WELL, WHAT A NIGHT! Two weeks ago, we received the Silver Award at the ARIAS (The Audio and Radio Industry Awards) for ‘Community Station of the Year’. This means we are OFFICIALLY the second-best community station in the UK and the leading youth community radio station.

This is a huge testament to everyone who’s involved with Radio Platfform currently, and to those who has been involved over the years. This award was years in the making and shows the incredible journey Radio Platfform has been on.

Radio Platfform began as a pilot programme with a deck and some portable mics, and in just seven years, it has become an ARIA silver award winning station that is the sound of the Wales Millennium Centre, providing access to the audio industry to hundreds of young people.

Rhys Jones

My story is like so many other Radio Platfform members. Joining the station has given us access to an industry we otherwise wouldn’t have had a way in to. I had never sat in front of a desk or spoke into a mic before. I took part in the training course last year and fell so in love with audio that I’ve ended up working at the station. However, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that over a year on, I would be mixing with the greats of the radio and podcasting industry at an awards ceremony in London.

I’ll take you back to a cold night in March when I was watching the live stream of the ARIAs nomination announcement on my phone at the Wales vs Poland European Championship play off. Whilst the football didn’t go as planned, I gave a big cheer as Radio Platfform were announced as nominees, much to the confusion of the people sitting around me. This was our first year entering the ARIAS, so to even be nominated was an achievement in itself – and to be honest, I’d have been happy with that.

Fast forward to May, and we arrive at the awards ceremony. We were lucky that the entire team could go up and represent the station at the event, which took place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in London. Yes, it was posh! So, we put on our best dress and took our seats, just in front of audio legends such as Elis James, John Robbins, William Hanson and just behind Rob Burrows!

We finally got to our category a good two hours after the ceremony began. The excitement, and free prosecco, were being felt now and before we knew it ‘RADIO PLATFFORM’ came on the big screen as the Silver award winner. ‘All FM’ won Bronze and ‘RNIB Connect Radio’ won the Gold award, a worthy winner who we were very happy to come second to with silver. To be sandwiched between these two very established stations, both of which operate to a larger scale and have a greater pool of resources than us, shows that the quality of Radio Platfform’s work really is groundbreaking, and the shows our members make are top-drawer.

Receiving this recognition is not the reason the station runs, our members don’t make their shows for the listens or the glam, everyone involved does what they do because they love it. We all love audio and Radio Platfform, and that is what makes this station special.

The nature of Radio Platfform, being run by young people for young people, means that it can be the station that we, and our members, want it to be. Our members make the shows they want, how they want, and it’s this freedom which allows them to truly express themselves and gives our station unmatched authenticity. That makes this award even more special, it shows the potential that is in South Wales, and the amazing things we are capable of if we have the chance to show it.

Thanks again to everyone for making this possible, and we cannot wait to have our award in our hands at the studio. Feel free to pop in next time you’re close by and if you’re interested in getting involved in audio, we’d love to welcome you to the family!

Next year, our eyes are on gold!

Rhys Jones
Radio Platfform, Casual Marketing and Events Officer