200 former Radio City employees to celebrate 50 groundbreaking years of broadcasting

Radio City, now known as Hits Radio Liverpool, will be celebrating 50 years of broadcasting across Liverpool and the greater Merseyside region on Monday 21 October. 

Broadcasting from the original Stanley Street studios before moving to St. John’s Beacon in 2000, 194 Radio City began it’s 50 year journey at 5.58am, with an announcement from its founding Managing Director Terry Smith who said: “It’s two minutes to six on Monday October 21, 1974. For the very first time, this is 194 Radio City broadcasting to Merseyside.”

History was born, and a part of Liverpool’s heritage began as the first song was played on Liverpool’s dedicated independent radio station, Stevie Wonder’s You are the Sunshine of my life began the illustrious journey that has spanned five decades.

Radio City enjoyed record listening figures, has been at the forefront of commercial music and won every single award that the radio industry has to offer, it has raised millions of pounds for Merseyside’s most vulnerable children and championed communities. 

The station has produced some of the country’s most respected journalists who produced ground breaking stories and campaigned for justice, and sports commentators who have gone on to work at the highest national level.

On Friday 18 October, 200 former staff members will gather at Dicey Reilly’s, on Wolstenholme Square, to raise a glass and celebrate 50 years of broadcasting ahead of the official birthday on Monday 21 October.

Event organisers Molly Marshall (Hits Radio Liverpool/former Radio City) and Carolyn Hughes (former Radio City and now Carolyn Hughes PR Ltd), who have been responsible over the years for many of the radio stations landmark celebrations, did not want to let the milestone anniversary pass without marking the historic occasion.

Molly Marshall said:

“Radio City has always been a fantastic place to work and for many has been a stepping stone to illustrious careers. For others their time at Radio City was a very special part of their lives and I feel so privileged to heave worked there for almost 40 years and counting.”

Carolyn Hughes, former Radio City employee and founder of CHPR, said:

“Whilst there are no official celebrations planned for former employees, we didn’t want to let this monumental date pass. It is a testament to the station’s former employees that 200 of them are travelling, from as far away as Australia, to mark the occasion and raise a glass to the vision and the legacy of Terry Smith, who founded the station. Also to acknowledge the amazing contribution that the talented former employees played in the continuing success of the station.”

The 50th anniversary celebration will honour the station’s history and legacy with music, photographs, video footage and soundbites from the decades, which have been carefully curated by former employee Al Stirling, who has created a nostalgic website for former employees to mark the occasion and access imagery and video footage from the celebration.

So prepare to raise a glass, reminisce and celebrate one of Liverpool’s proudest achievements as you remember Radio City and the impact it had on one of the best cities in the world! 

Happy birthday Radio City – 50 glorious years!

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