1971 in British radio

This is a list of events in British radio during 1971.

January

 * 3 January – The Open University begins broadcasts on the BBC.

February

 * 1 February – Radio-only and combined radio & television licences are abolished.

March

 * No events.

April

 * No events.

May

 * Michael Freedland presents the first edition of “You Don’t Have to be Jewish” on BBC Radio London.

June to December

 * No events.

Station debuts

 * 26 January – BBC Radio Blackburn
 * 25 February – BBC Radio Humberside
 * 29 April – BBC Radio Derby

Programme debuts

 * 15 February – Lines from My Grandfather's Forehead, BBC Radio 4 (1971–1972)
 * 28 February (pilot), 5 December (series) – Parsley Sidings, BBC Radio 2 (1971–1973)
 * You Don't Have to Be Jewish, BBC Radio London (1971–1995)

1940s

 * Sunday Half Hour (1940–2018)
 * Desert Island Discs (1942–Present)
 * Down Your Way (1946–1992)
 * Letter from America (1946–2004)
 * Woman's Hour (1946–Present)
 * A Book at Bedtime (1949–Present)

1950s

 * The Archers (1950–Present)
 * The Today Programme (1957–Present)
 * The Navy Lark (1959–1977)
 * Sing Something Simple (1959–2001)
 * Your Hundred Best Tunes (1959–2007)

1960s

 * Farming Today (1960–Present)
 * In Touch (1961–Present)
 * The Men from the Ministry (1962–1977)
 * I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (1964–1973)
 * Petticoat Line (1965–1979)
 * The World at One (1965–Present)
 * The Official Chart (1967–Present)
 * Just a Minute (1967–Present)
 * The Living World (1968–Present)
 * The Organist Entertains (1969–2018)

1970s

 * PM (1970–Present)
 * Start the Week (1970–Present)
 * Week Ending (1970–1998)
 * You and Yours (1970–Present)

Births

 * 5 January
 * Joanna Gosling, journalist and newsreader
 * Jayne Middlemiss, radio and television presenter
 * 18 January – Leona Graham, broadcaster and voiceover artist
 * 29 January – Clare Balding, BBC Sports presenter, journalist and jockey
 * 10 May – Simon Jack, financial journalist
 * 23 May – Claudia Hammond, radio presenter
 * 27 May – Petroc Trelawny, classical music presenter
 * 1 June – Nihal Arthanayake, broadcaster
 * 17 August – Bridget Christie, stand-up comedian

Deaths

 * 28 May – Ralph Wightman, writer and broadcaster on countryside matters (born 1901)
 * 16 June – John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, Scottish broadcasting executive (born 1889)