The Cornwall Community Media Network (CCMN) is proud to announce the launch of a Community Radio Day which celebrates their work in connecting local community radio stations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Taking place on Saturday 1st February 2025, the all-day broadcast will highlight the collaboration of the Duchy’s most prominent local radio stations that serve their audiences with a diverse range of voices and content, ensuring that every corner is represented and celebrated.
CCMN brings together OFCOM-regulated community radio stations CHAOS Radio, CHBN, Source FM, Islands FM and Coast FM, as well as NCB Radio, all supported by BBC Radio Cornwall and The CHAOS Group. By working together, they have shared resources and expertise, improved communication and access to information throughout the county, whilst also exploring innovative ways to support and uplift our communities.
Nathan Hunkin, Director of Digital and Innovation at The CHAOS Group: “Creating pathways into the world of radio and digital media, is a big passion for the CHAOS team. It’s always been our mission to help make positive changes to the communities around us, and now more than ever people want to see, hear and share the positive things happening in their community. Sharing our combined knowledge, skills and the platforms, seems like a natural and responsible thing to do.”
The strength of the alliance lies in its collaborative approach, which has been guided by the ethos of The CHAOS Group, which stands for ‘Community Helping All Of Society’. By uniting these stations under one network, CCMN enhances the quality and reach of local content. Offering a powerful platform for community stories and issues; this partnership allows each station to maintain its unique sound while benefiting from the shared resources and support of the broader network.
Mark Sanders, Chairman at CHBN: “Being part of the network is so useful as it has opened up opportunities for us to attract new volunteers to the station, share programming that may be of interest across a wider area than our own individual communities and it’s also been great to share ideas and successes and help support each other to ensure that we all provide the best services we can. Cornwall is very lucky to have such great Community Radio stations collectively covering a large proportion of Cornwall and doing a huge variety of programmes appealing to the community. There will be something for everyone!”
A key focus of the CCMN is to give access to digital and media skills for Cornish people through a range of opportunities. One of their biggest successes to date is the Digital Skills Training Bootcamp which has given cohorts over two years an introduction to all aspects of community radio, including presenting, content creation and technical support. Following its increased popularity, the CCMN is planning to run another in Spring 2025, as well as continuing to offer volunteering positions, training sessions, and experience in outside broadcasts year-round. All of this is designed to provide valuable experience, nurture local talent, and empower individuals to build a stronger, and more media-savvy community.
Jade Dunbar, Chair of Source FM: “As a result of working together with the other community radio stations in Cornwall, we are seeing the basis on which we can work together in more areas than just the original Bootcamp idea. We are creating together a more professional talent pool, an area in which most stations struggle; there is scope to pool resources, reduce operational costs, access better equipment and deals, and enhance broadcast quality. We may also consider joint funding applications where funders are more likely to encourage joint working to spread the benefits and the costs. We are already seeing a stronger community that will allow us all to enrich content and ideas. Overall, such collaboration will lead to a more vibrant and resilient community radio landscape in Cornwall.”
With member stations located in towns throughout Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the CCMN reaches over 100,000 listeners just within their FM reach, and considerably more when considering their digital and online audiences; this extensive coverage ensures that the voices of their diverse communities are heard loud and clear, providing news, entertainment, and cultural programming that reflects the heart and soul of the region. Most recently, this platform has been used to share the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’s latest campaign – Stay Well in Cornwall this Winter – which saw the distribution of a press release, visual assets and audio interviews with multiple ‘Stay Well Champions’ with the aim of sharing tips and resources to keep residents safe and healthy throughout the season. This joined-up approach offers an exciting opportunity for local businesses to invest in Cornwall-wide sponsorship and advertising across all the stations and reach potential customers in each corner of the county.
Bob Bate, Station Manager at Islands FM: “I’m thrilled that we are now a part of a local group of community radio stations. The opportunity to share relevant audio content is a particularly welcome initiative and one which we will gladly use. We look forward to the monthly meetings, learning of shared issues and frustrations, and hearing solutions from others in the same boat!”
In an era where the landscape of local radio is rapidly changing and frequencies are being taken over by national brands, the Cornwall Community Media Network stands as a viable local alternative. The Network’s focus on hyper-local content ensures that the stories and issues most important to the people within communities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are brought to the forefront, as an essential part of the ever-changing media landscape.
Dave Pascoe, Director and Station Manager at Coast FM: “The CCMN offers opportunities for Cornwall’s community-based radio stations to develop, engage, collaborate and train and is a valued asset in the growth of local radio providing unique Bootcamp training.”
If you would like more information on how the Cornwall Community Media Network can support your community, business, and organisation – or if you’re interested in volunteering at one of their stations – they’d love to hear from you. You can reach them at 01872 228844 or via email at hello@cornwallcommunitymedia.network.
The CCMN Community Radio Day will be taking place on Saturday 1st February 2025 from 10:00 simultaneously across all stations within the network. You can listen on FM and online on their
respective websites and mobile apps.
Further details about the upcoming CCMN Digital Skills Bootcamp will be released on @CHAOSRadioUK on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn in the coming months.
