A Nation's Station - The Story of Manx Radio

This was commissioned by Manx Radio to mark its first forty years and it traces the station's journey from its earliest days when it transmitted from a caravan in a field near Douglas. It was hoped that Manx Radio would become a new 'Radio Luxembourg', a commercial station reaching across Britain and into Europe. However, the UK soon dashed these hopes by refusing the necessary broadcasting licences, prompting a running battle between Tynwald and the UK which led Tynwald to champion 'Radio Caroline', broadcast from a 'pirate radio' ship which was anchored off Ramsey Bay. Eventually Manx Radio accepted a lesser role as the Isle of Man's national station, and as it was heavily subsidized by Tynwald, this led to an entertaining series of crises and public debates over the years. In addition to the main text there are nine sections of anecdotes and reminiscences by famous voices of Manx Radio.

Published by The Manx Experience, Douglas, 2004, in hardback (238pp). ISBN 1 873120 62 1