July 8th to 17th in Frome means … it’s festival time ! FromeFM will be running additional ‘special programmes’ for the festival period and we’ll also be out and about recording festival events. To find out more about our festival coverage, goto Programmes / Frome Festival
Fingers crossed for FromeFM
Broadcasters at FromeFM are holding their breath and crossing their fingers and toes while they wait to hear whether Ofcom will grant an FM radio licence for Frome. The chance to apply for an FM licence only comes round every 5 years, so as soon as Ofcom announced an offering of licences in the South West, FromeFM were quick to respond.
“We have to demonstrate the benefits for Frome that having our own FM radio can give” said FromeFM Station manager Phil Moakes. “Lots of local groups and businesses have sent us messages of support and we would like to say a big thank you to them and to everyone who has filled in our petition. We have included extracts from many of these messages in our application.”
Local MP David Heath who regularly appears on FromeFM in the politics show ‘Constituency Matters’ was keen to voice the benefits of an FM licence for reaching more people in the community.
‘Dr Who’ and ‘Life on Mars’ writer Matthew Graham, who lives locally, is also enthusiastic to support the FromeFM application. “Community radio provides a great outlet for new writers.”
The FM application went in earlier this week, well in time for the 21st July deadline. It is likely that we won’t hear until August/September whether we have been successful. Keep your fingers crossed!
In the meantime we are busy gearing up for coverage of the Frome festival on the internet on http://www.fromefm.co.uk/ and we have an exciting project underway to create an audio book with a local author. Watch this space.
Ralph Says – "You Need To Know"
Ralph Hemus, FromeFM presenter and National Autistic Society campaigner, has produced a one-off short documentary highlighting the ‘You Need To Know’ campaign. The documentary includes an interview with NAS campaigns manager Tom Madders along with an audio version of the ‘You Need To Know’ film, made by the NAS Young Campaigners Group. Ralph says ” the film highlights mental health issues experienced by some people who suffer from autism and talks about what needs to be done to help them. The young campaigners group consists of 7 or 8 young people, including myself, who got together through the NAS to work on this issue. We produced a film, that has been shown to MPs from all over the country and even had a ‘premiere’ launch at The Empire Cinema in Leicester Square.” The You Need To Know documentary is scheduled for broadcast on FromeFM on Sunday 29th May at midday.
FM is the new 3D
If you would like to hear FromeFM on the real FM radio then please sign our petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fromefm/
…and if we are successful you will be able to hear the Bad Detectives Radio show every month on a Sunday at 10:30pm, and repeated every Wednesday night, without even switching on your computer!
We can’t promise you’ll hear them in 3D …but FM is the next best thing!
If you can’t wait until we get the FM licence then visit http://www.fromefm.co.uk/ and click on Programmes > Music > Bad Detectives for a list of all their recent shows to download or listen again.
FromeFM to apply for full time FM licence
OfCom have announced this week that South West community broadcasters can now apply for a 5 year FM licence. The window for applications is open until July 21st 2011 and we hope to get our bid in quickly by mid May.
The game’s afoot !! *****
We are asking local community groups to support us by sending a short email message saying how FromeFM broadcasting on FM could benefit their group.
The email address is office@nullfromefm.co.uk
FromeFM Fun Day photos
1st Prize winner Nicholas with FromeFM Station Manager Phil Moakes
Frome Mayor Helen Sprawson-White presents certificates to 3rd Prize winner Tyler and Runner up Kallum
Other winners Fern, Henry and Josh received their certificates at Trinity school.
All our lucky winners will be coming into the FromeFM studios for a visit very soon.
Listen out for Nicholas and his family who will be making their own show on FromeFM.