Across the UK, small-scale online radio stations are closing at an alarming rate, with almost no research or funding to support them. These stations—hyperlocal, volunteer-run, and broadcasting without a licence—have become vital hubs for local music and arts communities since the mid-2010s. They offer low-barrier entry points into creative industries, particularly for groups historically excluded from them. Yet they operate on donations, rely on commercial platforms like SoundCloud to archive their content, and have no established business models. The project addresses this gap by documenting how these stations function, what challenges they face day-to-day, and how they support local creative economies. If successful, the research will produce a practical framework and shared best-practice resources for running an internet radio station—something that currently does not exist. It will also create a network connecting station operators, researchers, and library partners such as the British Library and National Library of Scotland. The aim is to help these stations survive and grow, preserving a new form of community broadcasting that otherwise risks disappearing without a trace.
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There has been substantive growth among small-scale, online radio stations (SSORs) across the UK in recent years. The aim of this project is to investigate the impact and challenges faced by SSORs, to document and share best practices in support of capacity-building amongst these local creative institutions. In doing so, the project team will develop a framework for the study of SSORs as unique media actors. SSORs are a distinct, emerging type of cultural institution and represent a new form of radio broadcasting that appeared in the mid-2010s. These stations share four distinct characteristics: (1) They are local or ‘hyperlocal’: identified with a particular city, town, or region. (2) They broadcast exclusively online without licensing. (3) They operate on a voluntary basis and rely upon donations and fundraising to cover running costs. (4) Personnel tend to be drawn directly from local music and arts communities with stations serving as local hubs for creative industries. SSORs also tend to emphasise inclusion and accessibility. Stations can be entry points into creative industries for young people and their lower barriers to entry are especially significant for groups historically excluded or under-represented in music and related industries. As one SSOR partner explained, "Being a community radio station means representing our diverse community is imperative to our functioning as a community hub." Despite these important social and cultural functions, SSORs operate with little, if any, commercial or public investment. One SSOR put this candidly: "We are constantly under pressure to bring income in, which takes time and energy away from our goals to grow the station. There are also little to no resources on the ins-and-outs of running an internet radio station, so often we find ourselves taking shots in the dark at how we think processes should be done and hoping we're doing the right thing!" UK SSORs run primarily via voluntary support and depend on commercial platforms (e.g., SoundCloud, MixCloud) to archive content. Accordingly, they operate in extremely precarious and uncertain conditions with few successful business models. SSORs have been the subject of almost no existing research and have lacked resources to pursue funding. Over the course of the past two years these stations have begun to shutter at an alarming rate (Ross 2023; Limbu 2024). In response to these challenges, the project team will generate and make accessible new knowledge through a series of networking and capacity-building activities with SSORs and their key stakeholders, researchers, and library partners (National Library of Scotland and British Library). The questions we will examine are: What are the unique challenges faced in the day-to-day, medium and long-term operation of SSORs? How do SSORs connect to and support local creative industries ecosystems? Do SSORs represent a new model of online radio broadcasting? This project aligns with UK Innovation Strategy 2022-2025, as it seeks to directly support the growth of local enterprises by convening and creating a partner community to realise future potential and share best practice to enhance innovation and leadership in local music and related industries.
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