IRN began broadcasting on October 8, 1973... the day that commercial radio was officially launched in the UK.
The first bulletins came from basement studios just off Fleet Street in London - then the centre of the national newspaper industry - and its first "client" was LBC (London Broadcasting) - the first commercial station to go to air.
IRN's role - then as now - was to provide a 24 hour service of national and international news to the UK's commercial radio network. Initially, it was funded by cash payments from the stations and material was distributed to the network by landline and teleprinter.
There were then four key developments which turned IRN into one of the world's most successful radio news providers.
- 1985 Computer technology introduced.
- 1987 Cash payments replaced by advertising airtime (Newslink).
- 1989 Distribution switched to satellite.
- 2001 Internet distribution introduced.
By the early 1990s the Newslink scheme was so successful that IRN was able to pay its client stations an annual loyalty bonus. Over £30 Million has so far been distributed in bonus payments.
The number of stations taking the IRN service in the UK has now risen to nearly 300 with a total audience of 26 Million listeners - making it one of the biggest radio news services in the world.