Positive community radio ten years on

This weekend NEAR fm 101.6 the licensed community radio station for the north east of Dublin celebrates 10 years on air.

The station was originally set up to provide opportunities for community organisations to engage with the media in a more positive way, and to involve the community in the development of an alternative media outlet. NEAR fm has recently extended its range of activities to include a TV production group, training in Information Technology and a mobile learning unit which visits city council senior citizens complexes in the area.

Community radio is not included in JNLR research, so this year we decided to commission the MRBI to survey some of the attitudes to the station, and evaluate some of our activities. According to the research out of 25 per cent of people in the area who listened to NEAR fm 68 per cent are satisfied with service and 71 per cent say they are satisfied with access to the facilities. Findings of the research also indicate a huge interest in programmes on the environment, multiculturalism and human rights. We will continue to develop new programmes and formats for these types of programmes.

Community radio is unique in that it allows people living in the catchment area to deepen their understanding of how the media works, and to shape and produce their own media content, on the radio or using new technology such as podcasting. Over the past ten years NEAR fm has developed thanks to the commitment of many volunteers, who have been active in all aspects of the station, from fundraising and sitting on the committee of management, to distributing schedules and training other volunteers. This Saturday for our tenth birthday we are hosting a number of training workshops and discussions on aspects of community radio as varied as media literacy and creative programme production. Volunteers past and present along with staff and community partners will celebrate ten years of NEAR fm at Clontarf Castle that night.

We're now preparing our application for a ten year licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. If you'd like to get involved, contact Sally Galliana, Station Manager at NEAR fm, sally@nearfm.ie or on 01 867 1016.

Niamh Farren

NEAR fm – www.nearfm.ie