A local not-for-profit radio station has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help it stay on air.
Salford City Radio is run by just one member of staff, with around 80 volunteers chipping in to create a platform that makes ‘a real difference’ to the people of Salford.
Radio shows at the station are all presented and produced by volunteers from all backgrounds, who are in return given new training and skills.
For 15 years, Salford City Radio has given its team ‘a much-needed sense of purpose and routine, a reason to get out of bed each day and carry on.’
Credit: Salford City Radio
Many of its volunteers have come to the station following difficult circumstances like ill health, redundancy or bereavement.
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But the station is now facing the expensive process of renewing its Ofcom licence, as well as its equipment and running costs.
It’s hoping to raise £20,000 over the next fortnight to cover those costs and stay on air.
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Salford City Radio added that it provides ‘a voice for community and charitable organisations, local businesses, schools, local theatres, artists and musicians from Salford and further afield, and much, much more’.
Credit: Salford City Radio
It’s already managed to raise £2,681 in donations.
They wrote: “Although like commercial stations we produce shows and adverts, we don’t make lots of money, we’re a not-for-profit community station whose shows are all produced and presented by volunteers from all backgrounds and all levels of ability.
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“It gives them opportunities to learn new skills both in radio and other media, and many transferrable skills, helping to improve self-confidence, develop CVs and increase the potential of gaining paid employment.
“The Council kindly supported us financially up to 2016, and still support us by providing accommodation for our studios. Without their support we would have had to close.”
The studio is run from the Salford Civic Centre in Swinton.
Salford City Radio continued: “We ask you to help us please if you are able, by making a donation to our crowdfunder.
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“As a thank you for your kind donation, you will be rewarded by opportunities to get a shout out on air, be a guest on air, or maybe even present your very own show!
“Your contribution will make a real difference to the people of Salford. Thank you for listening and supporting 94.4 FM.”
Government to introduce price cap on ticket touts and launch consultation on dynamic pricing
Danny Jones
The UK government are finally set to install a price cap on re-sale tickets for touts and open an official consultation on the growing trend of dynamic pricing.
If you’ve bought a ticket to a live music show over the past year or so, you’ll have noticed that ticket prices in general are on the up – particularly if purchased from a reseller, in which case you might have paid through the nose for the privilege.
Not only does ticket touting remain a prevailing problem in the industry, with tonnes of tickets for big shows, especially, being snapped up in bulk or by bots and listed for re-sale before you’ve even added them to your basket, but the advent of this new dynamic pricing lark has made things even harder.
You only have to look at the controversy and chaos surrounding Oasis’ reunion tour, which ultimately saw some fans paying significant amounts more for practically the same ticket just a few days later in what many dubbed as ‘fraud’ and even ’emotional blackmail’.
Justin Timberlake at Co-op Live Manchester was one of countless gigs where ticket prices fluctuated. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Tackling resellers head-on
Knowing full well that people will go to extreme lengths to try and see the musicians and artists they love so dearly – in some cases being backed into a corner as the final figure displayed on the screen when they checkout suddenly jumps up – the modern ticketing industry is severely broken.
With all that in mind, the government are now looking to enact more stringent measures on resellers, by announcing a new price cap on tickets put back up for sale which is set to be introduced (hopefully) in the very near future.
Targeting sites infamous for inflating re-sale costs such as Viagogo, StubHub and others, the bill published on Friday, 10 January proposes a price cap of face value plus 10-30% but no more, with an obvious aim to keep that number as low as possible.
According to the current figures, touts reportedly cost music fans alone more than £145 million in extra re-sale fees when purchasing tickets every year – a frankly ridiculous sum. There will always be tickets ending up on re-sale sites, that’s unavoidable, but a price cap could seriously improve the situation.
The Manc music legends themselves claim they had little control over the situation.
Down with dynamic pricing
Labour, who were voted into power back in July, are also set to try and combat dynamic prices, which essentially sees gigs and events set people back more or less depending on how the popular ticket sales have been up to that point, market trends and general demand. An initial review was called for last year.
Put simply, the more people want to attend a gig, platforms like Ticketmaster feel they are able to jack up their margins even after the initial price point has been established. The European Commission has been investigating these methods since September 2024.
Although it is still unclear as to the exact time scale of when these changes will come in, Labour MP Chris Bryant told NME that although they are still in the early stages, it is “now just a matter of how the government takes action.” And that’s where you come in.
The consultation is also crucially public, with the calling for people to submit their evidence on current pricing practices and continue engaging in the discussion throughout the progress. New Year’s Resolution: let’s curb ticket touts as much as we possibly can.
The AO Arena is giving away FREE tickets for a year to celebrate 30 years in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The AO Arena has announced it’s giving away free tickets for a year to celebrate its 30th anniversary in Manchester.
The iconic music venue has welcomed the biggest names in the world in its three decades, with millions of us making memories for life inside its huge space.
And now you could win VIP tickets for an entire year, simply for sharing those memories with the AO Arena.
Fans who submit their old photos, videos and tickets will be in with a chance to win tickets to all the shows coming up in 2025 – which already includes massive gigs like Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry and Busted vs McFly.
AO Arena wants to dig deep into ‘first gig’ nostalgia territory, using fan-submitted snaps to build a collection of Manchester memories.
Were you in the same room as Taylor Swift, did you party like it was 1999 (because it was) with Spice Girls, did you cry over the sight of Gary Barlow or cry laughing with Peter Kay?
Britney Spears and Beyonce are among the names who have performed at AO Arena in its 30 year history. Credit: Supplied
Whatever your AO Arena memories are, you can share them before the end of the month to be entered into the competition to win VIP tickets for the year.
One overall winner picked at random will get the ultimate VIP experience, including access to a premium suite and The Beautiful North, as well as access to The Mezz with panoramic views of the main stage.
The 30th birthday campaign has been inspired by Adele’s monumental When We Were Young performance at Glastonbury, and all these memories will be projected around the arena before every performance.
You can submit your footage and enter the competition via the AO Arena website HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
23rd March 2022 
