Peace Will Bring Show to a Close - The Tune Ends.
In March 2008 Moss Side’s Peace FM was granted a 5 year license from Ofcom. This means that there will be a full time radio station serving Moss Side, Hulme and South Manchester, even though ALL FM are still broadcasting shows from the Zion Arts Centre.
Peace FM have transmitted from the Zion Arts Centre in the past when they had a limited 1-month RSL license. This time its for 5 years. I believe that ZAC is still the place where they will transmit and thus serve Hulme.
Broadcasting can start within 2 years, but Peace FM might even be on air towards the end of the year.
This means that the show I do for ALL FM - The Hulme Tune - will be axed!
I am an individual and am, in no way, funded by anyone to do my show. All my shows’ expenses have come from my own pocket. I won’t be joining Peace FM as I’ve enjoyed my time at ALL FM.
It’s up to Peace FM to run with their vision for Hulme when they start broadcasting. I don’t believe that gangs go around listening to community radio. Not the ones I’ve seen.
Community radio should be for the whole community and not one select group of people. Erinma Bell has said in the press that they want other genres of music to be played, a powerful signal and quality professional productions. Com radio relies on voluntary staff, many of whom want to break into the industry. Any one with professional skills would want to be paid. Unless they are really dedicated to the vision and want to stay for free until advertising revenue is built up to pay them.
There again, should the BBC or Independent Local Radio snap up the talent, then Carisma’s Peace FM may struggle quality wise, until it can break free of reliance on funding and into being an independent local radio station capable of attracting advertising from businesses willing to pay for exposure on yet another new radio station. With so much competition from other ILR stations (Galaxy 102, X-FM, Smooth FM, Rock FM, Big 1458am, Century 105, Imagine FM and Key 103), news papers, websites, billboards and other advertising platforms in Manchester, it has to be competitive to survive. They may have people willing to listen regularly, but will it be enough?
It has taken years for ALL FM to reach the level they have, having a wide variety of shows and opening studios in East Manchester and Hulme. It could mean that ALL FM may close their Hulme studio, as this would compete with Peace FM and its not about competition - it’s about the people we serve.
I will still do a show, but not from Hulme. I will chat to ALL FM staff to see what their schedule is like in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the last of the shows… and thanks for listening!
- Paul