Articles by radionewsfeeds

Radio Caroline has shared details of its successful move to solar-powered broadcasting, years ahead of similar research now being explored by the BBC.

Station Manager Peter Moore revealed that the team invested in solar energy after rising energy costs prompted a review of how to make their AM transmissions more sustainable.
Based at Orfordness on the Suffolk coast, the station’s transmitter site is also part of an RSPB bird sanctuary, meaning wind turbines were ruled out early on.
Instead, Radio Caroline installed a full solar array, investing £25,000 through Herefordshire firm Caplor Energy. The system included panels, cabling, an inverter and online power monitoring, allowing listeners to track how their donations helped fund the project.
On sunny days, the system generated up to 20KW of power — more than enough to run the transmitter. Any surplus energy was passed to site landlord Cobra Mist Ltd, who in turn removed a previous 10% mark-up on grid power supplied to the station.
The project proved so successful that Radio Caroline has since expanded its setup with additional panels and a second inverter to increase capacity to around 30KW.
The new system was installed in-house after Caplor Energy ceased trading, with the team using their own technical expertise to complete the work.
Peter Moore said the upgrade not only secures the future of their AM transmissions but also demonstrates what can be achieved in UK broadcasting with independent renewable investment.
He added that while the site cannot currently feed surplus power back into the national grid, the station continues to explore sustainable options for its future operations.

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A long-running community station in Cambridgeshire has a new name and focus as Huntingdon Community Radio becomes Ouse Valley Radio.

The station says the rebrand reflects its broader reach across the region and marks a new chapter in more than 25 years of community broadcasting.
It officially launches under its new name on 1st November, with an updated sound, new equipment and expanded local coverage.
Ouse Valley Radio will continue to serve the towns of Huntingdon, St Ives, Ramsey, Godmanchester, Warboys and nearby villages while also including the wider Cambridgeshire stretch of the Ouse Valley.
Director of Programming Tony Obee said: “Our station has always been about connecting communities. The River Great Ouse flows through the heart of our district, and so does the community spirit we aim to capture every day on air.”
Alongside the new name, the station has invested in modern studio technology including digital desks and new outside broadcast equipment, with plans for a mobile app to follow. The team is also seeking new presenters to join its line-up.
Director of Marketing Paul Jackson said: “We’re determined to honour our mission to be a trusted source of local news, cultural celebrations, and deliver high-quality, popular and specialist music.
“Whether it’s local stories, insightful interviews, radio drama or events, we’ll remain a station shaped by and for the community.”
As a volunteer-led, non-profit station, Ouse Valley Radio will continue to reinvest surplus funds back into the community through its Charity of the Month initiative and local donations.
Tony Obee added that the relaunch “builds on years of support for local musicians, grassroots projects and community voices” and promises a stronger, broader and more connected station for the future.

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Corby Radio is launching a new sister station, Corby Retro Rewind, broadcasting initially online from 26th December and on DAB later.

The station will play music from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, but before launching will kick off with a full-time Christmas music channel from 24th November to 25th December.
Jim Byrne, Co-Owner of Corby Radio and Embrace Radio, said: “Retro Rewind is all about celebrating the music that shaped generations.
“Starting with a month of Christmas cheer, we’ll then dive into the classics that still make people sing, dance, and smile. It’s radio with soul and we can’t wait to share it.”
Paul Moore, Co-Owner of Corby Radio and Embrace Radio, added: “We’re cranking up the tinsel and turning back the clock!
“First, it’s wall-to-wall Christmas bangers, then it’s straight into the golden age of music. If it’s got a sax solo or a tambourine, you’ll probably hear it on Retro.

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The nominees for the 2025 APAs, sponsored by Audible, have been announced, marking 15 years of the event.

The gala ceremony will take place on 27 November at the BFI, South Bank, hosted by broadcaster and founder of The Mainstream, Remel London.
This year’s shortlist features a wide mix of nominees across categories. Publisher or Network of the Year nominees include Resonance FM, Goalhanger, Fix Radio, Sony Music Podcasts, Rusty Quill and Fun Kids. Producer of the Year contenders include Bella Soames, Georgia Arundel, Phoebe McIndoe, Jack Edwards, Andrew Wilkie, Georgina Savage and Jon Holmes.
The Production Company of the Year category includes Bespoken Media, Falling Tree Productions, Fresh Air Productions, Novel, Prison Radio Association, Reduced Listening and Samizdat Audio.
Ensemble Cast and New Voice categories feature names such as Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, and political podcast team Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, Harriet Harman and Jess Phillips.
New for this year is the Changemaker Award, recognising projects like Aunt Nell, QueerAF’s Trans+ History Week and the National Trust’s Wild Tales podcast. True Crime nominees include Novel’s Kill List and StoryHunter’s Lady Swindlers with Lucy Worsley.
AudioUK continues its partnership with Amazon Music to support the Pay What You Can scheme, ensuring access to the awards remains open to all.
Chloe Straw, CEO of AudioUK, said the awards reflect “a vibrant, evolving industry,” adding: “It’s exciting to see established media brands nominated alongside newcomers and independents. These awards celebrate the remarkable talent driving UK audio forward.”
Tickets are on sale here, with Early Bird prices until 10th November.
The APAs 2025 Nominees

INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF PRODUCERS WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER:
Arts and Culture sponsored by the London Podcast Festival
Meg Elliot – BBC Sounds Audio Lab / Overcoat Media
Chris Mitchell – Breaking Atoms and Sumit Sharma – Unedited
Meera Kumar – Freelance
Sam Tyler – Freelance
Wajid Yaseen and Steve Urquhart – Modus Arts
Tony Philips – Sea Salt and Mango

Audiobook
Yuki Parmar, Nicola Wall, Robin Morgan-Bentley, Tamsin Collison – Audible
Kate MacDonald – Freelance
Chris Thompson – Penguin Random House
Rosemary O’Dowd – Penguin Random House
Liam Gerrard – Raconteurs Audio LLP
Nicola Alexandrou – The Guardian

Branded Content
Fresh AirPodcast Team – National TrustOllie Guillou – OG PodcastsSam Taylor – Prison Radio AssociationNatalie Steed – Rhubarb RhubarbOllie Wilson, Kat Hutcheson, Nia Deo, Charlie Murrell, Rahnee Prescod – Sony Music Podcasts
Comedy
Dave Masterman, Michael Dale and Bertie Moores – Audio AlwaysLauren Mackay – BBC Scotland
Ed Morrish – Lead Mojo Productions
Ollie Wilson, Charlie Murrell, Nia Deo, Rahnee Prescod – Sony Music Podcasts
Rory Powers and Kit Grier Mulvenna – This Paranormal Life
Jon Holmes – unusual
 
Drama and Fiction
 
Nicolas Jackson – Afonica
Tracey Neale – BBC Studios
Max Blair, Mark McKibbin – Blackabbey Productions
Hat Trick Productions/Audible
Guy Larsen, Cambria Bailey-Jones, Gabriela Jones and Dan Pugsley – Penny4
Emma Stephens & Bernard P Achampong – Unedited
 
Entertainment
 
Helena Webb – BBC Audio
Jack Edwards, Travis Glossop, Demi Bell, Brogan Hubber, Toby Penman – Fix Radio
Ewan Newbigging-Lister – JamPot Productions
Jemima Rathbone – JamPot Productions
Dino Sofos, Caillin McDaid, Will Gibson Smith, Flossie Barrett – Persephonica
Katie Boden – TBI Media
Rory Powers and Kit Grier Mulvenna – This Paranormal Life
 
Factual/Documentary Sponsored by Great Big Story
 
Laurence Grissell, Rosie Pye, Amica Sciortino Nowlan, Poppy Damon, Daniel Lloyd-Evans, Louis Nanke-Mannell, Toby Matimong, Volkan Kiziltug – Blanchard House
Chalk & Blade/Audible
Becky Lipscombe and Isobel Cockerell, Coda Story
Bella Soames, Dmg Media
Timur Dzhafarov and Cicely Fell – Falling Tree Productions
Leigh Meyer, Amalie Sortland, Josephine Wheeler, Nicholas Alexander – Novel
 
History

Joe Dunthorne and Eleanor McDowall – Falling Tree Productions
Wajid Yaseen and Steve Urquhart – Modus Arts
Ruth Abrahams, Carole Cadwalladr and Peter Jukes – Project Citizen
Hugh Sheehan – Reduced Listening
Production Team – StoryHunter
Rami Tzabar, Kevin Fong, Andrew Luck-Baker, Kate Arkless Gray, Dave Giles, Christian Lundberg, Richard Courtice, Jago Lee, Stuart Coxe – TellTale Industries & Antica Productions

Lifestyle and Society
 
Max Dickins & Rich Le Gate – Inbetween Man
Ollie Brookes, James Wilson, Faye Dunn, Arthur Hagues – Prison Radio Association
Hugh Sheehan – Reduced Listening
Suzi Dale & Micky Curling – Story Publishing
Krishna Murali – The Fourth Bookmark, Independent Podcast
Jon Holmes – unusual

Little Ears
 
Laura Hyde – Chalk & Blade
Gill Davies, Claire O’Gallagher, Derek Farrell – GDP/BBC Scotland Learning
Cole Stopnik – Independent Podcaster
Jack Whitney, Chloe McLaren, James Trusson, Adam Devenney, Kathleen Moroney, Polly Evans, Ravina Bajwa, Georgie Britton – National History Museum, Forever Audio and Tonies
Morwenna Rose – The Book of Arralan
Krishna Murali – The Fourth Bookmark, Independent Podcast
 
Music Sponsored by Morley Radio

Matthew Bannister and Natalie Steed – Folk on Foot
Tom Whalley – Listen Entertainment
Lady Unchained, Arthur Hagues, Jamie Lyon – Prison Radio Association
Silas Gray – Reduced Listening
Matt Healy, Katie Fox, Jojo Jones, Joe Gardner, Rachel Barton, Pete Tong – We Are Grape Ltd
Ollie Braddy, Jojo Jones, Matt Healy, Sarah Story – We Are Grape Ltd
 
News/Politics
 
Christopher Pitt, Stephen Carroll, Caroline Hepker, Tiwa Adebayo, James Woolcock – Bloomberg
George McDonagh – Freelance
Artemis Irvine – Freelance, Whistledown Productions
Ruth Abrahams, Carole Cadwalladr and Peter Jukes – Project Citizen
May Robson – Reduced Listening
Edward Drummond – The Times

Sound Design

Phoebe McIndoe – Falling Tree Productions
Nicholas Alexander – Novel
Alice Boyd & Joy Nkoyo – Peanut & Crumb
Scout Tzofiya Bolton, Andrew Wilkie, Ellen Orchard, Micky Curling, Phil Maguire – Prison Radio Association
Esa Williams – Raw/Audible
Ivan d’Avoine, Derick Armah – Transmission Roundhouse

Sports
 
Rob Sillito, Ben Russell and Emma Brydges – Couch to Coached Running podcast
Chris Browning-Brant, Christian Hewgill, Katie Osborne, Jamie Smith – Formula 1
Sophie Penney and Adonis Pratsides – Global
Damien St John & Ant McGinley – Podomedy
Andrew Wilkie, Faye Dunn, Phil Maguire, Paula Harriott – Prison Radio Association
Ray Paul, Ishtia May, Jerelle Forbes, Heartless Crew (MC Bushkin & DJ Fonti) – The Playmaker Group

True Crime
 
Rima Ahmed, Luke de Costa and Luke Eldridge – BBC Sounds
Phoebe McIndoe and Redzi Bernard – Falling Tree Productions
Carl Miller, Caroline Thornham, Tom Wright – Novel
Andrew Wilkie – Prison Radio Association
RAW/Audible
Production Team – StoryHunter

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
 
Narrator
 
Ella Kenion – Bonnier Books UK
Harriet Walter – HarperCollins Publishers
Poppy Mae Barrett – HarperCollins Publishers
Charlotte Ritchie – Nosy Crow
Dan Jones – Sony Music Podcasts
Maxim Reston – White House Sound
 
New Producer Sponsored by Amazon Music and Wondery
 
Mia Thornton – BBC Sounds Audio Lab / Reform Radio
Lorna Reader – BBC Studios
Joseph Russell – Fire Mountain Productions
Riham Moussa – Freelance
Marnie Duke – Transmission Roundhouse
Katie Fox – We Are Grape Ltd

New Voice Sponsored by BBC Sounds
 
Siddharth Khajuria – Falling Tree Productions
Naomi Bloomstein – Freelance
Dr. Emma Nagouse – Lead Mojo Productions
Ajay Tegala – National Trust
Anna Sinfield – Novel
Scout Tzofiya Bolton – Prison Radio Association
 
Presenter/Host Sponsored by Everybody Media

Danny Robins – Bafflegab Productions/ Uncanny Media
Niall Breslin – Chalk & Blade/Audible
Joe Dunthorne – Falling Tree Productions
Femi Oke – RAW/Audible
Krishna Murali – The Fourth Bookmark, Independent Podcast
Jerry Brotton – Whistledown Productions

Producer of the Year Sponsored by Audible
 
Bella Soames – Dmg Media
Phoebe McIndoe – Falling Tree Productions
Jack Edwards – Fix Radio
Georgia Arundel – Platform Media
Andrew Wilkie – Prison Radio Association
Georgina Savage – RAW
Jon Holmes – unusual Productions

OTHER:

Ensemble Cast/Presenting Team
 
Mel Giedroyc & Sue Perkins – Audible/Hat Trick
Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders – Audible/Listen
Becky and Ben Saer
Zak and Jules – Prison Radio Association
Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, Harriet Harman, Jess Phillips – Sky News
Rachel, Elaine, Caroline – Whistledown

The Changemaker Award Sponsored by The Podcast Show

Aunt Nell
Tommy Kennedy, Claire Offley, Fran Reynolds – Carousel
Alia Cassam, Nina Garthwaite, Alan Hall, Axel Kacoutié, Josie Long, Eleanor McDowall, Andrea Rangecroft and Mike Woolley – Falling Tree Productions
QueerAF podcast with Trans+ History Week
Wild Tales – National Trust
Outside In – Prison Radio Association
 
Production Company of the Year Sponsored by Aiir
 
Bespoken Media
Falling Tree Productions
Fresh Air Productions
Novel
Prison Radio Association
Reduced Listening
Samizdat Audio
 
Publisher or Network of the Year Sponsored by BetterHelp
 
Fix Radio
Fun Kids
Goalhanger
Resonance
RQ Network
Sony Music Podcasts

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