Internight: My Radio Nights in 1997

Created in November 29, 2024 by Néstor Lucas Martínez

2024   ·   internight   radio   hacker-culture   90s-tech   telecom   ·   radio   retrospectives   personal

27 years ago today, I sat in front of a microphone for the first time as a guest to a radio show that would become a short but unforgettable chapter in my life. The program was called Internight, and it aired nationwide every Saturday night from 11 PM to 1 AM on Los40, Spain’s most popular music radio station. It was hosted and produced by the brilliant JuanMa Ortega. It was a space where technology, music, video games, cinema, and culture all came together—with a style that was informal, witty, and full of rhythm. Its signature? Always good music and honest connection with the audience.

Internight intro

🚀 A Glimpse Into a Different Internet

At the time, I was 21 and deep into my Telecommunications Engineering degree, specializing in Telematics. A couple of years earlier, I had become part of an early digital collective exploring the transition from BBSes to the emerging Internet. I eventually took on a coordinating role in the group’s publication, helping manage contributions in a horizontal, almost anarchic structure where curiosity and peer learning ruled.

The term “hacker” was heavily mythologized then—shaped by films and media panic rather than the reality of what we were doing: learning, testing, building, sharing. From the beginning, I believed that the best way to demystify it was to speak openly, put a face to the name, and share knowledge instead of hiding. That decision had both rewarding and uncomfortable consequences, but I stood by it.

🎙️ Meeting JuanMa & Joining Internight

In November 1997, during the annual SIMO TCI tech fair in Madrid, I crossed paths with JuanMa at the Ubisoft booth. We talked about his radio projects—“La Otra Noche” and Internight—and ended up chatting about technology, culture, and even “who I was” beyond my name. Before leaving, he handed me his contact info and said: “Call me after the fair.”

I did. And that very next weekend marked my first appearance on Internight.

JuanMa introduces me in my first time as a guest

From then on, I became a regular voice on the show for several weeks, joining a diverse and talented team of collaborators:

  • Isaac covered tech news and innovation
  • Alexa brought the latest in video games
  • DJ Fly talked about the musical panorama
  • Ripley focused on cinema and reviews
  • Zyberchema explored digital culture
  • Lorena (whose segment I wish I remembered better!)
  • DJ Willy Sanjuan closed the show from Barcelona via ISDN with a live DJ set

As for me, my contributions leaned toward the more underground side of the Internet: cybersecurity, emerging online behaviors, ethical questions around technology… topics that fascinated me deeply, even if I didn’t always have the experience or vocabulary to fully articulate them back then.

🎧 Internight’s Signature Energy (and a Legendary Prank)

Internight had something special—an energy that made everything feel spontaneous and alive. One of the most memorable moments came during the night of December 27–28, 1997, which happened to coincide with Día de los Santos Inocentes (Spain’s April Fools’ Day).

Although we’d been strongly advised not to run any pranks on-air, the team (with JuanMa’s blessing) couldn’t resist. In the last five minutes of the show, just before 1 AM on the 28th, we aired a fake announcement: a major telecom company was about to release a flat-rate Internet plan at a bargain price—but only for callers who reached out that very night.

After the broadcast, we hung around the station to track the results—and they were immediate. When we ourselves called the company’s hotline, the agent asked us where we’d heard the news. They were receiving multiple calls about the fake offer. It was the perfect blend of tech, humor, and chaos. Yes—I still have the recording. 😄

The prank (aired at 00:55 on Dec 28, 1997). JuanMa talks with a *representative from the telecom company* who confirms the news about the offer. The *representative* is, in fact, a colleague from the station.

⏹️ The End of Internight

Though that episode wasn’t the final show, the end came not long after. In early 1998, JuanMa was invited to host the morning program Anda ya—a move that made it impossible to continue the late-night Internight format. With that, the show wrapped up, leaving behind a brief but intense legacy.

🖼️ Glimpses from the Studio

Some pictures of the team at the studio

🎧 Bonus: The Sound of Internight

Here’s a curated selection of audio clips from that era:

🧭 Looking Back, Moving Forward

Today, as a university professor and researcher in telecommunications engineering, I look back at that time with a mix of nostalgia and perspective. It was a unique moment—when the Internet was raw, curious, misunderstood, and full of possibility. Internight wasn’t just a radio show. It was a cultural bridge, a sandbox of ideas, and a celebration of curiosity.

And I’m still grateful to have been one small voice on that unforgettable frequency.