The legendary Israeli radio station the Voice of Peace has been re-created as an Internet station. Former VOP presenter Doug Wood writes on the website:
“After 15 years of silence The Voice of Peace 24/7 is back again, using 21st Century technology. We would like “1540 The Voice of Peace” to sound as close to the original as possible. Our team includes Tami Tzabari from Israel who will make sure we achieve that. Yaniv Dayan who has built our website and will be making sure that the signal we originate can be heard well from the site. On our team we have Paul Douglas IT Studio and transmitter engineer. Paul will also be one of our presenters and myself, Doug Wood; I’ll be responsible for making sure it all runs smoothly when we go on the air. I will also return with “Morning Music” after 27 years! You will be expecting more ex VOP DJ’s in the coming weeks. So don’t go away!!!”
The station is still in a test phase. Current plans are to launch in mid-October. I noticed that the programme titles are the same as the ones that were used on the original VOP. There’s a forum available for you to leave your questions and comments.
on Sep 25th, 2009 at 16:55
Andy, the Windows Media Player and Real Player streams for the Voice of Peace are now active. Regards, Trevor.
on Sep 25th, 2009 at 17:58
Thanks Trevor. Actually I suspect it was our firewall playing up. I have deleted to reference to the streams not working. I will try later from home.
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 09:19
This is not the VOP returning. It is a pale imitation brought on air by a former VOP dj who did one stint on the station in the 80s, who had a programme on Israeli station Radius 100 and was dropped because he was living in the past preparing a show that did not fit the format. The VOP on the internet is nothing like the VOP of mid/late 80s and early 90s…..simply an opportunity for a few anoraks to relive memories. What we need in Israel is a real VOP station on air, not this effort.
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 09:59
I have fond memories of VoP from the couple of years I spent in Israel in the early 80s, I’ll definitely be giving this a listen!
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 13:59
I didn’t say it was the VOP returning. I said it was being “re-created”. Whether or not it turns out to become a “pale imitation” will become apparent when the station officially launches, depending how many ex-VOP DJs they manage to attract. I have personal friends who worked on the original station.
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 14:29
Pirate 100, Doug’s show was one of the most thought out shows on Radius. He put a lot of effort into it. You are correct, it did not fit the VOP Show format, it was much better!
As for starting up a REAL English language radio station on air - do you have any ideas of how it can be legaly done? I was a presenter on RAM FM for 18 months, but that sadly left the air in a fizzle. So if you have any concrete ideas, please get in touch with me. I give Andy permission to give you my e-mail address. I am also on the Tapuz Radio forum, so you can leave me a message there as well.
Shana Tova
Mike
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 14:52
The station is truly amazing. From the look of it, it’s even better than the real thing. I can see that allot of ex vop DJs already joined this venture. This is truly amazing.
Doug had an amazing show in Radius, I havn’t got a clue why the idiots running the station decided to cut the show (as well as more hours of the VOP show). I really hope it will be a huge success, since there nothing good in Israeli radio
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 17:08
Good luck to the operation, its a hell of a lot of work for an internet only operation. Think the comment about Dougs show on Radius being better than the existing teams shows is unfair though, and quite hurtful to the current presenters who put a lot of effort in.
on Sep 26th, 2009 at 19:36
Does anyone know where the station is located? - there’s no mention on their website.
I was going to ask on their forums but have given up trying to register for them as their CAPTCHA is completely unreadable, and I kept being told that I had exceeded the maximum number of registration attempts.
Very frustrating.
on Oct 2nd, 2009 at 11:51
I’d love to know who Pirate 100 is, comment number 3. you must live in Israel judging by your comment.
Surely this endeavour should be viewed as a ‘Tribute’ station, providing an altar for station fans of the last 24 years to attend and relive memories.
On that basis, it should prove to be an entertaining and rewarding experience for all involved.
on Oct 3rd, 2009 at 00:35
Sorry Pirate 100 - I have nothing but praise for the New Voice of Peace -
Doug had a terrific show on Radius 100. Debate is great - but remember Pirate 100 - you are not forced to listen. The true gauge will be the size of the audience the station draws.
Good luck - New Voice of Peace!!
PS - there’s an entire - highly successful US cable network dedicated to nostalgic - shows called TVland. Western markets have a large audiences for oldie shows - because of the aging populations.
Anyways the point is not whether the station is in the past, present or the genesis of a new trend. Perhaps the important question is if the new VOP compelling enough to maintain and expand its audience.
David
on Oct 7th, 2009 at 05:57
The VOP rocked and will do so again….for those of us who crewed the ship, Dougal was a legend on board
on Oct 8th, 2009 at 22:48
Ah, spent the grand total of 3 weeks on the ship in 1987. Probably the best 3 weeks of my life. Not sure you can really re-create The Voice of Peace on the internet, and without Abie shouting at you, but it’s great there is still the enthusiasm. Radio Caroline are doing a good job, so I guess it’s worth a try.
Good luck to all. Peace is the word.
Chris Cooper, Birmingham
on Nov 27th, 2009 at 14:16
well i heard the start of live radio on the station it did what it said on the tin drop in now and again to hear whats going on
its ok
but with so many stations online its got to grab me its not doing that now
moggy aka andy
on Jan 8th, 2010 at 15:39
Thank you so much for sharing the greatest moments of the VOP
I discovered this web site from a link who someone posted in the gropu of the VOP in facebook.
i love you VOP
long live …. !
on Jan 21st, 2010 at 04:11
I\’ve been listening to the VOP for the last few weeks, ever since accidentally discovering it while playing with my newly purchased Wi-Fi radio set. The music is great, the format is very similar to the old VOP I grew to love in the late 70s and early 80s.
Congratulations to all those involved.
Alan, Sydney Australia.
on Mar 26th, 2010 at 19:07
Fond memories of my time in Isreal @1982/1983.
on Jul 3rd, 2010 at 12:13
Gee… I’m old enough to have enjoyed the original Voice of Peace (and lots of other offshore stations during the late sixties and early seventies).
I think the new VOP is cool station — though it remains difficult, if not impossible, to truly re-create the original.
Caroline indeed does a good job, but the re-created Radio Luxembourg (never offshore but somewhat in the same corner) is boring and repetitive.
Big L does have that offshore radio ‘look, taste and feel’ — so to speak — of the old ‘pirate’ stations — but only when the DJ’s are on. The non-stop music shows don’t quite do it for me.
For my money I’d love for someone to re-create the English service of Radio Northsea International.
But yes, the Voice of Peace is great.
on Jul 10th, 2010 at 23:18
Anton,
You are 100% correct, recreating or trying to recreate a station is a big mistake. No-one can recreate every ones personal memories and feelings, so it is crazy to try.
We at The Voice Of Peace (.co.il) are simply doing what we think the station would be doing now if it was still afloat – we will NEVER live in the past with it, but we do like to remember the stations roots and respect its great history.
I was a Jock on the ship in 92, now I’m a Jock on the station through the internet. The Voice Of Peace team out in Israel are very professional and I love working with them. We all seem to know and agree exactly what direction the station needs to go. It is early days for us and all Internet broadcasters….. but a great future is ahead.
http://www.thevoiceofpeace.co.il had to start from scratch in mid April 2010, due to a ‘break-up’ with the UK team. Our team is now fronted by Israeli’s (the stations real home) with my help from the UK. I am completely connected to Israel daily and travel to Tel Aviv, I am back there in Sept.
I am glad you like what you hear from us, the best is yet to come! The Voice Of Peace from 73-93 was always about new music and the cutting edge radio, so that’s how it will remain.
Mark Hanna
http://www.thevoiceofpeace.co.il
on Feb 12th, 2011 at 22:27
I am enjoying the sound of The VOP and hearing all the 60’s hits again, just like I was used to listening to on Radio Caroline North when I was at boarding school, then when I listened to Radio Scotland 242 when at home in Glasgow.
I just wish that someone would,will start up an internet radio station called Radio 242 in memory of the great Radio Scotland 242 and in memory of Tommy Shields who was the md of the station and who died of a broken heart when the station had to close down for good.
Anyone out there, I hope you will start up an internet radio station called Radio 242 even with jingles that sound the same. It is a must to have Radio 242 on the internet to bring back good memories.
on Aug 15th, 2011 at 23:18
Hi totally amazing was on the ship as a jock in the late 1970s with guy starkey Kenny Page Crisipian St John Vince Mould had a ball sad to hear about the passing of both Kenny And Chris just looking at the vop poster got it over my pc bless you all
with love peace and light
Malcolm Barry
on Feb 8th, 2012 at 12:32
Hi,
I thought I would update this site with things that the New Voice of Peace have been doing for the past couple of years since this article was written.
As some know there was a ‘difference of opinion’ between certain people in the team a couple of years ago regarding how the station should sound and the direction it should take.
The Voice of Peace team in Israel wish all other parties well with their ventures but went on to continue the station trying to stay true with the concept of the original VOP, in that it brought ‘new, quality music’ to the listener mixed with a scattering of old classic songs and allowed new DJ’s as well as established DJ’s on air.
The station does not want to be a ‘tribute’ station (there are many of them about) but at the same time to be respectful to the past ’cause that’s where it came from!
Currently the listener numbers are growing rapidly which is pleasing to see. The station’s team is not saying everything is perfect but it is run ‘as professional’ and hope it can have the support of past DJ’s and ‘Offshore enthusiasts’ and of course the several hundred listeners who tune in each day!