ABSTRACT
In those formative listening years that I mention in the Introduction to this book my family tuned into their favourite programmes on a colourful transistor radio. My grandparents by contrast never progressed beyond their gigantic valve-operated wooden piece of furniture called the wireless. Once it had been switched on and given time to warm up it was permanently tuned to the portentous voices on the Home Service from the BBC. The output of the networks that we chose to listen to seemed to be reflected in our choice of receiving equipment. Our listening routines were also coloured and shaped by the portability of the modern radio that was taken from room to room, into the garden and on days out. The plugged-in valve wireless determined that listening was a sedentary activity.
