Radio ga-ga has me glad for these new alternatives in West Norfolk
Washed Up column by Sarah Juggins, Tuesday, October 13, 2020
For several weeks through the autumn radio listeners in West Norfolk have been subject to the dismal serving of “Greatest Hits Radio”, a bland and soulless radio show that churns out songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
I sometimes landed on the show by accident and winced as I heard yet another soft rock ballad sending the citizens of West Norfolk gently into a 1980s soporific state of torpor.
So what brilliant news that from November, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk will have not one, but two new radio stations, both focusing on local issues and both run by people who passionately care about providing a great mix of talk, entertainment and music.
KL1 Radio , which launched at the beginning of October, is the brainchild of Richard Dix, who has worked on radio stations in the UK and USA as well as working at music festivals across the UK.
Dix, who is based in Heacham, is a huge music enthusiast so the various shows on the 24-hour radio station cover a wide range of music from every day pop to specialist sessions.
Starting a month later but providing an equally compelling mix of music, chat and news is former KLFM presenter Simon Rowe’s station – Radio West Norfolk. The popular DJ and presenter decided to use his redundancy from KLFM to start the new station, which he promises will be “fun, upbeat and lively.”
The two stations will doubtless enjoy some local rivalry. Both are looking to provide a “relevent, local voice”, and both will be looking to discard the image of local radio as some Alan Partridge-esque am-sham production.
The results for listeners in the area could be fantastic as both stations weeks to offer something a little different.
I have to confess a vested interest as I will be hosting a weekly farming-focused podcast on KL1 Radio but I will also be regularly tuning into the rival station and listening to Simon Rowe’s programmes for enjoyment and entertainment as much as professional interest.
