![\"SoundWave](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1_Soundwaves-radio-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n‘We are raring to go’<\/p>\n
SoundWave Radio Plymouth’s studio is being set up at Estover’s Airport Business Park(Image: Submitted)<\/p>\n
A new community radio station is to start broadcasting in Plymouth just months after the demise of Ocean City Radio.<\/p>\n
The company SoundWave Radio Plymouth CIC was \u201cborn\u201d last week and is expected to start broadcasting within the next month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have tried to find ways to put a new station together – and got there. We are raring to go.\u201d said Steve Rowlands, one of those involved in the new venture.<\/p>\n
He was also part of Ocean City Radio (OCR) which closed in May, just days after making an urgent appeal for cash following a devastating cyber attack.<\/p>\n
But several people involved in that station wanted to continue serving Plymouth listeners and decided to start a new station.<\/p>\n
They have secured a studio at the Airport Business Centre, in Estover<\/a>, where OCR also broadcast from, and Mr Rowlands said: \u201cWe have some equipment but are waiting for more to arrive in the next couple of weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are looking forward to being fully functional, interactive, upbeat and professional. We will be testing equipment and training presenters around the turn of this month.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll go live when we are confident there are no bugs. The majority of the team from Ocean City Radio wanted to continue and we have managed to keep pretty much everyone together.\u201d<\/p>\n SoundWave Radio has already secured 15 of the volunteer presenters that were at OCR, and some former presenters who left last year could return.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have just put out an ad for additional presenters and have had expressions of interest from a dozen people,\u201d said Mr Rowlands.<\/p>\n He said presenters gain in self-worth and confidence and learn skills when working on-air and added: \u201cOur presenters are aged from 17 to 76, we are very diverse and inclusive. Quite a few are retired or cannot work because of some form of health challenge. This is their way of giving something back.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Rowlands said the intention is to broadcast live with original material and said: \u201cWe should be in a position to broadcast live rather than using playlists and repeats, that has to be better for the listener experience and for advertisers.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd we are working towards a further diversification in terms of shows, and hope to have some special niche shows, including with vinyl aficionados, soul, reggae and other types of music.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd more in the way of chatshows and engagement with schools and community groups. We are keen to engage with the community and community events.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Rowlands said presenters are already working with community organisations such as the Wavelength get-togethers for older adults in Crownhill<\/a> and the Chatty Cafe drop-ins at Foulston Park.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to base ourselves in the community, picking up where OCR left off but building on that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But SoundWave Radio Plymouth will have to start out by broadcasting over the internet. OCR broadcasted on the web but also on DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), for which a licence has to be obtained and paid for.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is too expensive,\u201d said Mr Rowlands. \u201cWe are working towards offering it in a sustainable way, but that will be a way off.<\/p>\n \u201cDAB will drive listener numbers and sponsors but it\u2019s not a cheap exercise and we need to get it right first. We can\u2019t go too fast, too soon and implode.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we are looking forward to being able to broadcast, the team is chomping at the bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Rowlands said the team needs financial support too and stressed: \u201cWe need additional sponsorship so we are sustainable from the off.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Rowlands is also hoping to gain the support of Plymouth city councillors to help the station financially via their community grants.<\/p>\n If anyone can assist the station they sound make contact via SoundWave Radio Plymouth\u2019s Facebook<\/a> page, or by emailing info@soundwaveradioplymouth.com<\/p>\n Click here <\/a>to join PlymouthLive on WhatsApp and we’ll send breaking news and top stories directly to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice <\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"‘We are raring to go’ SoundWave Radio Plymouth’s studio is being set up at Estover’s Airport Business Park(Image:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":737588,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[135935,96,216065,128,2207,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-737587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-crownhill","tag-entertainment","tag-estover","tag-music","tag-people","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/737587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=737587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/737587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/737588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=737587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=737587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=737587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}