This second episode of six explores the role of radio presenters at Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio, examining how personality, voice and audience connection shaped early broadcasting and continue to influence modern podcasting and streaming culture.

You can search the archive from home and listen to over 1,800 full shows on Manchester Central Library's Sound + Vision pods.

This podcast is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Manchester Libraries Trust.

Archive credits

Archive audio from the Piccadilly Radio Collection, full shows available at  Manchester Central Library:

Copyright Bauer Media - all rights reserved:

• Steve Penk Best Of The Jobs, Calls and Wind-ups (PICC/1418)
• HOLY ROADSHOW (PICC/154)
• James Stannage from SWEENEY/ANDERTON (PICC2/403)

Copyright The Chris Sievey Estate - all rights reserved:

• Frank Sidebottom: Mr Gallaghers Zoo 2 with apology at start (PICC/1621)
• Frank Sidbottom: One Year Anniversary Of Radio Timperley (PICC/1639)
• Chris Sievey's Piccadilly Radio show as DJ 'Andy Wright' (PICC/1435)

Copyright Manchester Libraries:

• Oral history with Mark Radcliffe (PICCOH/8)
• Oral history with Brian Beech (PICCOH/5) 
• Oral history with Liz Bracken (PICCOH/6)
• Oral history with Henry Matthews (PICCOH/3) 

Licensed audio

• Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, No. 4 – In the Hall of the Mountain King – Odyssey Orchestra – Epidemic Sound (licensed via epidemicsound.com)
• Keeping My Head in the Sand – Speedy The Spider – Epidemic Sound (licensed via epidemicsound.com)
• The Broadway Strut – Speedy The Spider – Epidemic Sound (licensed via epidemicsound.com)
• Disco Craze – Rymdklang Soundtracks – Epidemic Sound (licensed via epidemicsound.com)

Rights statement

All licensed material is used in accordance with the terms of the relevant subscription licences. All archive and third-party material remains the property of its respective rights holders.

Narration

Podcast narrative written, researched and read by Dr. Philip Johnstone: Creative Commons licence CC-BY-4.0 (Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Licence).

Our next bonus episode on the development of commercial radio is out on 15 June!