| about us... |
|---|
209radio has been kindly supported by:
Welcome to Cambridge's new Community Radio Station |
If you would like to support us, but do not want to get involved, you can make a donation, either by sending a cheque, or via Justgiving, and become a member of our Friends Association:
Who is 209radio?
209radio is a Registered Charity in England, No. 1124610,
and a Company Limited by Guarantee, No. 5585527
Well, we are YOU- the Cambridge Community!
We are a community radio station, which means we operate on a not-for-profit basis and we are run, in the main, by volunteers.
We are here to provide you with the training and facilities you need to make the radio programmes you want to hear.
209radio Past
| The living room - where it all began
|
This station was born as an internet station in a terraced house in north Cambridge in March 2003, firstly as an electronic music station.
Over the first 2 years, more and more people wanted to get involved and so the schedule grew and we started to become a membership-based community group broadcasting many genres of music.
At the same time we heard that Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, was inviting groups like ours to apply for 5 year FM community radio licences.
We were joined by people who were involved in Cambridge Community Radio, a previous project in the city, and having gained the support of Cambridge City Council we applied for a licence in November 2004.
It took a long time for a decision to be reached on our application so we concentrated on learning radio and technical skills, training each other, making new programmes and creating a democratic structure.
We were also involved in or ran short-term FM broadcasts, started formal training courses and gathered more equipment.
| 209radio goes FM for the first time - the RSL
|
We finally moved out of our first home in April 2006 and into our present home in Citylife House, Sturton St near the heart of the city.
2 weeks after we moved in, we got the call that told us we had won the licence for Cambridge! But it wouldn't be easy...
A clause in the licence forbids us to take any revenue from on-air adverts and sponsorship and so we have been reliant on grants and donations to run and grow this project.
209 launched on 105 FM full-time in October 2007.
A succession of projects kindly funded by many sources have kept us going and include; Cambridge City Council (lots), CDF, Global Grants, Community Champions, Awards for All, the Arts Council and LoveCambridgeShopping.
209radio Present
| The 209radio studio at Citylife House
|
With the help of these funders, we have opened our doors to a huge range of people and given them the training and support to make music, speech, drama and comedy radio programmes of a very high quality and all on a voluntary basis because they believe in what we do and have passion and talent to make this station what it is.
Community radio stations provide opportunities and transferable skills to people who work full or part-time, people who have few skills or qualifications, academics and those with learning needs, young and old, in fact anyone who has something to say and wants to help others by saying it.
| The editing room at Citylife House
|
209radio has been especially successful in attracting people for whom the experience is beneficial to their education needs and/or self-esteem.
Alongside jazz, techno, soul, world music shows we have programmes made by charities and unique magazines by homeless people. Did we mention the food, cinema and comedy programmes? Click here to see our full range.
209radio Future
| the Homeless Truths team in the studio
|
This is currently very uncertain for us.
Project funds have got us this far but what we have really needed is longer-term core funding and this has proven to be very hard to come by.
Add to that our inability to sell on-air ads or sponsorship and 209radio has hit a major crisis point.
The conditions which brought about the rectrictions on our licence have recently changed and Ofcom have removed the restrictions on our licence, allowing us to now attract ads and sponsorship.
If you are new to 209radio and are wondering why you haven't heard of us before, it's because we have not had money to spend on promotion and have been concentrating what money we can raise on delivering as much benefit to our members as possible, members who do all they can to contribute what they can over and above their time, talent and passion.
But we have been recognised with a County Council Award for Innovation, 3 New Statesman New Media Award shortlists and national press coverage.
Our current situation has not been unexpected but has come quicker than we imagined.
209radio currently calls on the Cambridge community to seize this chance to invest in its own voice and donate the money, skills and time we need in the short time we may have.
We are still here for now, so what has been happening?
We've been able to reduce our overheads in the short term.
Our members and supporters have raised over £25,000 to date, including two anonymous donations amounting to £9,000!
We're talking to funders and partners to generate more for the short-term and the members are meeting on a regular basis to strengthen our fundraising capability.
But we're not out of the woods yet....we've been very cheered by the support we've received so far and hope that it can continue!
PLEASE CALL THE STATION ON 01223 488418 TO REGISTER INTEREST IN ADVERTISING OR EMAIL US
Please visit our secure partners Justgiving to donate online or contact the station directly to find out more.
Our Station ID was written by local musician Pete Newman
Our transmission equipment is very kindly hosted by Our Lady and the English Martyrs Catholic Church and is mantained by Tony Sayer @ Bancom Communications
Make a radio station that YOU want to listen to
209radio is a member of:
  
Contact us:
getinvolved[at]209radio[dot]co[dot]uk
|
|
|
|
|
