Essential funding for RSL AfanFM

Communities First has decided to award AfanFM, the community station for Neath and Port Talbot, ?9,960.83 for the project to conduct its 28 day broadcast in April.

The money will allow the station to go ahead with its broadcast by covering the costs of the legally required Broadcast and Music licences, as well as paying for the rental of a studio suite, premises and also a phoneline and broadband internet connection to allow AfanFM to “stream” its output on the Internet.

In light of the recent funding success, AfanFM can now announce that from March 16th it will be piloting a high quality broadband feed that will simultaneously run alongside the station’s output on 87.7FM

The provision of such a feature was included as part of the project’s funding bid and tests have already been completed on AfanFM’s dialup feed (which will operate at 32kbps Stereo on the Windows Media platform).

The tests will involve broadcasting AfanFM on the Windows Media platform at 128kbps – very near to CD quality stereo sound and equivalent to the majority of local stations currently broadcasting on DAB Digital Radio, however – those who want to take advantage of this high quality stream will need a Broadband connection themselves.

“This is part of our drive to increase access and participation with our listeners – due to the current restrictions on our temporary FM licence in April some areas of Neath-Port Talbot may receive weak or no coverage of AfanFM – and we hope that this will go some way to offering an alternative route to listen to Neath & Port Talbot’s first dedicated radio station” Project Manager Craig Williams told RadioMad.net