English-language Radio X takes to the airwaves
Online station Radio X will take to local airwaves for the first time this summer and has launched a crowdfunding campaign
The next level
Radio X was launched in 2012 to address English speakers in Brussels, from staff at EU institutions and in big global firms to the millions of tourists who pass through each year. The X comes from “expats”, but also the “x” in the middle of Bruxelles.
“We are in one of the most cosmopolitan capital cities in Europe, if not the world, and if you switch on the radio there is nothing in English, whether that’s news or suggestions for enjoying your weekend,” says Paul McNally, the station’s head of news and presenter of its morning show. “It just seems that there is a vast gap there.”
Broadcasting online, with people listening on computers or mobile devices, has given Radio X a loyal audience. “It has been great, and we’ve built up a following,” McNally says, “but we really need to take things to the next level now and appear on an actual, proper radio. That will make all the difference.”
Crowdfunding the future
The move will put Radio X into people’s cars, many of which now have digital radios on board, and reach out to people not glued to their computers, phones and tablets. Initially the signal will cover the Brussels-Capital Region, Flemish Brabant and should be able to be heard as far as Antwerp. Over the following 18 months, it will expand to take in other cities such as Ghent, and the gaps in-between.
Radio X should be representative of both Brussels and Belgium as a whole
The station’s programming has already opened up to address this wider audience. “When we started out, we were very Brussels-focused, and Brussels was big enough and interesting enough to keep us occupied,” says McNally. “But our editorial focus has already shifted quite a lot in the past six to 12 months.”
The move to digital radio is supported with a crowdfunding campaign, which aims to raise €40,000 in 40 days. The money is needed to pay for ongoing transmission costs, copyright fees for music and some essential equipment. “It’s about getting up on the right footing so that we can do this well,” McNally explains. “And it’s also about getting listeners and our supporters involved, creating a sense of belonging.”
Although conceived with expats in mind, Radio X wants to be as inclusive as possible, reaching beyond the Brussels “bubble” to anyone who wants to listen in English. To this end, the station has given training and internship opportunities to promising new radio journalists, presenters and producers.
This is something that McNally wants to continue and expand once digital broadcasting begins. “Radio X should be representative of both Brussels and Belgium as a whole, so getting as many people involved as humanly possible is one of the main goals.”
Flanders Today editor-in-chief Lisa Bradshaw is a guest on Radio X every Wednesday morning to discuss headlines from across the region
Photo courtesy Radio X
