 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.

External links

* [http://www.amfm.org.uk/amfmnews/amfm6.html amfm.org.uk] - Further reading.
* [http://www.pudseygrangefield.leeds.sch.uk/media/about pudseygrangefield.leeds.sch.uk] - Details of a school in Leedsinvolvement in 1990.
* [http://www.revivalradio.org.uk/about/history.htm revivalradio.org.uk] - Dates of Radio Cracker in Scotland.
* [http://www.peterp.net/radio.html peterp.net] - A presenters involvement with Radio Cracker in Worthing.
* [http://www.wrightstuff.co.uk/cv_body.html wrightstuff.co.uk] - David Wrights involvement with Radio Cracker in Camberley.
* [http://www.rowextreme.com Row Extreme] - Radio Cracker founder Richard Wood's website
* [http://www.youthcomm.org.uk/radio Youthcomm Radio] - Set up by Richard Wood and managed by Radio Cracker Worcester presenter Chris Fox

Official Sites

* [http://www.radiocracker.org.uk/ radiocracker.org] - Radio Cracker Ballymena.
* [http://www.rugbycracker.org.uk/radio.html rugbycracker.org.uk] - Radio Cracker Rugby.