Isles FM
Encyclopedia
Isles FM is a local radio station operating from Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides
, Scotland
.
The station is operated entirely by a volunteer staff, from a building in the Newton area of the town. Isles FM is the trading name of Western Isles Community Radio Limited, which owns all the equipment. It has recently secured an area of land to construct a purpose-built studio near Seaforth Road in Stornoway.
) and the station started operating from its current premises in March 1998.
Many of the presenters are amateurs, although former presenter Glenn Denny completed a VQ in Radio Broadcasting through Moray Firth Radio, which made him the only professionally trained presenter with Isles FM. Other notable volunteers with the station include Rodney Collins, who was formerly a journalist with Record Mirror
went on to Radios 1 & 2 and was also a member of the Radio Luxembourg
team in the 1970s before becoming Managing Director of ILR stations in Scotland and London. One of the younger members of Isles FM, Eilidh MacLennan, has now gone on to work for the BBC as a presenter on Gaelic children's television, De a-nis?
.
and English
programming includes: specialist music, chat shows, children's programmes, and news.
It is often a source of essential information in times of severe weather and other crises, when transport off the islands by ferry or air may be unavailable, or when roads may be closed.
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The station is operated entirely by a volunteer staff, from a building in the Newton area of the town. Isles FM is the trading name of Western Isles Community Radio Limited, which owns all the equipment. It has recently secured an area of land to construct a purpose-built studio near Seaforth Road in Stornoway.
History
The station was initially set up in the living room of a local minister, Reverend Stanley Bennie, and operated for a few weeks at a time under a temporary licence as a trial. After proving that the station was feasible, a permanent licence was granted by the UK Radio Authority (now OfcomOfcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
) and the station started operating from its current premises in March 1998.
Many of the presenters are amateurs, although former presenter Glenn Denny completed a VQ in Radio Broadcasting through Moray Firth Radio, which made him the only professionally trained presenter with Isles FM. Other notable volunteers with the station include Rodney Collins, who was formerly a journalist with Record Mirror
Record Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
went on to Radios 1 & 2 and was also a member of the Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
team in the 1970s before becoming Managing Director of ILR stations in Scotland and London. One of the younger members of Isles FM, Eilidh MacLennan, has now gone on to work for the BBC as a presenter on Gaelic children's television, De a-nis?
Dè a-nis?
Dè a-nis? is a Scottish Gaelic-language children's program, , which is produced by BBC Gàidhlig. Broadcast on BBC Alba on Wednesday nights at 6pm and then on BBC Two Scotland Thursday nights at 6pm...
.
Programme Content
The station broadcasts a variety of content. The mixture of GaelicGoidelic languages
The Goidelic languages or Gaelic languages are one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic languages, the other consisting of the Brythonic languages. Goidelic languages historically formed a dialect continuum stretching from the south of Ireland through the Isle of Man to the north of Scotland...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
programming includes: specialist music, chat shows, children's programmes, and news.
It is often a source of essential information in times of severe weather and other crises, when transport off the islands by ferry or air may be unavailable, or when roads may be closed.