Radio
Ally Bally on Air – Radio Shenanigans
My involvement in radio today is mainly centred around a radio station in Greenock called Inverclyde Radio, which broadcasts online every day from 9am till midnight. However, my involvement with Radio goes back to the early ’90s where I was fascinated by all things Radio and Music. This page has all the details past and present about my radio involvement at various different radio stations.
Inverclyde FM, Inverclyde FM Online and Inverclyde Radio
As you can see from the history below, I’ve been involved in RSL licensed radio broadcasts for many years and when I found out that the new area I was calling home were launching an RSL FM station I got myself involved! The Queen Elizabeth II liner was due to make it’s last appearance in Scotland and it was to meet up for one last time in Greenock. As part of the celebrations a month-long FM broadcast was started and plenty of publicity was given to the events. I presented a show on Saturday afternoons and I was part of the big day when the QE2 finally arrived. Quite amazingly, the sun was blazing that day and people came out in their thousands and a great day was had by all.
The costs of running an FM license is very high, however the guys in charge at IFM felt that there was still plenty of interest in continuing an effort for a local Inverclyde radio station. Almost a year later and plans were afoot to buy an studio in Pottery Street. Willie Stuart (old-yin) and Dave Faller (young-yin) spent many tireless hours getting the place ship-shape and ready for broadcast. Armed with enough cash to run the new station as an online only venture, Willie bought a performance rights license and shortly after I was invited by chance to do the launch show one Saturday in September 2009, so I brought the bucks fizz and Dave and Willie brought the cheer, the station was live and has been going well since. More recently, on January 1st 2010, Inverclyde FM Online changed it’s name to Inverclyde Radio, as it was felt that the ‘FM’ part of the name was no longer relevant.
You can listen live to me every Saturday afternoon from 1pm until 3pm, and every Thursday evening from 6pm until 8pm at www.inverclyderadio.net
Back In Time
Mayfield Radio: 1994 – 2002
I got involved with my local hospital radio called Mayfield Radio in Edinburgh. I was appointed to become chief tea boy! After constantly pestering the folks there to let me have a crack at getting on air and after bouts of being a production assistant and mixer engineer, I got my apprenticeship with Dylis Mack on the Saturday night request show. After a few months at that I found my feet and eventually got my own show on Monday nights which was great fun. You can hear some audio clips of that below.
Mayfield Radio – The Monday Mix, Clip 1
Mayfield Radio – The Monday Mix, Clip 2
Mayfield Radio – The Monday Mix, Clip 3
Fresh Air FM (Edinburgh University) 2003 – 2005
By the time I was at University, I got involved with Fresh Air FM which is a once-a-year Restricted Service License (RSL) FM radio station. It won an award whilst I was there in 2005 from the BBC for the best Student Radio station in the UK. I did two RSL’s with them, one in the early mornings from 5am-7am (god only knows how I did my coursework after getting up at 5am!) and once at the slightly better time of 7am-9am. You can hear some of the earlier recording snippets from Fresh Air below.
SubCity Radio (Glasgow University) 2005-2006
When I moved over to the west of Scotland, I did an RSL for SubCity Radio which was a similar setup to Fresh Air although they simultaneously broadcast on-line. I did a Sunday morning breakfast show which was great fun. I gave it up when I moved to Inverclyde for my work.
