RUNNING a community radio station is difficult, exciting, energising, hard-work and good for the community! That would be our conclusion in Ballycarry after two years of FUSE FM.
Our Community Group hosts the annual Broadisland Gathering, Ulster’s longest-established Ulster Scots family festival.
Founded in 1993, the Gathering is always looking for new avenues to explore, and when the possibility of having a community radio operate in 2007 came along we saw it as a novel and unique way of celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Gathering.
We were at an advantage in that no less than six of the members of the community group had experience in hospital radio, although the technology had moved on from their involvement at the Radio Moyle station in Larne.
We had good local newspaper coverage about the station in the run-up to its arrival, and details in the local shops helped remind everyone (not that they needed this after the grapevine got up and running after about day two…)
The station set our local community alight, and there were many people who listened all day in their homes to the station.
One of the most poignant stories we have is from the family of an elderly local man, who passed away just after the station closed down. They told members of our Association how much he had enjoyed listening to the station and how it had brightened his last days.
That one piece of feedback alone made the station worthwhile for us. But it was not the only feedback, and all of it was positive. In 2008 we did receive complaints, but they related to the fact that people who desperately wanted to hear FUSE FM were out of range!
The programming for the station was varied, and in 2008 we attracted a new group of youth leader presenters from our youth club. They played the latest music for their listenership – which must have comprised most of the young people of Ballycarry.
Older in the tooth presenters had country music, 1950s and 1960s easy listening material, folk and, of course, Scottish music. We have also had local history documentaries, poetry readings and discussions, Magheramorne Silver Band live in concert, a church service, even a comedy drama based the relocation of the Stone of Scone in a garden in County Antrim.
We also had a quiz on air, in which one of the team captains tried to cheat by writing answers for other team members. He forgot that, while he was on the radio, the opposing team could see him and soon cried foul!
The station started each morning with the ‘Ulster Fry’ programme, with Gathering Festival director David Hume taking every opportunity to encourage listeners to ‘keep the Ulster in the Ulster fry’. Throughout the day local voices ensured a steady listenership until closedown with Jimmy Mac, one of the former hospital radio presenters who brought a range of experience to the station.
For two weeks in August and into September the station brought out talent within the community which we had been unaware of.
Paying for the station was scary for us, since Ballycarry is a small community with few businesses.
We did well to realise some funding for advertising, coming up with packages for those who advertised on radio and in our local history journal, and we ran a scheme for local groups to sponsor programmes. We still had to put some community funding into the pot, but we believe it was worth the effort and cost!
We would run FUSE FM again, and have gained valuable experience over the past two years.
In terms of advising others, we would say, go ahead, this is a great opportunity for your community. One thing which would help in all areas would be a good training programme before the station arrives, and the ability to record would enable generic programmes highlighting musical talent and ability as well as the history of the Ulster Scots, for example, would be good.
There are practical lessons to learn. Be aware that radio presenters can bring their ego to the station with them, and jealousies over programme hours and schedules can have even the most mild mannered in overdrive! The main thing for everyone to remember is that we are there for our listeners not ourselves. When you keep that in mind, you can’t go far wrong.
