DCR FEEL THE PINCH
Written by Archie Fergusson on 06/03/2013
Dunoon Community Radio is alive and well and thriving in what we do best, broadcasting to the Community.
Unfortunately healthy as DCR is DCR like many charitable groups run by volunteers is at this time feeling the pinch regards to our financial status.
Dunoon Community Radio has since broadcasting always has had support from local people, businesses and other Community Groups and this support has always been appreciated and no more than at this present time.
Last year 2012 the third year of broadcast was the busiest yet; broadcasting live to help celebrate many local events and national events as Celtic Connections, the Queens Diamond Jubilee, The Cowal Gathering , CowalFest, and of course The Royal National Mod.
Although these and other local events last year helped us to increase our public profile broadcasting not only locally on 97.4fm but to many folk with local interest from many countries across the world they did, prove expensive to stage and constantly tested our resources and skills.
The National Mod programmes introduced over a year ago………………………………………
to promote the Dunoon Royal National Mod have gathered in strength and we are still reporting events, interviews and interacting with listeners during dedicated weekly programmes with new “Talk” related daytime magazine programmes now a popular fixture in our programme schedules we are now broadcasting live for a 116 hours a week
To cover the wide musical taste of our listeners we now present an even wider range of music genres from traditional Scottish including Gaelic, Ceilidh, Folk, Celtic Fushion, African, blues/ documentary, Ragga, Rock, Classical, Dance, Jazz ,Religious and music from the 1890s through to present day including late night music programmes aimed at and popular with teenagers to early twenties.
In these times of economic austerity Dunoon Community Radio has experienced a noticeable drop in the revenues that in the first two years of broadcasting helped pay our way.
Advertising and sponsorship has dropped significantly and other sources of fund raising such as our Disco Road Show have also declined.
THE YEAR AHEAD 2013
Moving forward this year we intend to capitalise on the experience we have gained in our three years broadcasting and will shortly add to our programming schedule increasing our broadcasting hours and introducing more unique and local community programmes for our listeners.
As in previous years January 2013 saw us once again start the year with a very successful Celtic Connections live from Glasgow with Celtic Music Radio broadcasting to over forty thousand listeners with commentaries, interviews, live music and what was happening at this the biggest festival celebration of Celtic Music in the world.
We look forward to once again broadcasting live from The Cowal Highland Gathering and are already communicating in readiness to listeners across the world.
For many reasons this year’s Gathering will be possibly be the biggest in many years reminiscent of the legendry days of old and Dunoon Community Radio presenters will be there keeping you informed “the next best thing if you can’t be there” Live Community Radio.
A new era is about to begin which will see The Cowal Highland Gathering grow in stature to become one of the leading events in the Scottish Games Calendar and DCRpot.97.4fm will be there reporting on the
“Cowalfest” the Walking and Outdoor Festival which we covered extensively last October with daily coverage from 7.00am will publish the 2013 programme in July which will announce over 90 walks and events. Once again Cowalfest will be covered by Dunoon Community Radio with for 2013 new programmes led by presenter Dave De Kort with up to the minute information and interviews with not only many of the interesting folk involved but many of the visitors to Cowal for “Cowalfest”
With the short fall in our 2012 income sources and at a time in the financial year when the main expensive Legal licences for operating the radio are due we are having to look at the different ways we as a Community Radio can secure funds.
Advertising during our programmes or even Sponsoring programmes would certainly help a lot plus help within the community to promote the business side of Dunoon not only to the local listeners on 97.4fm but would also give our many listeners from abroad on the internet an insight and update to the commerce here in Argyll.
Our Disco Road show is available for all sorts of functions at a very competitive rate to hire and in the past we have played and entertained at many functions, including Wedding’s, Birthday’s and celebration events.
As a charitable group we are constantly searching for funding through Grants and as most people realise it is becoming more and more difficult as funds become less and qualifying harder, many applicants, not a lot of money to award.
We get financial support locally from various fund raising events and sources, including individual and personal donations as well as business sponsorship and it would be a great help if even more listeners and members of the local community who enjoy our local radio could also consider a wee donation as a one off or to consider a monthly donation to help us with our present financial situation and for the future of Dunoon Community Radio