RADIO NORTH ANGUS

History

Radio North Angus is a company limited by guarantee that operates an Independent Local Radio Station on a voluntary basis, in the county of Angus, Scotland. The Service was co-founded by Malcolm Finlayson and Ian Clark, who had previously been involved in broadcasting from 1969, and had operated a radio station from 1973.

Radio North Angus, (RNA), commenced broadcasting by closed circuit transmissions at Stracathro Hospital, by Brechin, on 9 January 1979, with a two tier music based format, whereby specialist music was broadcast daily between 1830 and 1930 hours, followed by requests between 1930 and 2200 hours. The success of the Station created a demand for similar services in other Angus hospitals, but distances between these centres and Stracathro made the concept of landline rental prohibitive. Consequently, it was decided to establish a system of stand alone Stations, and the Arbroath Infirmary and Forfar Infirmary Radio Stations commenced broadcasting on 28 October 1980 and 3 June 1985 respectively. The smaller Angus hospitals were catered for by means of out-housed mobile control desks at Whitehills Hospital, Forfar, Brechin and Montrose Infirmaries, and Little Cairnie Hospital, Arbroath being utilised on a fortnightly basis in wards and day areas.

RNA goes FM

During 1995, Radio Lonsdale, the Barrow-in-Furness Hospital Broadcasting Service, was commissioned by the Radio Authority to conduct experimental F.M. transmissions, with a view to a wavelength being allocated for hospital broadcasting use, which would vastly improve reception by recipients who were hitherto restricted to hospital internal broadcasting closed circuit systems. The pilot broadcasts were successful, and RNA subsequently acquired licences for the Arbroath and Stracathro Radio Stations, commencing broadcasting in Spring 1996 on 87.7 FM, with an output power of 50 milliwatts, becoming the second British and first Scottish Hospital Broadcasting Service to use freely radiating radio transmissions. Although being designed specifically for hospitals, the broadcasts were audible on domestic receivers for two miles, which created a demand from the population of Arbroath for a local radio service.

A statement of intent was lodged with the Radio Authority for the provision of a Service for an area of Angus, and, having undergone a competitive process, RNA became the first Hospital Broadcasting Service to be allocated an Independent Local Radio licence. The remit is for a wide ranging music based Service to promote health, welfare, voluntary organisations, educational establishments, and the local economy. RNA F.M., commenced transmissions from Arbroath Infirmary on 96.6FM on 28 November 1998 with a power output of 25 watts. The Station quickly became established as the Local Radio for the Area, with many favourable comments received, and a cost-free service being provided to the NHS, Angus Council, Angus College, Emergency Services, local schools and numerous voluntary organisations, which utilised the opportunity to disseminate information.

Increased power

In late 1999, the Radio Authority gave approval to an increase in output power, and on 8 February 2000, the level was increased to 200 watts, facilitating transmissions being receivable over a wide area of the County. RNA. continues to operate on entirely a voluntary basis, the aim being to provide a high quality, localised radio service for the benefit of the population, with the slogan “Music and care on air across Angus”.
 

Programming

Programmes are broadcast on a 7 day per week, 24 hour per day basis. News is broadcast frequently, national news being transmitted courtesy of IRN.

RNA F.M. offers a diverse range of programming and presenters with the invitation to the listener to “Enjoy the mix on 966”. In this respect, a system of one presenter, and occasionally two presenters for each of the 55 programmes per week has been adopted, with programmes being of 1½, 2 and 2½hours duration, the exceptions being the Church Service of 1 hour duration, and the Music and Sport programme lasting 3 hours, which includes football commentaries.

Presenters are trained to develop a natural, person-to-person style, and to identify closely with the local population, in order to accord with the statement “RNA – radio at its natural best”.

Details of the programme schedules.

Personnel

The membership is in the order of 70 to 80, as a significant number of volunteers are required to maintain the policy of one presenter for each of the 55 weekly programmes. A number of the volunteers have been involved in broadcasting for substantial periods.

Certain past presenters have successfully pursued careers in professional broadcasting. Prospective presenters are given a thorough training, and potential members are invited to contact the Secretary, Malcolm J. B. Finlayson.

Finance

Operational costs are extremely low, owing to the voluntary nature of the organisation, and accommodation being provided in hospitals. The NHS supplies a recurring Grant, which equates to 25% of the revenue costs, and a further 25% is derived from fund-raising activities such as collections, and the supply of music/commentary at events. The balance is met from low cost advertising, (£100-£150 per year), which is specifically designed to avoid displacement to the livelihood of individuals employed in the professional media.

Since inception, RNA has enjoyed substantial financial support from the NHS, Grant Issuing bodies, and organisations and individuals in the local area, which is appreciated.

Technical

The Arbroath station has two studios, with studios located within Stracathro Hospital, and Montrose and Forfar Infirmaries. 14 channel self op Alice Air 2000 consoles are on site in Arbroath, with a 12 Channel Air 2000 in the Montrose studio.

Ancillary studio equipment is mainly Sony and Technics. The transmissions systems consist of SBS transmitters and amplifiers etc. which were installed by Andy Bantock, Station 2, Chas Mackinnon, CMAC Electronics and Martin Noar, Libra Solutions, whom RNA would highly recommend.

Future Developments

Health Care in Britain is evolving into a Community, rather than a Hospital based Service, with the concept being that patients should only be admitted when absolutely necessary. Fewer inpatents, selective admission policies, early discharge schemes, coupled with increasing numbers of individuals being catered for by the N.H.S., Local Authorities, and the Private Health Care Sector, in Community and Domiciliary settings, has depleted audiences being served by the traditional method of closed circuit hospital broadcasting in Angus.

Devised and pioneered by Radio North Angus, the Health Care Radio model, which transformed the Arbroath Infirmary Hospital Radio, with a potential audience of 100, into an Independent Local Radio with a reach in excess of 50,000, offers organisations a template to serve patients within and outwith hospitals, whilst broadening the field of activity to be beneficial to an Area at large, as per the remit of R.N.A. F.M., previously described.

Advances in broadcasting technology will allow R.N.A. the opportunity to develop the service further in terms of content, output, and coverage, in order to meet the increasing demands of the audiences.

Acknowledgements

To acknowledge the numerous organisations and individuals who have lent assistance would be exhaustive, but Radio North Angus appreciates, in particular, the input of the following:-
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