Ex-BBC man starts community

Former BBC Senior Audio supervisor and WRN founder Tim Ashburner has launched a new community radio station covering the town of Marlow.

Marlow FM started broadcasting this week, after a journey which included two RSL broadcasts before being granted a full time licence in 2009.

The station is serving 36,000+ listeners from converted changing rooms and toilets at a local activity centre. Marlow FM will broadcast 60 per cent of original programming a week with its 80+ volunteers.

We're told the playout system was written by a local IT volunteer and allows presenters to upload, edit tracks and create playlists from home before arriving at the studio.

Marlow FM has also created a suitcase studio allowing anyone with basic training to travel anywhere with broadband or 3G and broadcast live. The case has Mics, Mixer, codec and track store and is totally self contained. Sky News is fed on the return link for inclusion in the OB

Using BT private dc pairs. the station has low cost presence at local landmarks such as the local park, the football ground and river.