Euronet Satellite Radio was a pioneering but short-lived station that broadcast via the Astra satellite system to the UK and Europe from Spring 1992 to Spring 1993. The studios were located above a row of shops in Shoreditch in East London in premises owned by one of the backers of the station.
I’m grateful to Eric Wiltsher for the following information:
The service began broadcasting in spring 1992, on the Astra satellite (the Sky Sports radio subcarrier on 7.56 MHz, to be exact). Euronet was a genuine community radio station, with programmes for a wide range of minority groups and specialist interests.
Euronet’s own programmes included:
- TESUG Satellite Surgery, an information and advice programme for fans of satellite broadcasting.
- Tender Trip, an “Anorak” programme for fans of offshore radio
- Wrestling World, a programme about wrestling presented by ex Radio Caroline and VOP DJ Ian Mac.
In addition, Euronet would often broadcast programmes from other stations and radio groups, notably:
- Gay To Gay, a gay community programme, originally broadcast on ILR station Wear FM.
- Radio Dublin, the famous Dublin pirate
- Green Apple Radio, a dance and rave music station
- Laser Rock, which is understood to have had links with the offshore Laser
It is possible that Euronet was inspired by short wave stations which relayed other programmes, such as Radio Fax and Drogheda’s Radio Rainbow International. But Euronet went a step further, in that some programmes aired made a real effort to serve minority groups who were often forgotten by the mainstream broadcasters. In early 1993, Radio Ability – a radio project by and for disabled people – approached Euronet, who were very sympathetic to the idea and planned to air its programmes.
Unfortunately, Euronet closed in spring 1993. This was a great shame, as Euronet were one of the few legal stations who really cared about minority interests, rather than just playing music in an attempt to grab listeners.
