Falkland Islands Radio 1987

Entertainment for those of us in the Falklands was minimal in the 1980s. Television was limited to the videos of news and programmes that were flown out from the UK – there was no live or satellite television in those days – and so we were always a few days behind in what we saw. To keep up to date there was a military radio station, a mix of music and news and drama from the main UK stations with a local bent provided by Falklands based broadcasters. It was pretty professional but tried to be all things to all people. But for entertainment value it was hard to beat the offering of the local Falkland Islands radio, run by locals for locals.

Falkland’s Radio was a charmingly amateur set up, and that is being generous. The broadcasters seemingly had no training and the programmes were of limited scope and interest, even to the locals I expect. The example of the unstamped letter nicely sums up the general tone of the station. I also recall sitting in my small and overly warm room listening to the regular ‘sales and wants’: inconsequential notices for inconsequential things. It was all very charming and personal.

One day the treat for the night was a live broadcast of the Falkland Islands’ sheepdog championship. The television programme ‘One Man and his Dog’ was hardly riveting viewing for most people so you can imagine how it comes across as a radio show. The programme comprised an hour of little more than the whistle of the shepherd, the barking of the dog and the bleating of the sheep with the noise of the ever present Falkland Island wind in the background in the radio microphone. A commentator put in the occasional word - but only very occasionally - leaving the majority of it up to the listener’s imagination. A truly challenging piece of radio entertainment by any standards.

Was there anything else to compare to that Falkland’s Radio broadcast? You might think not but a short time later I passed another evening in my room in the sprawling accommodation building of Mount Pleasant with the sound of the Falkland Islands’ Darts Championships playing on the radio in the background: the thud of the darts, the steps of players as they walked up to take their turn and the cheer of the crowd, pulled together with a very occasional comment from the commentator. Truly riveting.