Potential benefits of an LGBTQ+ Community Talk Radio Station

A wordcloud. The biggest word is community, followed by people, local, radio, station, events, news, information, sense, together, and more...

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ON AIR

Your views about the benefits of 
community radio at the Centre

In our community consultation survey (which is still open, so if you haven’t added your voice yet, please do so now at gscene.biz/survey) we asked what benefits our proposed community radio station could bring. Here are some of your thoughts…

Not everyone is ga ga for radio!

An "on air" sign and microphone inside a studio.
OCV Photo – Unsplash

As you might expect from so many queer voices, the feedback was mixed, with around 20% questioning the benefit of a dedicated radio station and a few of you pointing to the existence of Radio Reverb or Gaydio.

Having said this, the majority of respondents did think a community radio station at the Centre would be a good idea for a number of reasons discussed below.

Combating isolation

“It could help really maintain a sense of community, especially if people are less able to get out and about, or if still nervous about visiting venues due to COVID.”

By far the most popular answer was that a radio station could help counter the isolation felt by many people in our communities. And while this is something that has got worse during the pandemic, we know that many people already felt disconnected. For this reason, quite of lot of you suggested that a dedicated LGBTQ+ radio station could be a lifeline to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to engage in existing spaces.

Creating harmony across the rainbow

An elderly man sits at a table listening to the radio.
Feliphe Schiarolli – Unsplash

“For the less voiced and discriminated parts of our community, it could be a way to share experiences and generate dialogue.”

“Inclusion and representation are at the forefront for me, seeing and hearing ‘people like me’ on the radio discussing issues I relate to is sometimes the welcome mat to the LGBTQIA community for people.”

The second most popular reason for setting up a radio station was the fostering of understanding between different sections of the LGBTQ+ community. So long as every age group and every hue of the flag was actively involved in making and contributing to programmes, many of you thought that a radio station could do much to bring the everyone together.

Extra… extra…

“Sense of belonging, transmitting LGBTQ+ history and stories, connect generations.”

Buttons glow against dark sliders on a sound mixing desk.
Jonas Zurcher – Unsplash

“Lobbying for specific issues, sharing information, bringing together views, trying to bring more harmony into the LGBTQ+ communities.”

“Great to … showcase local artists and music-makers, events, topics of interest for all ages and sections of the community – amazing!”

Perhaps not surprisingly, the third most popular reason why people thought a radio station was a good idea was for the spreading of news and info about events and specific causes; the things that give us an identity through shared politics, culture and history.

What next?

An androgynous blurred figure lies back against a wall with a radio at their feet.
Eric Nopanen – Unsplash

Pandemic aside, it is clear that many LGBTQ+ people feel isolated – and a radio station could do much to make them feel more included. The survey has also highlighted the important role one could play in bringing disparate communities together and fostering a queer identity in the town. With these potential benefits in mind, we are currently talking to some industry professionals about the logistics of setting up a station at the Centre.

For more feedback from our community survey, please swing by again soon. And if you haven’t yet added your voice, please do so now below.


Take part in the community consultation

We’d love to hear what you want from The Ledward Centre. Our Community Consultation Survey takes about 15 minutes to fully complete.

Please feel free to contact your friends with details of the survey so that everyone has the opportunity to give their views.

For people who can’t complete the survey digitally, you can download a printable copy of the survey and send the completed form by mail to Freepost GSCENE.

The Ledward Centre Community Consultation Survey