TOOLBOX
BUILDING YOUR OWN RADIO STATION WITH LEEDS DANCE COMMUNITY RADIO
Finding a worthwhile gap in the radio market can be tough; with the demand for tailored radio seemingly taking a nosedive with the closure of local stations by Bauer Media, it’s hard to think how pulling together airwaves could ever create something in such high demand again. Yet new Leeds-based station LDC has carved its own place already, despite their first broadcast only being in June. A dance music collective filled to the brim with DJs from all walks of life, it’s impressive to see how in the midst of a global pandemic,
something that serves the local community so well can be created.
"DON'T BE AFRAID OR TOO PROUD TO ASK FOR HELP, YOU’LL REGRET IT IF YOU TRY AND TAKE ON THE ENTIRE PROJECT..." I sat down with Chris Tate, one of the founding members of Leeds Dance Community radio to see how he did it, and what 54
advice he’d offer to budding radio creatives. YOU WANTED TO MAKE LDC MORE THAN AN ONLINE STATION, SO APPLIED TO GET A LICENCE FOR FM- WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FM RADIO TO YOU?
"I grew up when the local radio stations were in their prime. You couldn't go anywhere without seeing their branding, their PR girls or a roadshow. Radio 1 (BBC) were just switching over their AM transmissions to FM so there was a lot of excitement whenever a new service came to the