Piccadilly Radio’s archive is to be digitised following a £99k National Lottery grant.
The Manchester radio station’s reel-to-reel tapes are held at the Manchester Central Library and the cash will mean that they will be digitally archived, so they can be browsed by users.
There were fears that the tapes were starting to degrade and that the reel-to-reel format was obsolete.
“It was very important that the legacy of Piccadilly Radio be preserved. As someone that worked at the station for many years, it played a massive part of people’s everyday lives in the 70s and 80s and the fact that its cultural significance and magical memories will be accessible for them, and future generations is fantastic,” said Tony Ingham, Former Producer of Piccadilly Radio.
“I know that former colleagues who worked at the station are delighted and grateful to the Library and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for recognising the importance of the archive.”
The lottery money has been topped up with match-funding from Manchester Libraries Trust and former Piccadilly Radio staff.
“It is brilliant to see the precious archives we keep of Piccadilly Radio at Manchester Central Library be supported to move into the digital era of archiving,” said John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure.
“The radio station has played an important role in our broadcast media in the city, for former staff members and its many listeners over the years. I am proud to see this being rightly recognised and for the project to be collaborating with diverse people in our community and being made accessible for young and older audiences.
“Piccadilly Radio has been a cornerstone for many Mancunians and its work with one of our biggest libraries in the city will cement its impactful history for years to come.”
A newly hired project manager will oversee the project and there will also be introductory podcasts with those who listened to the station and appeared on it. This will be made by journalism students from the University of Salford.
The cash will also be invested in a 3 month collaboration with the Manchester Hip Hop archive to educate young people in podcast producing skills, using Piccadilly Radio’s soul and hip-hop shows.
Next year there will be a 6 month-long exhibition at the library to celebrate Piccadilly Radio.
There has been a call out to members of the public to share any tapes they have of shows, that aren’t in the archives, such as Mike Shaft’s Taking Care Of Business and Stu Allan’s Bus Diss.
“Local radio holds a special place in the hearts of many people in the North of England, so it is fantastic news, that thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support the Manchester Central Library to ensure that its Piccadilly Radio collection is preserved for years to come,” added Helen Featherstone, Director of England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“This investment will mean that more people can learn about our rich musical heritage, gain new skills in podcast production and cataloguing and hopefully inspire future broadcasters.”
The lottery backed project will take 12 months to complete and officially ends in December 2025.
