Hi, I have started this blog mainly to go into some detail as to why I am leaving United FM in Crewkerne for those who would like to know!
I joined them soon after they started in April this year and it all started so promisingly. Unfortunately, from there, things have gone down hill. Various presenters have left, some for the better but some were a real blow to the station. The main problem is management, who I have no problem with personally and had a good friendship with, but seemed to be completely disorganised and unreliable. It often felt like it was me, and me alone, running things. Often times, myself and Robbie (and later Addie) were the only presenters on air during the day!
The plan for a FM licence seems unattainable at this moment in time, as the station is not providing a service to the local community as it was originally meant to. I recorded one advert for a local business, which was lost and (to the best of my knowledge) that was the only one that was recorded. I am sure local business in Crewkerne and the surrounding area would have been keen to support a local community station, but this didn't appear to be looked into.
We have recently lost the premises we started in and have been forced to run the station from the station manager's shed! This, along with many other factors that I wont go into here, led me to make my final decision. It wasn't an easy one to make, as I have put a lot of time and effort into the station, but I can't help but feel it's all for nothing as there appears to be no future in the station.
I would particularly like to thank Annabella Van Clute (Addie) for being a extremely loyal presenter and always being reliable, often being the glue that held things together. I hope we can work together in the future.
I would also like to give my thanks to Paul Goddard for his help in the running of the station, and thanks to Cathy Briggs, Imogen and Clancy, Kyle Brand and DJ Garry ,all of whom I recruited for the station and I hope you don't hold it against me! Also thanks to Gay Wilson, Mike Whittingham and Dave Smith for generously giving us their shows to air, which again I was responsible for putting out. I wonder who will now?!
This is not the end of my shows. I will be back on another station, I hope soon, and will continue my work at Radio Camelot. Thanks to everyone who supported my shows on United FM and I will miss doing them, but I don't feel I can carry on in this environment.
OH my dear young friend it is with great sadness to see you leave the station i wish you all the best in all that you do and whatever station you should go to I hope and pray that we will get to hear you again someday. keep up the Country that was my favorite we here in Australia will sertainly miss haveing you in our home every morning!so for now my dear young friend may whatever path you take be a great one and I pray that God will continue to be with you and guide you in all that you do David love from someone who cares this is GW signing off sating Good Bye God Bess and See Yah!!. PS i just had to throw that in so u never forget your fellow Ausie presenter from Down Under! lol. Bye David Lovell we will surley miss you! x
ReplyDeleteHi Dave, Greg here, Its sad to see unitedfm finnish, the hole time i was there i kept getting told that funding was happening, Until now i have not gone public about why i left unitedfm, I left along with two others because of broken promises and lies we also got told that unitedfm was a business and not a community radio project after the station had got items including money under false pretense.
ReplyDeleteI really wish it could of been a great project.
It was not an easy decision to leave but i could not be part of a project built on lies.
I was also aware after I had left that rumors were being spread by management, if you check with robbie he also had rumors spread about him.
If you are looking to get involved with another community radio project run by pros, please get in touch you can find me on facebook under The Burnt Welly Show or Gregory Stevens, as i know they need more presenters and I know you would be amazing on there.
I hope you don't have a grudge against me for leaving, and its nice to see the truth on your blog.
Hope to hear from you.
Regards
Greg