Bill MacDonald, founder of Sheffield based Radio Hallam, dies aged 95

Bill was the original managing director of the station, more recently known as Hallam FM, when it first started broadcasting as the city’s first independent local radio station in 1974.

He died at St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield, on Sunday May 1.

Born William Symon MacDonald on April 19, 1927, Bill was brought up in Brighton and studied at the London School of Economics after completing his national service.

He got a job in marketing research, joining A C Nielsen and rolling out the Nielsen Overnight Ratings for TV across the USA.

He spent some years in New York in the early 60s but returned to England and the newspaper business, before getting the opportunity to become involved in what was a new field at the time, commercial radio, as his time in America meant he was one of the few people in Britain with experience of it.

He became managing director and one of the founders of Radio Hallam Limited, which began broadcasting in 1974.

It later amalgamated with Bradford station Pennine Radio and Viking Radio in Hull creating the Yorkshire Radio Network.

His son, Neil, said: “Bill retired in 1992 but continued with various business and charitable activities until he was aged in his 80s.”

He married a former Miss England, Lillemor, in 1958, and they had three children, Roderick, Neil and Craig.

The funeral is to be held at Hutcliffe Wood Crematorium at 11.45 am on Wednesday May 25.

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