Media mogul

The last 2 weeks has been huge for me in all aspects. Let me take you back to a week last Sunday. Varsity had been running for a week and was going well. Sundays on varsity we have a show on called the "average show", presented by steve Rowney and produced by his friend lisa d. Steve over the last few months has become a good friend as we both love the radio industry. Where as I have varsity, he also has a station himself called supergold stafford (does pretty much what it says on the tin). After his show the 3 of us had a large discussion about his station, was meant to be a full meeting but 2 of his team didn't turn up. So we discussed the state of supergold and how to make things better to improve he chances of the station working. The 3 of us ended up creating a plan to move it to varsity towers (for costing reasons) and to make a few changes including a re brand in the summer, with the station becoming an adult contempary station called knot fm. Now to be fair to steve, most of the ideas where mine, including the re brand, because the problem wit steve is he runs supergold like it's running out of his garden shed (which for a time it was) but the station is starting to take off and both he and it need a gentle push in the right direction. So we agreed lots of things and got to work. I got the domain, created a logo (which by my standards is quite good) and started designing a website. Monday the 3 of us went to his studio and started to put things in place, plus repair supergold as it wasn't working at the time. By the time I left steve and lisa Monday afternoon, all was well and looking very promising. As the week went on I dint really have any contact with steve, everytime I contacted him he made his excusses saying he was busy and we left it at that.

Varsity was now well into it's second week and now has a full 5 hours live content a weekday, which will grow in fen with the introduction of sam broadcaster. Presenters will be able to broadcast from anywhere in the uk. I've also started to get over all the stuff that made me miserable during my final Uni year, as I'm now seeing it as counter productive to the varsity cause. I also found out that the ex varsity no2 has now got him self a volentary job as executive producer on the old student radio station, omg (that's it's name not me saying omg), although what an executive producer does on a student radio station I'm not sure? Anyway it must be love! ;) plus I'm not sure yet how I feel about his show going up against the "drink not drive time slot", that would of been our show. Also I'm not fully sure if he has left varsity, If he has he hasn't told me yet and he still has a locker key, so make of it what you will!

We now forward to last Sunday, meet steve at varsity towers for the average show, we do the show then have a talk about supergold. He starts by telling me he doesn't like leading people on and that he treats people the way he likes to be treated. Next he tells me that he has thrown out all of last weeks ideas and that he has gotten so intrest from a few business men. In my head the alarm bells are going off now. First off if you dont like to lead people on, why did you do it to me.He says there are about 5 people willing to give him a couple of grang each. Thing is he doesn't really know who they are and in my experience small business men want to see a quick return on their money, to a level I know supergold can't get. And for that fact I can't have varsity mentioned in the same breath as supergold as they may seek it back from varsity. So by the end of Sunday I was really dissapointed, but at the end of the day it's steves station and he'll do what he thinks is best and good look to him, this industry is hard enoungh as it is.

Thing is the last week has had my juices flowing, I've set up one radio Station fairly cheap and easy so why not a second. I had been mulling over 2 ideas when it hit me, a local station for my current city, Stoke on Trent. While setting up varsity, some of the very nice people I had met for advice had without realising it planted a seed in my head about it. The odd mention of "oh I was thinking of radio" or "what is a good way to get my message across to the city". So why not give it a go. The difference to varsity is that it would be ultra local (or hyperlocal) and would be a voice for everyone in the city, not just a bit of light entertainment. The name I had in mind was "6 towns radio". So I arranged a meeting on Wednesday with some friendly people who had helped me along, would possibly embrace the idea and there be a chance they would want to be invloved. Turns out they were very intrested and one of them, mike rawlins, had already had the exact same idea a while back, even down to the name 6 towns, as he owns that domain. By the end of Wednesday evening, more people had been invited and the varsity towers were jumping with excitment.

All involved in the meeting on Wednesday are up for the idea and we all have our own special areas that we can use to build the station. Currently as I'm writing this mike is building the website and Carolyn Powell (Bizfizz coach) has gotten some office desks for the new studio. I next week will start work on the new studio itself. With a bit of plaster and paint it will be good to go. On Thursday we are holding our second meeting, as we can see the progress and I guess we need to assume roles for the station. Will have to see if I'm station manager for a second time :)

Either way 6 towns radio will be online from may 2010 covering all your Stoke on Trent needs. With local presenters, music, news and views. Check out the tags on Twitter #6TR or just follow us @6TownsRadio

6 Towns Radio - 6 Towns, 1 City, Your voice!