Wonderful Radio London also known as Big L, was a top 40 (in London's case, the "Fab 40") offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England. While the station, like the other offshore radio operators at the time, was dubbed a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws of the day and its offices were located in the West End of London. Its representation in London was by a company formed by a former employee of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency who had been employed by the Texas venture capital group that owned the station.

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  • Wonderful Radio London also known as Big L, was a top 40 (in London's case, the "Fab 40") offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England. While the station, like the other offshore radio operators at the time, was dubbed a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws of the day and its offices were located in the West End of London. Its representation in London was by a company formed by a former employee of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency who had been employed by the Texas venture capital group that owned the station. The station broadcast from the MV Galaxy, a former World War II United States Navy US Minesweeper originally named USS Density. The majority of programmes were presented live from a studio in the hold. The ship's metal bulkheads presented problems with acoustics and soundproofing that were originally solved by lining the walls with mattresses from the crew's bunk beds, which meant none of them could sleep during the day. (en)
  • Wonderful Radio London (Big L) war neben Radio Caroline, Swinging Radio England u. a. einer der Piratensender, die zu Beginn der 1960er-Jahre dem Vereinigten Königreich die „Swinging Sixtees“ bescherte. Wie die anderen Piraten sendete Big L ab 1964 von einem Schiff in der Nordsee außerhalb der englischen 3-Meilen-Zone (offshore-radio). Big L wurde besonders von jungen Leuten gehört, bedingt durch die moderne Musik, die gespielt wurde. Der Einsatz von Jingles und die lockere Art der Moderation waren weitere Erfolgsfaktoren. Zu den Moderatoren gehörten Kenny Everett, Tony Blackburn und John Peel. Mit dem "Marine Offences Act" konnte die britische Regierung den Betrieb der offshore-stations nicht verbieten, da sich diese in internationalen Gewässern befanden, sondern jeder britische Bürger, der die Stationen unterstützte, machte sich strafbar; sei es durch Versorgung, oder insbesondere duch Werbeaufträge. Dadurch kam für Wonderful Radio London das Aus. John Peels "Final Perfumed Garden"-Show vom 14. August 1967 ist ein Tondokument der letzten Nacht von Big L. Mittlerweile sendet Radio London wieder und ist auch als Live-Stream über Internet zu empfangen. Die jetzigen Betreiber stehen jedoch in keinem Bezug zu der legendären Offshore-Station "Big L". Umfangreiches Informationsmaterial über die Offshore-Station bietet allerdings die Webseite radiolondon. Hier können nicht nur die Jingles sondern wöchentlich die komplette Fab 40 zwischen 1965 bis 1967 eingesehen und gehört werden. (de)
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  • John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (en)
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  • The cover of Peel's autobiography - Margrave of the Marshes. (en)
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  • John Peel (1939 - 2004) (en)
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  • Wonderful Radio London also known as Big L, was a top 40 (in London's case, the "Fab 40") offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England. While the station, like the other offshore radio operators at the time, was dubbed a pirate radio station, its actual operation took place within the laws of the day and its offices were located in the West End of London. Its representation in London was by a company formed by a former employee of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency who had been employed by the Texas venture capital group that owned the station. (en)
  • Wonderful Radio London (Big L) war neben Radio Caroline, Swinging Radio England u. a. (de)
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  • Wonderful Radio London (en)
  • Radio London (zeezender) (nl)
  • Wonderful Radio London (de)
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