Churchill's 'we shall fight on the beaches' rallying cry voted top radio moment of all time

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

Former prime minister Winston Churchill's speech was voted the most memorable moment in radio

Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight on the beaches' wartime speech has been chosen as the most memorable radio moment in the history of radio.

The 1940 speech, which featured the lines 'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills', was voted top of a list of the most significant moments in radio.
Another broadcast to top the list was H.G. Wells' 1938 radio drama 'The War of the Worlds' which duped U.S. listeners into believing they really were being invaded by aliens.

The list of iconic radio moments was compiled by electronics company Sony.

 

Others on the list include the 1985 Live Aid Concert, Martin Luther King's historic 'I have a dream' speech and the unfolding of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

 

TOP 10 RADIO MOMENTS

1) Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight them on the beaches' speech in 1940

2) Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream' speech in 1963

3) Live Aid concert in 1985

4) H.G. Wells' radio drama 'The War of the Worlds' in 1938

5) The Hillsborough Disaster unfolded live on BBC radio in 1989

6) Sachsgate: Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross prank called actor Andrew Sachs in 2008

7) King George VI's speech in 1939 in which he overcame his stutter to eloquently address the British Empire

8) Chris Moyles breaks the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon radio show in 2011

9) Mike Read threw Frankie Goes to Hollywood's their single 'Relax' across the studio in 1984 refusing to play it for its supposedly obscene lyrics

10) Chris Moyles's salary rant in 2010

Also chosen was King George VI's speech in which he overcame his stutter to address the nation upon declaration of war on Nazi Germany in 1939.

A Sony spokesperson said: ‘Radio has been a powerful medium for decades.
‘As the top ten list shows, many of the most memorable moments are directly linked to great presenters.’ Radio legend Sir Terry Wogan said: ‘Winston Churchill's magnificent speeches that rallied this country during World War Two have been etched into the fabric of our society. ‘Such speeches like these highlight the important part radio has played in our history