The story so far. Radio and its cultural places in British life…

I’ve written over the years here about how important radio has been in Britain during the past century. Radio Culture is the central theme of this website resource. Here’s some reflections based on my research. In this piece there’s memories of Wogan, the pirates, the joys of AM and FM, and modern tech stuff too, … Continue reading The story so far. Radio and its cultural places in British life… →

The power of international radio. You won’t miss it ’til it’s gone.

Or to use the accurate quote by Joni Mitchell from 1970, “Don't it always seem to go / That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone”. Well, now something’s gone. And it hurts. The late winter and early spring of 2025 have seen some seismic changes to international radio from the USA. My … Continue reading The power of international radio. You won’t miss it ’til it’s gone. →

Radio time | The art of subtracting-base-60 to keep the live show on the road…

Time is a key element to radio. Live radio that is. You will have noticed how podcasts – because they’re “listen on demand” – just seem to go on and on. On the other hand, live radio has to conform to the hour. I’ve worked for the BBC World Service and know first hand the … Continue reading Radio time | The art of subtracting-base-60 to keep the live show on the road… →

When you miss the local voices from home. Why we used to listen to radio… and why we still do…

Poets, pop singers and radio listeners tuning in to home across the airwaves. But first, the joys of reading a newspaper... I’m of the generation that still enjoys a good print version. It’s the feeling of it between the fingers, the rustle of the pages, the ease of turning it back and creasing the page … Continue reading When you miss the local voices from home. Why we used to listen to radio… and why we still do… →

Radio jokes – can podcasting ever be funny?

The point is this: having shared some dubious jokes about the radio industry, the time has now come to poke fun at podcasting. I'll reveal in a moment why I remain sceptical about "podcasting" (and I'm the one who just put that in quote marks. Feel free to do air-quotes, but don't drop your phone). … Continue reading Radio jokes – can podcasting ever be funny? →

Globe-trotting Christians: can they save souls and look after the planet? The challenges of the missionary organisation Reach Beyond

As 2024 comes to a close, so too does our 13-part radio series about Christian missionaries in the 21st century. It’s been on-air every Saturday night from October to December on TWR-UK and is called Voice and Hands with Reach Beyond. In the final three episodes, we’ve heard about Christian radio around the world – … Continue reading Globe-trotting Christians: can they save souls and look after the planet? The challenges of the missionary organisation Reach Beyond →

The Christmas question…

Has your auntie sent you an e-voucher as a present? Again? Don't know what to do? In a quandry? Simple, just buy my book. Search the web using these four words: Radio, Martin, Cooper, Bloomsbury. That should do it. Plenty of nostalgia there, as I tell one hundred years of broadcast history through books, movies … Continue reading The Christmas question… →

Lies, radio news, and a pub lunch | part 5 of 5

This is the last in a series of pieces about four decades of metro-media life in Britain: in which I come to some conclusions about Ian McEwan and Richard Eyre’s film The Ploughman’s Lunch – set in 1982 but cringingly relevant to the 2020s. Do take a look at pages around this site, and consider … Continue reading Lies, radio news, and a pub lunch | part 5 of 5 →

Listening in – how Jesus gets on the radio. More about the work of the Christian missionary organisation Reach Beyond

For the last three months of 2024, from October to December, we’ve been broadcasting a 13-part radio series on TWR-UK called Voice and Hands with Reach Beyond. In the most recent episodes, we’ve heard about Christian radio around the world – crossing the continents. We’ve travelled to Africa, to Southern Europe, North Africa and the … Continue reading Listening in – how Jesus gets on the radio. More about the work of the Christian missionary organisation Reach Beyond →

Helping refugees – and Jesus on social media. The work of the Christian missionary organisation Reach Beyond.

The run-up to Christmas 2024 is the time when the radio series Voice and Hands with Reach Beyond goes out. In the most recent episodes, we’ve heard about recycling projects working with refugees in Athens, hope and dignity for people fleeing civil war and persecution in Southeast Asia, and the rise of social media ministries … Continue reading Helping refugees – and Jesus on social media. The work of the Christian missionary organisation Reach Beyond. →