Community Radio Back on the Agenda!
by Matloub Husayn Ali Khan

Burngreave Community Radio (BCR) is working with Burngreave New Deal for Communities (BNDfC) to look at setting up a new community radio station in Burngreave.

Burngreave Community Radio first came out of meetings of the Burngreave Newspaper/Community Radio Project in 1999 from which the Messenger was born. BCR was also involved in the successful Pure Community Music (PCM) Radio, on air in March and April 2001 as a BNDfC Young People’s project.

BCR and BNDfC Radio Sub-group have agreed to work in partnership to develop an action plan for a permanent radio station in Burngreave – starting with a year-long feasibility study.

Community radio describes stations or temporary broadcasts controlled, operated and run for social benefit by the community and usually serve recognisable communities, such as an estate, community or youth group. A recent independent report into community-based broadcasting: New Voices, recommended that the Government introduce Community Radio alongside the BBC and commercial radio.

Locally, such a station could stimulate community involvement, strengthen local identity and provide new opportunities for participation. Individuals and groups could produce programming themselves for the information, communication and cultural needs of Burngreave, as well as provide opportunities for DJ-ing, presenting, producing, technical support, script-writing, training and work experience.

Broadcasting can be very difficult to break into and Community Radio provides an excellent way of gaining experience with many transferable skills to non-media related jobs, further education or voluntary work.

If you are interested in getting involved, come to the public meeting which will decide what the feasibility study needs to look at:

BCR/BNDfC Radio meeting
6.00pm, Tuesday 2nd December, The Furnival, Verdon Street.

Contact: Matloub HA Khan on 0785 500 9160
Aisha Special K on 0773 987 8596
or Ian Clifford at BNDfC on 279 6933.