It seems fitting that the first ‘object’ we are featuring is an edition of the Radio Times
The suggestion comes from BBCPA member Stephen Wehrle. Here are Stephen’s own words.
‘Attached is a photo of me holding the 1988 Christmas Radio Times. This was the issue that sold 11.6 million copies and went into the Guinness book of world records as the largest ever magazine sale.’
Stephen Wehrle with Radio Times Issue 17 December 1988 – 30 December 1988
I worked 46 years for the BBC and then we were sold to a private company and I did another 6 years with them, finally retiring 4 years ago. I did more than a dozen different jobs over those years predominantly with the publishing side of the business and in particular the RADIO TIMES. I started as an office boy back in the 60s and gradually got promotion into different roles. Eventually I ended up as the production Paper Manager for publishing, responsible for sourcing paper from Finland/Sweden/Norway/Germany for all of the BBCs publications, spending over £20m a year at one time. As mentioned the BBC sold our department off to IMMEDIATE MEDIA in 2011 and I continued in this role until retiring. I thoroughly enjoyed most of my working life, apart from one particularly stressful job.
I also worked part time on the GRANDSTAND programme on Saturdays for 6 years in the 80s. A team of us were employed to compile all of the sports results for transmission.’
The first edition of The Radio Times, ‘the official organ of the BBC’, appeared on news-stands on 28 September 1923 and is one of the oldest objects the BBC produced that still exists. As far as I know there are no BBC sound recordings from that time.
More things to enjoy about Radio Times
A 50 second Radio Times Promo: https://youtu.be/1u7eYF4pd9o
Lots more Radio Times Covers: https://ukchristmastv.weebly.com/christmas-radio-times-covers-from-1969.html
So what was on the BBC over Christmas 1988? https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1988-12-25
More about history of the Radio Times
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/research/radio-times
If you would like to submit a suggestion for an object then in the first instance email membership@bbcpa.org.uk or follow the link in the members area and fillout the online form.
Ideally we would like a paragraph about the object, a bit of background about yourself and any connections you may have with the object and a photo if possible.
George Auckland
