First broadcast[edit ] Radio 1 was established in 1967 (along with its somewhat more adult-oriented counterpart, BBC Radio 2 ) as a successor to the BBC Light Programme , which had broadcast popular music and other entertainment since 1945. Radio 1 was conceived as a direct response to the popularity of offshore pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline and Radio London , which had been outlawed by Act of Parliament. [6] Radio 1 was launched at 7:00 am on Saturday 30 September 1967. The first disc jockey to broadcast on the new station was Tony Blackburn , whose cheery style, first heard on Radio Caroline and Radio London , won him the prime slot on what became known as the "Radio 1 Breakfast Show". The first words on Radio 1 – after a countdown by the Controller of Radios 1 and 2, Robin Scott, and a jingle, recorded at PAMS in Dallas , Texas , beginning "The voice of Radio 1" – were "... And, good morning everyone. Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio 1". This was the first use of US-style jingles on BBC radio, but the style was familiar to listeners who were acquainted with Blackburn and other DJs from their days on pirate radio. The first complete record played on Radio 1 was "Flowers in the Rain " by The Move . The second single was "Massachusetts " byThe Bee Gees . The breakfast show remains the most prized slot in the Radio 1 schedule, with every change of breakfast show presenter exciting considerable media interest. [7] The initial rota of staff included John Peel and a gaggle of others, some hired from pirates, such as Keith Skues , Ed Stewart , Mike Raven , David Ryder, Jim Fisher, Jimmy Young , Dave Cash , Kenny Everett , Simon Dee , Terry Wogan , Duncan Johnson, Doug Crawford, Tommy Vance , Chris Denning , Emperor Rosko , Pete Murray , and Bob Holness . Many of the most popular pirate radio voices, such as Simon Dee, had only a one-hour slot per week, ("Midday Spin.") [8] Annie Nightingale , who joined in 1970, was Britain's first female DJ and is now the longest serving presenter, having constantly evolved her musical tastes with the times. [9] 1970s peak[edit ] I want to slag off all the people in charge of radio stations. Firstly, Radio One. They outlawed the pirates and then didn't, as they promised, cater for the market the pirates created. Radio One and Two, most afternoons, run concurrently and the whole thing has slid right back to where it was before the pirates happened. They've totally fucked it. There's no radio station for young people any more. It's all down to housewives and trendies in Islington. They're killing the country by having that play list monopoly. —Joe Strummer [10] Initially, the station was unpopular with some of its target audience who, it is claimed, disliked the fact that much of its airtime was shared with Radio 2 and that it was less unequivocally aimed at a young audience than the offshore stations, with some DJs such as Jimmy Young being in their 40s. The very fact that it was part of an "establishment" institution such as the BBC was a turn-off for some, and needle time restrictions prevented it from playing as many records as offshore stations