2003 in British radio

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This is a list of events in British radio during 2003.

Events

• January - Neptune Radio and CTFM are rebranded KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country and KMFM Canterbury respectively.
• 5 January - 'Doctor' Neil Fox presents the first Hit40UK, the successor of the Pepsi Chart Show.
• 6 January - Jeremy Vine takes over Jimmy Young's old lunchtime show on BBC Radio 2.^[1]
• 6 January - Les Ross takes over from David Hamilton as breakfast show presenter on Birmingham's Saga 105.7FM.
• 11 February - John Peters presents the first programme (the breakfast show) on Saga 106.6 FM in Nottingham, making it his third station launch. He launched Radio Trent in 1975 and GEM-AM in 1988.^[2]
• 17 February – A breakfast presenter who was sacked from Century 106 after playing a spoof song about the Taleban in the wake of the September 11 attacks has settled his case for unfair dismissal, it is reported.^[3]
• 8 April - The Radio Academy Hall of Fame is established to honour those who have made an "outstanding contribution" to British broadcasting. Among those inducted into the Hall of Fame at the inaugural ceremony include Richard Dimbleby, Tony Hancock, Arthur Askey, John Humphrys, Alistair Cooke, Alan Freeman, Tony Blackburn and Noel Edmonds.^[4]
• 3 May - BBC Radio 1 cancels the first day of its One Big Weekend at Heaton Park, Manchester due to poor weather. However, the second day of the event goes ahead as scheduled.^[5]
• 5 June - Radio 2 presenter Johnnie Walker announces that he will be taking time off air to undergo treatment after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.^[6] During his time away the show is presented by Stuart Maconie and Noel Edmonds (who made a brief return to radio).
• 10 October - Lesley Douglas is appointed Controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.
• 28 November - Some of the BBC's radio and television services, including BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Five Live and BBC News 24, are blacked out by a power cut and a fire alert.
• 4 December - Broadcasters John Peel, Chris Tarrant, John Dunn, Sue MacGregor and Douglas Cameron are inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.^[7]
• 19 December - Sara Cox presents her final breakfast show on BBC Radio 1. She is succeeded by Chris Moyles in the new year.

Station debuts

• 11 February - Saga 106.6 FM^[8]
• 1 March - Dee 106.3 (broadcasting to Chester, West Cheshire and Deeside)
• 5 October – Dearne FM
• 18 October - CTR 105.6 (now KMFM Maidstone)
• Unknown - Heat Radio
• Unknown - The Hits Radio
• Unknown - Insight Radio

Deaths

• 17 March - Alan Keith, 94, actor, disc jockey and radio presenter, noted for being the longest serving and oldest presenter on British radio.^[9]
• July - Kerry Juby, 55, disc jockey
• 23 September - Sarah Parkinson, 41, producer and writer of radio and television programmes

References

1. "Vine on critics' wavelength". BBC News. 7 January 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
2. "Biography of John Peters". Aircheck UK. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
3. Day, Julia (17 February 2003). "Sacked DJ settles case". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 10 April 2014.
4. "Radio stars launch Hall of Fame". BBC News (BBC). 8 April 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
5. "Radio 1 - One Big Weekend". BBC. 3 May 2003. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
6. "DJ Johnnie Walker in cancer battle". BBC News. 5 June 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
7. "Veteran DJs in radio hall of fame". BBC News (BBC). 4 December 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
8. "Saga 106.6 FM goes for February launch". RadioNow.co.uk. 7 January 2003. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
9. "Veteran DJ Alan Keith dies". BBC News. 18 March 2003. Retrieved 18 December 2009.