Life is apt to get in the way of my ambition to be an ace radio star so it's great to be back on the blog with news of what's going on at Angel Radio.

To be truthful it's not only life and earning a living that stop one being a radio star. The time, the thought and the preparation that go into each programme before the actual broadcast is incredibly important too.

Some broadcasters turn up with a more or less complete script, others have notes jotted on the back of an envelope, others have pre-recorded inserts ready to play at appropriate points in their show.

Then there are the pre-recorded jingles giving times of various programmes and the Angel Radio call signal itself now that we are on 91.5 FM as well as Wightcable.

I had no idea of the behind-the-scenes preparation for a radio show until I joined the team. It's not simply a case of grabbing a microphone, announcing records and chatting to listeners. It's a vocation.

Our presenters and team may be volunteers but all live and breathe Angel Radio and work to make it the best station on which to listen to the stars of yesteryear.

Once a month, I shall be interviewing one of our presenters for this blog. Many are retired professional radio presenters, all are dedicated to presenting the most interesting and appealing programmes they can.

Watching the progress of Angel Radio may inspire you to listen to us and perhaps to emulate us by starting a station of your own. But I warn you --Angel Radio Isle of Wight will be a hard station to beat.

Find us at
  Angel Radio Isle of Wight  

Angel Radio Isle of Wight is now broadcasting as the Island's first community radio station on 91.5 FM. You can also listen on the Internet as well as on cable with Wightcable 2005.

After a brilliant launch with heraldic fanfare and plaudits all round, Angel Radio IW is living up to its brief of providing nostalgic music for the elderly --and often not-so-elderly -- in the community. The new website is up and running at Angel Radio Isle of Wight You can access the live broadcasts there and read more about Angel Radio's history and progress to date.

Listeners have been writing in from Spain, Greece and all over the UK. Please write in and say hello if you enjoy our music all of which is recorded before 1960. (Cut off date 1959.) The recent programme listings give times of broadcasts on the website.

We do differ from other stations in that we broadcast no news except for local news which could affect our listeners. So if you're looking for a station with no doom and gloom, try us out and see.

I used to imagine I was technologically savvy. I stage managed in repertory theatre and am dram groups where my knowledge of lighting and sound effects came in handy.

Not quite sure when I lost the ability as high tech gadgets proliferated. So I was still battling with the teeny print instructions for my minidisc recorder and microphone when the time came for my first outside interview.

Finally got to grips with everything an hour before I was due to meet author and historian Margaret Gaskin. Her book The Blitz tells of the Second Great Fire of London and the stories and memories surrounding it.

It has also formed the basis of a Channel Four documentary.

The recording went well. Margaret has a lovely voice, warm and enthusiastic about the people and events she writes about. Her choice of music brought the era to life once more.

We edited. We broadcast. Listeners phoned in to ask questions and comment.

And for the first time ever, the archive disc at the end was blank. So now we have to rerecord off air, re-inserting the music tracks. Really sad about that because the original recording was so edgy --the first time I was cutting live recording --my comments and intros to the music tracks and the music itself --with a pre-recorded interview.

Have not yet explained to Margaret what went wrong either as she is waiting for a demo tape.

Hopefully I'll do better next time. She has promised to talk to me again when her paperback edition comes out in the New Year and the book will also be released in America.

Angel Radio IOW is on its way to becoming the local radio station for the over-60s and old time music lovers of the Isle of Wight. Already broadcast on cable, Angel Radio IOW goes live on FM on January 1, 2006.

Congratulations are due to the dedicated enthusiasm of station manager Chris Gutteridge and partner Bev Webster who support and encourage a team of talented volunteers. Through their expertise, Angel Radio IOW has provided a 24-hour-a-day service playing pre-Beatles music for the past five years.

Why?

In typical Chris speak:" To serve our listeners. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't do it. The reaction we get from the public is better than any money.*

Lots of hard work from lots of people was recognised this year when Angel Radio IOW was granted a coveted community radio licence.

The licensing authority Ofcom comments are quoted below.

Angel Radio (Newport, Isle of Wight): This group scored well across all the selection criteria. It has a clear understanding of the needs of its target community (the over 60s) and has comprehensive social gain objectives. It will broadcast an entertainment-based service focusing on the music and memories of 1900-1959 and information of relevance to the target community.

I have set up my blog to chart the successes of Angel Radio and its team --but also to record the joys and traumas of being an angel-in-waiting, learning to become a radio presenter.