Searching for radio - Feb 09

To develop a radio station like RD you need both contacts and content - a few words about both.

I’ve just spent six hours making test program No. 3, a far more laid back, totally unprepared for smattering of French related music. I’m snuck into a studio after 8pm where a night of hilarity follows with the witty and talented producer Tim who takes care of all things technical. We throw tracks spontaneously into cd players and amuse ourselves thinking of links to say between tracks. We finally have an mp3 mastered and copied by 2am. I’m exhausted but figure a few late nights before I fly back to Perigueux from Australia might help beat the impending jetlag.

The most encouraging part of working on the RD project has been the support and advice I’ve received, right at the time I‘m about to give up. I’ll have a meeting with someone who says “you need to talk to person X, they can help you”. And without fail, the person I’ve been told to contact has been incredibly generous with both their knowledge and time. I’m a firm believer in saying thanks, unlike my former boss who said “I don’t believe in thanking my staff, they’re just doing their job” - a great way to make your staff want to work harder for you.

I’m trying to get enough material together to make an 8 hour tape loop to put on the site, until I can pull the networked material from the satellite and have a 24/7 schedule. Ideally what I’m after is more local programs. If there’s anybody out there living in the Dordogne with a radio background and keen to be involved in the project, do make contact.

RD moves to Bordeaux University, Perigueux campus - Dec 08

After weeks of renovation work over Christmas 08, RD has a temporary home in a recently purchased stone cottage at La Chapelle Faucher near Brantome in the Dordogne.

More work is done finalising and scheduling networked material, not as easy as it sounds as I attempt to learn Station Playlist Creator and Station Playlist Studio.

In January '09 I had a meeting with Bordeaux University, Perigueux campus in the hope they will be interested in helping establish and run the station. Much to my amazement they love the idea and after some creative negotiation, it is agreed to house RD permanently (at no cost) within the University in exchange for yearly teaching of media skills to their first year Tourism students. The station will also be utilised by the students to learn broadcasting skills and improve their English language proficiency. I was encouraged, after my first guest lecture late January 09, by the number of students who approach me afterwards to express their interest in producing and presenting programs on RD.

There's still more work to be done getting broadcast material off the satellite and onto the internet, this is now being configured by the University, and I'm a lot more realistic about timelines now, however we hope to have an official launch of Radio Dordogne in Perigueux late December.

Keen to start we finally meet - Aug 08

The first official meeting of Radio Dordogne at Clive's House, Lombraud, Dordogne. This keen group met in August 08 to discuss the aims and future direction of Radio Dordogne.

L to R: Albert, Camille, Jillian, Martin and Peter. Clive was in the empty chair.

Setting up an internet radio station is not as easy as it sounds. First you need quality audio material to sustain the station, competent and technologically savvy local presenters to give the station relevance and presence in your community, money to purchase the equipment and software that enable the station to operate and an office/home where the station can live.

Establishing RD has been an exciting but very challenging endeavour. Our aim is to foster cross-cultural harmony and exchange between both English and French speakers through innovative radio programming. We intend to become an integral part of the Dordogne community by conducting broadcasts at as many outside events as possible, for example at festivals, markets and traditional French cultural happenings.

In April 08 The Perigueux Franco-British Chamber of Commerce hosted the Trade Fair "Success in the Dordogne", an event dedicated to linking English speaking experts offering personal consultations covering various issues regarding living in the Dordogne. The response from local traders to RD was strong. We aim to be broadcasting 24/7 by early 09, utilising material from the BBC, Radio Netherlands, Radio France Internationale and increasingly local presenters.