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London Calling
(later renamed
BBC Worldwide
, then
BBC On Air
) was a monthly magazine
[1]
that contained programme listings for the
BBC World Service
shortwave
radio broadcasting service. Originally called the
Empire Programme Pamphlet
(for what was then known as the BBC Empire Service) and then
BBC Empire Broadcasting
, the title was changed to
London Calling
in mid-1939 when the magazine expanded from 12 pages to 16.
[2]
The title alludes to the
BBC World Service
's
station identification
: "This is London calling ...", which was used during
World War II
, often in broadcasts to occupied countries.
[3]
[4]
[5]
Background
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]
In November, 1993, the magazine was replaced with a 100-page colour magazine (up until then, the magazine was printed in two colours except for the front and back covers) and started including more and deeper stories, and renamed
BBC Worldwide
. (From April to November, 1995, there was a North American edition, subtitled
BBC Worldwide North America
, presumably so the magazine could be sent to North American subscribers and appear on shelves in North American stores without the cost of having to send the issues air mail from the UK each month). However, rising costs, which forced the BBC to reduce the size of the paper it used at one point, caused the magazine to change back to a mainly-listings format, and the title was changed to
BBC On Air
(later stylised
BBC on|air
), although the longer stories would make their way back into the magazine over the years.
The last edition of
BBC On Air
was that of December 2004. In a letter sent to subscribers the managing director of the magazine cited as reason for the discontinuation "that many of our listeners are getting programme information on line and that it is no longer cost-effective to produce the printed edition of the magazine."
[6]
References
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External links
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Former programmes
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Language services
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Closed services
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Miscellaneous
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Related articles
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Transmitter sites
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