London Greek Radio, (LGR), celebrated 30 years of broadcasting as a radio station on 13th November 2019, becoming the UK’s longest-serving ethnic radio station to hold an FM licence.
Listeners, presenters, staff and management celebrated its 30th birthday at a “Dinner & Dance” event on 30th October, with Cypriot singer, Stelios Chiotis and others.
Britain’s first-ever licensed ethnic radio station began official broadcasting on 13th November 1989 upon being awarded its licence, breaking ground for changing the landscape of UK radio.
A special day of “celebratory programming” took place yesterday, Wednesday 13th November 2019 from 7am until Midnight to mark the anniversary.
The book, ‘London’s Pirate Pioneers’ by Stephen Hebditch tells the story of the capital’s pirate radio stations and the people who helped change the British broadcasting system.
LGR’s undeniable legacy and the intense pressures the station faced to be closed down is highlighted by the author. London Greek Radio became Britain’s first-ever licensed ethnic radio station upon being awarded its FM frequency and is the UK’s longest-serving ethnic radio station to hold that FM licence.
The station’s strong community backbone is as relevant now as ever it was.
Over the years, London Greek Radio has become steadfast to a wide range of listeners; from maturing-settlers-to-the-UK, to the coming-of-age of British Greeks and Cypriots – connecting listeners to their roots through a carefully balanced programming of music, speech, entertainment and news.
The station is an integrated part of the communities’ sociable lives including the organising of successful, frequently ‘sold-out’ events such as the annual ‘Dinner & Dance’ to the regular ‘Club-Nights’ which are immensely popular with the station’s younger audience.
Today, in addition to serving communities on 103.3 FM, LGR has been taken into 21st-century broadcasting by joining the Digital Radio platform.
LGR can now be heard in four major cities on DAB+ (digital radio), namely London, Birmingham, Manchester and crossing into Scotland, Glasgow.
As part of the station’s ever-growing expansion, LGR now also broadcasts to Larnaca in Cyprus, on 93 FM, believed to be the first ever FM station in the world to broadcast on FM in another country.
Furthermore, listeners extend worldwide, online at lgr.co.uk and the station has a free app for mobile devices which listeners can download from the App or Play stores, embracing the ‘on-the-move’ audience.
LGR’s Managing Director, Tony Jay, said, “More listeners are discovering the ever-growing London Greek Radio family every day, and it’s not only Greek-speaking listeners but English, Jewish, Albanian, Arab, Bulgarian, Turkish, Russian and many more who frequently tune in.”
He added, “LGR is undergoing a revamp with fresh ideas to attract an even wider audience. Exciting times ahead; onwards and upwards.”
LGR’s Chairman John Kyriakides, said, “With LGR’s edgier playlists of the biggest Greek and Cypriot tunes, Modern Laika, Greek Pop, Entehna, Golden-Oldies, Alternative, Folk and current Chart Hits, we continue to serve the listener.
“It is this fundamental reason that the station remains the preferred choice in most Greek and Cypriot homes, offices, shops, factories, workplaces, vehicles and venues.”
The birthday party continues on 30th November when the station invites you to help celebrate at its ‘Greekology’ Club Night at Trent Park Country Club. To secure your attendance, visit, http://lgr.co.uk/lgr-presents-greekology-at-the-country-club-2/
Happy Birthday to LGR – Here’s to the next 30 years!
