We had hoped to set up a web
camera to enable our community to see us in action, but we
might have been too ambitious in wanting to do to many things,
therefore this never materialised. However, we will endeavour
to have this up and running for future broadcast.
Through out our broadcasting life we have
always wanted to put something together in writing for presenters
to refer to for guidance when in the studio on their own.
However, we had not been able to get this done for one reason
or another.
When someone is invited to become a presenter
on GFM he / she is encouraged through capacity building. Building
up confidence and coupling it with training we‘ve found
it to have been particularly helpful to presenters who have
no experience in broadcasting and have progressed from shadowing
a presenter to presenting their own show. But, there was still
no written manual to refer to, as it is not always possible
to have someone on hand to support everyone as and when support
is requested.
Setting up our own training manual, we hoped
would be another means of giving additional support. This
was not going be an easy task, however we have progressed
to almost completion. My gratitude goes out to JJ Watkins,
Martin Rafferty and John Mustoe for the help in putting together
something that the presenters were able use during the broadcast.
The manual includes diagrams of the various IT functions and
written information for using most of the equipment. When
it is completed it will include a drawing of the main mixing
desk currently being done by Vere Richards that will identify
each button and indicate what it’s function is.
Training is a very important part of GFM’s
future development and it is imperative that we continue to
improve this to help new and existing presenters that should
help their confidence and capacity when delivering, music,
news information and advice. With GFM now owning its studio
equipment, it is envisaged there can be live training broadcasts
on the Internet through out the time we are not broadcasting
on the radio airwaves, culminating with the live broadcasts
of the radio.
We were once again able to offer the five-day
Open College Net work accredited radio production training
to fifteen new presenters who joined GFM for this years broadcast.
The training schedule has been discussed and agreed previously
with Kevin Philemon. And, again delivered by our partners
CEED, Multi Media Centre, Bristol. We were delighted that
this year Gloucester Crime and Reduction Partnership and one
of our new partners for this broadcast, Gloucestershire Housing
Association, sponsored the training.
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| CEED trainers teaching
new GFM presenters radio techniques and audio editing |
GFM’s own in house training team once
again worked hard to train new and existing presenters on
using the new equipment. We provided a new studio email address
for the community to interact with us direct to the studio,
a new Text line number and a new telephone number that was
much easier for the community to remember.
Interacting with the community live on air
is very important to GFM, because it gives the community the
opportunity to have it’s say on what it likes, what
it does not like and give ideas on the way forward.
Unfortunately, for us introducing so many new things worked
against us. It meant presenters were not able to monitor the
number of emails, telephone calls and text messages to the
studio as well as present their shows.
This year also saw us use for the first
time the Enco Dad 32 pro IT system. This was a trail and error
situation, despite getting training from Enco Systems, not
everyone felt comfortable with using the system and this needs
to be developed more in future and more training has been
identified as required.
Presenters looking at the new ENCO Dad pro
32 IT system |
I am already taking steps to rectify our
shortfalls using the new equipment. It was difficult for the
in house team to comprehend the various functions of the IT
system, the new equipment and then train others as well. However,
they all did very well. Since the broadcast we have set up
an IT working group. It is hoped they will become fully trained
by Enco Systems on using the IT equipment and will be able
offer better training to new and existing presenters.
Furthermore, we intend to do training broadcast
on the Internet. These training broadcasts should not have
the pressures of the FM broadcasts, although it will be live
on the internet, there should not be the distractions of answering
the phone, reading texts and emails messages etc.
Developing training is of the utmost importance
and we will be seeking the funds to enhance this more. I will
once again try and enter into some form of partnership with
colleges in the Gloucestershire area that will benefit them
and their students and GFM in the future.
Most of our new presenters were able to
use the training they had received to present their respective
programmes. For some it was no easy task, for some it was
learning as they went on, for some they took to it straight
away.
The Gloucester Festival started on Saturday
12 July and GFM had already started promoting the festival
to its listeners prior to the start date. The date was on
our printed publicity and information about the festival was
on our website.
The carnival procession was colourful and
the day was really like carnival, it was hot.
Dan Robertson (Callide), Mark Davies (DJ Deigo), Adam Thomas
and I manned the GFM stall in Kings Walk, thanks guys. Dan
and I dismantled the stall and walked to the park to set up
the stall again in time for the finally and see all the floats
enter the park.
The GFM stall was well attended in Kings
Walk and Gloucester Park. Dan Robertson did a wonderful job
on posters and we had a Gloucester FM banner 2.6m x 1.2m on
the stall. It was heart warming to know so many people already
knew when GFM would be on air. Our thanks go out to the Chelsea
Building Society for the printed publicity and the Citizen
newspaper for the articles on the GFM leading up to the broadcast.
Promoting GFM in Kings Square Promoting
GFM in Gloucester Park
We were live on air Monday 14 July and the
weather was getting hot, even hotter in the studio. This year’s
festival was the first time we would be broadcasting without
the former festival organiser Jon Hogan. Unfortunately, our
involvement was not what it was in the previous years. We
put this down to the new festival organiser Mhairi Smith not
knowing how closely GFM had worked with the city council to
get our multi cultural community to support the festival following
a very visible lack of support in the past.
However, we’re pleased that there
was a dance tent in the park that hosted some of GFM’s
younger presenters. The event was success, however we had
hoped to have more of an input in the event. During the festival
we managed to interview Mhairi Smith the new festival organiser
for Gloucester who was extremely busy during the festival,
so we were pleased when she came on the community link show.
The broadcast so far has coincided with
the summer being hot which has brought about a sense of togetherness
through out the community.
It was particularly pleasing to get good
response from our community on the new shows that were broadcast
on GFM that were different from previous broadcasts. In particular,
our new presenter Dino Samura introduced African Beats to
the community and the feedback was better than we could have
asked for. Dino presented the show in his own unique style
that was like a breath of fresh air.
The Northern Soul Show presented by Leon
Brown brought us new listeners. The music enjoyed a rise in
prominence with tracks from the era being featured in adverts
on national
television. Our listeners had asked for it and we were delighted
with the support, GFM once again serving the community.
Another new programme that we hoped would engage more listeners
in the community was Smooth Jazz. Joining GFM to present this
programme, one of the stalwarts of Gloucester’s local
music scene, Rich Edwards. This programme also brought new
listeners to GFM. It was the first time for the presenter
and the first time we had attempted to offer something a little
different and we were delighted with the response we received.
We were disappointed that we could not get
any of the local nightclubs to work in partnership with GFM
and allow us to play the music live to the community, but
we will continue to communicate and try and work with local
night clubs.
New presenter Dino Samura who presents
the African Beats show on GFM
Whilst the list of new programmes is not
exhaustive, these aforementioned programmes show GFM intends
to continue to build on each broadcast and act on the feed
back received from the community whenever possible.
All our new presenters did very well and we are extremely
proud of them. However, we envisage offering more of the different
types of music of black origin in future broadcasts if possible.
We want to progress to two restricted service
licenses broadcast each year, before we can seriously consider
applying for an “Access License” as and when it
becomes available. By acquiring the studio equipment we are
getting nearer to both. We will continue to make the most
of the Internet facilities afforded us by the Community Media
Association to broadcast. I felt honoured to have been asked
to talk at this years Community Media Association’s
summer conference in Sheffield about setting up and running
a Restricted Service License by the CMA.
Membership of the CMA has helped us to gain
and share experiences on what to do and what not to do when
running a community radio station. We have also been sharing
our experiences with our neighbours and have developed links
with the Forest of Dean Radio
who are taking part in the Access License trial broadcasts
and CAMFM in Dursley who are currently doing RSL’s broadcasts
similar to GFM.
Overall, the year’s broadcast can
be deemed another success for GFM, however we will not become
complacent and will continue to work towards ensuring we serve
our community by providing more music, more news, and more
information and advice. It has become obvious to us other
local radio stations are taking notice of us and are attempting
to do what we are doing.
This is confirmation that we are doing something
right. However, GFM is voluntary organisation and is run by
local people and is in tune with the local community that
it serves and is with the people for the people, therefore
we believe we are truly a community radio station.
GFM continues to provide information and
advice that is receptive to our multi cultural community.
For example, we worked in partnership with Gloucester Prison
when making the anti drugs community information adverts.
The adverts featured prisoners who were incarcerated for drug’s
offences talking about their real live experiences and warning
others in the community about the danger of using drugs.
Furthermore, GFM also established links
with Narcotics Anonymous. A recovering drug addict was interviewed
live on GFM and during the interview, he warned of the dangers
of drugs and made such a passionate and forthright appeal
to listeners who might be involved in drugs to seek help,
one could not help but be moved by his emotional plea.
Some of the information provided was aimed
specifically at our Asian community and has been presented
whenever possible in their mother tongues. For example, Bollywood
Gossip, Household hints for women, Asian cookery lessons,
Social problems and ideas for solutions. We were delighted
to high light Mr Salim Kholwadia following receipt of his
MBE, Dr Tanvir Ahmed from Gloucestershire Pakistan Social
& Cultural Society who talked about the Kids School Club,
Poetry and what the community aims to do. And Ms Zahira Nanbawa
from Roshni Women’s Centre who gave the community information
on what the centre is for and what activities they had planned
for the summer, our thanks go out to Nasreen Akhtar, Tahira
Haq and Mo Ginwalla.
Kingfisher Church and the Bethel United
Church of Jesus Christ / Apostolic worked in partnership with
GFM and provided us with spiritual and financial support.
Our gospel show presenters Vere Richards, Hyacinth Walford
and Martin Wallace continue to work with local churches in
the community to provide music, news, information and advice
that is in my opinion second to none. Indeed, following last
years broadcast, Martin Wallace has progressed to presenting
his own show on a Saturday, thus offering more diversity for
our listeners.
Jamaican Independence day was celebrated
on August 6 with Jamaica day on GFM. We went into the community
to seek their views on whether or not his should celebrated.
The opinions were mixed, some never knew what the celebration
was for, some said it should and some disagreed, but in general
most people agreed with celebrating Jamaican Independence.
Jamaica was granted independence from Britain
on August 6 1962. We believe in sharing information about
the different cultural celebrations in our community, hopefully,
this should help us all to have a better understanding of
each other.
We were privileged to welcome Jamaican international
reggae singer Chevelle Franklyn to the GFM studios on Jamaica
day. John Mustoe did an excellent job with the only live interview
on radio given by Chevelle Franklyn on Jamaican Independence
Day.
John Mustoe interviewing Chevelle
Franklyn in the GFM studio on Jamaican Day
Parmjit Dhanda, Gloucester’s MP continues
to support GFM not only by visiting our studio and taking
uestion from the community, but also in parliament by supporting
the early day motion for Access License and community media
/ radio.
The following are some of the other the
topics that was covered on GFM. And also gave the community
the opportunity to participate in the debates: Secondary Scholl
Admission, Fostering and Adoption, Computer Chat Rooms, Police
Recruitment, Asylum Seekers, Young Carers, Emergency Contraception,
Young men and Sexual Problems, Poor Election Turn Out, Local
Bus Service, Tips For Learner Drivers, and Fire Service Recruitment,
the full list and contact details can be found on our website
www.gfm.org.uk
GFM strives to meet most or all of its objectives
during each broadcast. We are of the opinion that we have
met most of them.
Our website has gradually developed into
the GFM story and we are extremely grateful for time and input
given to us by Andrew Clarke at Spheara Interactive Media.
We are also thankful to all our presenters past and present
for giving up their time and making the commitment to serve
our community and all our listeners for the continued support
and comments.
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