There’s a new community radio station coming to town and it’s going to be all about Thame.
Thame Radio, a brand new, internet based, radio station is due to launch at the New Year and its directors say it is going to be primarily focused on the people and music of Thame.
Steve Fox and Annette Luck say that they want the new station to focus on the people of Thame, their lives and the magnificent wealth of entertainment talent which exists in Thame.
Steve said “Thame is a remarkable town with a great breadth of local talent in the arts and we want to showcase this to the rest of the world. Not only do we have the bands who appear at venues like the First Thursday Music Club, the Listening Room and Thame Music Festival but there is also a thriving arts scene built around Thame Players, the town’s highly successful theatre group.”
“Over the past eighteen month’s many of the bands have struggled to get the recognition they deserve because of lockdown, but they still exist and are now getting ready to burst back on the scene. We want to give them the opportunity of showcasing their talents and help them increase their awareness.”
Annette adds “And we want to create a station which will be a proper community station for Thame, focussing on things that are happening every day in Thame and are relevant to life after Covid in the time. We have already lined up people who can present shows built around mental health, environmental issues, local history and local business. We are talking to organisers of activities for young people about how we can partner with them to help them reach a wider audience. We hope that some of the youngsters involved will run their own shows and speak to an audience of their own age”
“Community broadcasting is, we believe, important to people. Anyone can play pop music twenty-four hours a day and you can hear it on every radio station out there. But who is going to discuss how national issues impact on life in Thame?”
The station is looking to do away with the generic national news each hour and have engaged an ex-journalist to provide the station not only with a local slant on the news but also a regular in-depth programme relating to issues affecting Thame.
“Imagine a Jeremy Vine type show but all relating to Thame issues,” says Fox. “People are not necessarily interested in what is happening in London, but they are interested in how it affects them in our town here in Thame. We hope to talk to local personalities and also provide you with some of the lighter sides of Thame folk”
Music won’t be forgotten, it will still feature heavily in the shows, especially in the evenings but again, it will aim to showcase many of the fantastic bands that are currently only performing in garages and bedrooms across the town.
The station is currently recruiting volunteer presenters for their 24/7 station and had a great response at the recent Thame Volunteer Day organised by 21st Century Thame in the Racquets Centre.
“The response was fantastic,” said Annette “We spoke to so many people who said that they loved the idea and have signed up to present their own specialist shows. And we are looking for many more people who want to try their hands at radio presenting. All we ask for are people who believe in Thame, have a passion for something they believe in – and like a good tune on the radio. They don’t need any experience and we will provide them with the training they need to be able to present a top-quality radio show”
“We believe community radio is definitely made for the people and by the people and so we are reaching out to people who have a love of great music to come and join us.”
So, are you someone who has a passion for Jazz or can talk knowledgeably about Showtunes? Are you the right person to talk about Hip Hop or Dubstep in our late-night shows aimed at the youth of Thame? If you are, then we would love to hear from you right now. Email us on [email protected].
And if presenting is not something you fancy doing, what about becoming a newsreader or joining our team of people who will be attending all the outdoor events in the area? Could you commentate on a football, rugby or cricket match? What about providing the station with reviews of books, films or plays?
We are also looking for people who can spend some time helping with the commercial activities of the station, selling advertising, providing website and social media support as well as the hundred and one other roles that go to running a radio station.
And if you are a local band, make sure you contact us to ensure that we play your music. Get in touch through [email protected] and we will tell you exactly what we need in terms of a recording of your music.
Check out the website in the next few weeks, where you will be able to hear a sample of the programmes we intend to put out, together with a list of other areas that we need help in.
It’s your radio station and we need your help to make it a success.
