194 Radio City was a pioneering commercial radio station in Liverpool, England, that launched on October 21, 1974.
- Launch: Founded by managing director Terry Smith, it began broadcasting to Merseyside at 5:58 AM with Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" as its first song.
Terry Smith was the founding managing director who launched 194 Radio City as Liverpool's first commercial radio station on October 21, 1974 .
Key Facts
The Launch: He opened the station at 5:58 AM with the historic on-air words: "It's two minutes to six on Monday October the 21st 1974. For the very first time, this is 194 Radio City broadcasting to Merseyside." The First Song: The first track played on the station was Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life."Leadership: He led the station as managing director for many years before officially retiring in 2013.Other Roles: He also founded the Mercury Press news agency and served on the board of Liverpool FC.
Passing: He passed away in August 2021 at the age of 87. You can read more about his life and career at the Liverpool Echo.
- Frequency: The "194" in its name came from its original medium wave frequency of 194 metres (1548 kHz AM) transmitted from Rainford, before later adding an FM frequency (96.7 MHz).
- Studios: It originally broadcast from Stanley Street in Liverpool city centre before moving to the iconic St John's Beacon in 2000.
- Legacy: The station became a massive cultural part of Merseyside's identity through the 1970s and 1980s. It later evolved into Radio City 96.7FM
Now today we have relaunched 194 Radio City to continue giving the people of Liverpool real radio and to keep 194 Radio City alive for many years to come
