K107FM is not
Commercial radio in our area changed today (6th January) - and its a change thats been happening across the UK.
This is not a critique of any changes, to any brand, broadcaster, station, presenter or region - it's an overview, an explanation as to what has changed, and the role of K107FM in our local media landscape.
The presenters you are used to waking up to in the morning on commercial radio will be the same, but its the audience thats changing, those 'local' breakfast shows now encapsulating a much bigger geographic area taking on Tayside, or most of Scotland....
Then the rest of the day is centralised, meaning the content you are hearing on FM is the same show,songs and presenter as those tuning in on a different frequency in another part of Scotland, and coming from elsewhere in the country.
Heritage brands, names and stations have changed across the UK, and what is happening across Fife and central Scotland has happened elsewhere.
In some cases, the changes have already been with us for some time, and its only when you've driven elsewhere in Scotland that you've noticed the station name change, but it's the same presenter at the same time of day you usually hear - but saying a different station name!
With changes in technology, and recent legislation, stations can do this - and whats more, for the main part, listeners might not directly notice a difference in the short term.
There will still be local inputs of travel, news and spots for local advertisers.
However, those local interactions will decline - even the basic features on-air will mean you're hearing a voice from elsewhere in the country, with some competitions running UK wide. The prizes may be bigger, but with that means the odds increase.
Now K107FM is the only OFCOM licenced radio station thats aimed solely at Fife, we broadcast to Kirkcaldy and its surrounding towns - but we are a community radio station, operating under a not-for-profit licence. The difference between community and commercial radio means that we are not here to compete with our radio neighbours who are owned and operated by multi-media organisations.
Our programming comes from a team of volunteers, meaning for many its a commitment of a few hours on-air each week, we've got committed volunteers with years of dedicated service to the station and our community, some with us since our launch in 2014.
We cannot, at this time, offer the same type of daytime content as our commercial radio neighbours, a live breakfast show for example would be an on-air role of at least 15 hours a week, and arguably going from a voluntary role to a part time position!
Our focus is therefore on local volunteers producing locally aimed programming, it can be a mix of live and pre-recorded content - ranging from local interest, to specialist music shows, and some shows we air may come from elsewhere if it adds value to our output. The station broadcasts on 107FM, online and via smart speakers 24 hours a day - so it takes a lot of content to fill a weekly schedule and we are greatful to our volunteers and their continued contributions.
Our output is varied across the week, but its in this eclectic mix that is our strength - our role as a registered non-profit charity has a principle purpose to "advance citizenship or community development through the enhancement of broadcasting skills and capacity"
The media role we play is to utilise our radio, social media and online capabilities "as a means of empowerment and education to build confidence and maximise opportunities for those to participate in the economic,social and civic life of their community"
What was local is becoming national, and whilst there are local inputs for advertising and news, the opportunity for local voices to be heard is declining.
This is our role in our community - our programming and coverage of local events offers something different and unique. We can give exposure to local community groups, charities, performers and the like, we are both connected to, and interested in what is happening across our area - we want to amplify local causes,events and voices utilising the platform we have
By supporting K107FM, you’re investing in the people, stories, and culture that make Fife special
We are not just broadcasters and volunteers, but a community hub.
We'll share more about our community benefits and social impact in a future post.
Please Take Action Today
Whether through advertising, donations, or simply spreading the word, your support will make a lasting difference. Together, we can continue local radio.
Visit k107.co.uk or email sales@k107.co.uk to explore opportunities to get involved or work with the station
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