Sound Radio continues broadcasting to community during COVID-19 outbreak from volunteers homes
Written by admin on 20/04/2020
Sound Radio continues broadcasting during COVID-19 outbreak from volunteers homes.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak back in March, the pandemic has caused many local business to close down, social distancing and for people to self isolate, this creating a huge impact on the running of a community radio station.
That impact has had a affect on our volunteers not being able to use radio broadcast equipment at our studio to produce shows, miss out of social interaction with other volunteers and members and loss of learning new skills in broadcasting. It has also left a huge hole in with us being able to support and promote organisations, charities and individuals who regularly visit our studio in Kinmel Bay to talk about what they do.
But thanks to the wonders of technology Sound Radio is continuing to broadcasting as much as possible during COVID-19 outbreak from volunteers homes and keeping our communities in North Wales entertained and informed. By using remote audio connections many of our volunteers are continuing to broadcast live or record content from their bedrooms or kitchens, wherever possible with use of only a laptop and a quality microphone.
A large amount of our programmes have continued to broadcast, such as “The Breakfast Show with Big Al”, “The John Daly Radio Show” and the weekly current affair programme “The Community Voice”, where guests have been invited using Zoom. It has also seen one or two new programmes and some volunteers working together to offer great light entertainment and information during these difficult times for listeners in the North Wales community who continue to self isolate.
Sound Radio Director, Mike Lewis said:
“We are deeply impressed with the way the volunteers have stepped up to the mark, some of them even buying new equipment to broadcast from home Keeping people entertained and informed in these trying times is very important and our volunteers are committed to the cause.”
Members have also been holding regular meetings using Zoom and Whatsapp to discuss planning of shows and to help train volunteers to be able to use remote access and audio over IP software to broadcast from home to continue offering a valuable service to the community.
Sound Radio LTD is a not for profit organisations which was awarded an FM licence back in December 2019 by Ofcom, we are currently working to gain emergency COVID-19 funding to help us continue broadcasting to the community online during this difficult time, support our future move to FM radio which will reach 75,000 resident and help towards purchasing additional equipment so more of our volunteer presenter can broadcast from home.
Don’t forget you can listen using your laptop, tablet, smartphone at http://www.soundradio.wales or ask your smart speaker to “Play Sound Radio Wales”.
