The Sound of Sunday on HRB

24 March 1991, the first Iraq war was in the news, John Major was PM and we were in recession.  The first edition of The Sound of Sunday went on the air at 3pm that afternoon.  22 years on, and we have no show this weekend as I am off to Blackpool for the National Hospital Radio Awards.  In those 22 years, there has been one occasion when the show was on a Monday – 26 April 1999 – as part of that year's broadcast marathon.  This Easter Monday we will again be on the air on what would appear to be the wrong day!  That is because Richard Smith takes over the airwaves of HRB the day before with the HBA Big Broadcast for National Hospital Broadcasting Week.  24 hours live including requests for patients listening on the 30 radio stations that will be taking the show.

Back when The Sound of Sunday started, something like that would not have been possible.  No internet, we didn't even have a satellite dish in those days.  Technology has changed things beyond all recognition but it's made lots of things possible like The Big broadcast, and long may that continue!