A community-led radio station in Croydon has announced they will launch as an FM station this week.
Croydon FM was awarded a rare community radio licence by Ofcom and will go live across London on 97.8FM.
The proudly Black-owned radio station was founded by Clive Campbell in June 2018 with only four presenters and the task of supporting local talent, community projects and events in Croydon.
Station manager Phoebe Herschdorfer said: “It’s a huge achievement to say the least. Myself and especially Clive have worked tirelessly to get Croydon FM to where it is.
“Being awarded the licence by OFCOM has made all the hard work worthwhile.
“We will be able to continue to represent south London, paving the way for the community to have their voice heard and their talents recognised by new audiences.”
Campbell and his team won the Business in The Community award at the Mayor of Croydon Civic Awards for his selfless work and commitment to creating opportunities in the industry to aspiring presenters, producers and DJs.
The not-for-profit station now has 44 members that produce shows from Croydon town centre throughout the week while training apprentices from the surrounding area in the art of radio broadcasting.
Herschdorfer said: “Croydon is bursting with culture, talent and musical heritage, however prior to Croydon FM there hasn’t been a creative platform for local people to gain experience in radio broadcasting.
“People would have to travel closer to London to be able to gain these types of experiences.
“Coming from a music industry background, Clive created Croydon FM to ensure there were opportunities available on the doorstep.
“Whether you’re someone looking to get into radio, a Recording Artist wanting support by having your music exposed to a wide audience or a student trying to obtain practical experience, Croydon FM is here.”
The newly named Croydon FM has a diverse range on their weekly schedule covering a multitude of genres including RnB, House, Dancehall, Hip-Hop, Afrobeats and Soul with discussions on mental health, crime, personal development and inspirational stories.
The station also runs a successful youth training programme.
Herschdorfer added: “We also offer training in radio production open to 14-17-year-olds known as the Youth Project which is designed to encourage young people to learn and develop skills in radio.
“In turn, this will help eliminate negative stereotypes by engaging with creative media, contributing to community safety in the promotion and wellbeing of all young people.
“To put it plainly, Croydon FM is more than a radio station.”
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Fantastic opportunity for the youth in that area.