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The Media Network Vintage Vault 2024-2025


November 2024 - A message from Jonathan Marks, producer Media Network.  Yes, we're still here although my other work has meant I have little time for shortwave these days. I've started sorting out some off-air archives in the audio-only selections. It's true, radio has a terrible memory. (I'm delighted to learn that the British Vintage Wireless Society is still going strong https://www.bvws.org.uk ) Now you know why I am publishing old editions of Media Network here on this site, as well as some of the off-air recordings of stations I monitored in the 80's and 90's as part of the research for the programme. I'm simply looking for ways to capture more unique stories that I believe need to be told before we all forget. I realise that in 1000 editions of Media Network, we had only just begun the scratch the surface. So at this time of reflection, I'd just like to thank everyone for their support and encouragement as the archive project enters a new phase.   First time visitor? I'm Jonathan Marks. If this is the first time you've visited the vault, then I'm glad you dropped by! There are over 660 editions of Media Network, representing just over half the episodes that we made and broadcast from the Radio Netherlands' studios in Hilversum. I'm pleased to say most survived in excellent studio quality (quite often in stereo). 

Apr 14, 2014

May 2022: This is a re-issue of a file first published in 2012, but which was buried on this archive site. Following comments on Facebook, I have re-released it.

This is what you get if you take three production CDs that I used in the Media Network studio from 1995-2000 and fire them off one by one. It turns into 85 minutes of nostalgia with the daft jingles and promos we made to parody international broadcasting in the nineties. Ised the Dalet Workstation to make most of these - because it was the only way to do multirack mixes at Radio Netherlands. Before that we made jingles in the studio using complicated mixes of bit of tapes spliced together using razor blades. Was it efficient? No. Was it fun. Yes.

Radio Netherlands had a broadcast licence to use commercial music, so that made it possible to make these kind of jingles. We weren't trying to make any money out of the montages. We tended to use new music, the idea being that new music would pop up on commercial stations later and that might trigger some people to ask "Where have I heard that before?". My thanks to the voice talents of Jim Cutler, Lou Josephs, Diana Janssen, Dennis Powell, Peter Barsby, Peter Spinks, Nick Meanwell, George Wood, Gene Reich, the late Paul Holmes (before he was famous in New Zealand), Spike Milligan (who was trapped in a studio during a news bulletin), Pete Myers, and Kenny Everett (broadcasters prayer). I wrote the other scripts. Enjoy. 


Roger Lake
almost nine years ago

Frabjous joy. Thursdays at 13.51hrs were the highlight of my week in the eighties. And how I regretted not winning one of the CDs of the MN Jingle Collection. So much, I thought about tracking down the named winners and begging for a copy.

At last I have my own - thanks JM. The imaging (as they might call it nowadays) still sounds fresh, witty and vibrant. Superb choice of music and V.O. artists that made the prog zip along and bolstered its authority.

Now, time to apply some 90's tech to slice it all up into the original parts for casual random listening. Mini-disc anyone?

Rob Kievit
over eleven years ago

I only just discovered this, and enjoyed it hugely. Hearing this marvellous collection brings back memories of night shifts in RNW's Cell 4. As a presenter I listened to many MN editions more than once, and learnt a lot. Thank you for the mix, Jonathan.

Ruud de Groot
twelve and a half years ago

Really enjoyed listening to this !
Thank you, again..