Tony Prince
Encyclopedia
Tony Prince is a British radio
disc jockey
and businessman, remembered for programmes on Radio Caroline
and Radio Luxembourg
in the 1960s and 1970s.
He worked as a jockey
and toolmaker and played in a local band, The Jasons. In 1962 he started as a club DJ, and moved to Bristol
to work for Top Rank. He presented an early ITV
pop music programme, Discs-a-Gogo.
In 1965 he joined the pirate radio
station Radio Caroline North on a ship in the Irish Sea
, developing his personality as "your royal ruler". After the 1967 Marine Offences Act banned pirate radio he joined Radio Luxembourg. He continued to present programmes after becoming programme director there in 1977. He played Elvis Presley
songs non-stop on hearing about the singer's death on August 16 that year. He was programme director until 1984.
Around 1981, he began playing DJ mixes of dance records and started the Disco Mix Club Show. On returning to Britain, he launched DMC as a record subscription club in 1983. He also launched the magazine Mixmag
, later sold to EMAP
. Prince continues to run the company, now known as DMC International.
Recent projects include Wedding TV
, which Prince co-founded. The channel (available on Sky Digital
) won the Best Specialist Channel award at the annual Broadcast Digital Channel Awards in 2008.
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Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and businessman, remembered for programmes on Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
and Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
in the 1960s and 1970s.
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and toolmaker and played in a local band, The Jasons. In 1962 he started as a club DJ, and moved to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to work for Top Rank. He presented an early ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
pop music programme, Discs-a-Gogo.
In 1965 he joined the pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station Radio Caroline North on a ship in the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
, developing his personality as "your royal ruler". After the 1967 Marine Offences Act banned pirate radio he joined Radio Luxembourg. He continued to present programmes after becoming programme director there in 1977. He played Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
songs non-stop on hearing about the singer's death on August 16 that year. He was programme director until 1984.
Around 1981, he began playing DJ mixes of dance records and started the Disco Mix Club Show. On returning to Britain, he launched DMC as a record subscription club in 1983. He also launched the magazine Mixmag
Mixmag
Mixmag is a British dance music and clubbing magazine. It styles itself as "the world's biggest selling dance music magazine", with an Audit Bureau of Circulations audited circulation of approximately 21,250...
, later sold to EMAP
EMAP
Emap Limited is a British media company, specialising in the production of business-to-business magazines, and the organisation of business events and conferences...
. Prince continues to run the company, now known as DMC International.
Recent projects include Wedding TV
Wedding TV
Wedding TV is a woman's lifestyle television channel broadcast in the United Kingdom, on the Sky and Freesat platforms. The channel claims to be the first of its kind, concentrating on love, life, relationships and weddings...
, which Prince co-founded. The channel (available on Sky Digital
Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)
Sky is the brand name for British Sky Broadcasting's digital satellite television and radio service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28.2° east and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5°E. The service was originally launched as Sky Digital, distinguishing it from the original...
) won the Best Specialist Channel award at the annual Broadcast Digital Channel Awards in 2008.
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