Media UK

107.8 Radio Jackie

Radio Jackie was one of the first land based pirate stations, The first broadcast was in March 1969 from a studio in Sutton and lasted for just 30 minutes! Within a short while Radio Jackie was on air every Sunday giving a growing band of listeners their first taste of truly local radio.

In 1983 Radio Jackie launched a full 24 hour a day service. A Radio Jackie shop was opened, the studios were in Worcester Park, and the transmitter was in North Cheam. Radio Jackie was VAT registered and listed in the phone book. Full time staff were employed to work from Radio Jackie's office and shop - initially in Morden and later in Central Road, Worcester Park. Kingston and Sutton Councils passed motions supporting Radio Jackie's bid to be licensed to serve South West London. In 1984 a petition, calling for the station to be given a licence, was signed by over 55,000 people and supported by many local councillors and the MP for Mitcham and Morden.

Sadly Radio Jackie was forced to close in February 1985 following a series of much publicised raids by the radio regulatory authorities. Hundreds of people filled the Radio Jackie studios and offices in Worcester Park for the emotional final programme. The station vowed then to continue campaigning for a local radio licence for South West London. However, the opportunity to return legally didn't arise until 1996 when a new FM licence for South West London on 107.8MHz was advertised. Radio Jackie's hopes of a return to the airwaves of South West London were dashed though when the licence was awarded to another applicant -Thames Radio.

However the subsequent misfortunes of Thames Radio have turned out to be an opportunity for Radio Jackie to prove the 1996 licence decision wrong. Thames 107.8 was put up for sale in February 2003 and the original management team behind Radio Jackie re-formed to purchase the loss-making station!

Heartbeat City by The Cars was played on Radio Jackie's "re-launch day", on 19 October 2003. It was chosen as it contains the line 'Oh Jackie what took you so long'. The first hour featured Dave Owen who was the last voice to be heard when they were forced to close in 1985.

The station now broadcasts from the old post office on Tolworth Broadway, opposite Tolworth Tower, where the transmitter is situated.