Dr Gray's Hospital Broadcasting Service, Wave Radio, are celebrating 25 years of broadcasting to patients but also 10 years of broadcasting online to the wider community.
2022 is a big year for Dr Gray’s Hospital Broadcasting Service – Wave Radio. We are based within Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, Moray and have been entertaining the patients there since 1997! Which makes 2022 our 25th year of broadcasting. Added to that, in 2012 we became Wave Hospital & Community Radio, broadcasting via the Internet to the people of Moray. So, 2022 is also a notable year for us as our 10th year broadcasting online.
Lots has changed over the last 25 years – when Wave Radio started it was vinyl records and cassette tapes which progressed to compact disks and MiniDisks, now it is all computerised using a variety of digital media.
Originally it was only a “closed loop” system within the hospital that patients could listen to in mono at their bedside using a “plastic stethoscope-like” headset – now they can also listen online through a smart phone or tablet on the hospitals Wi-Fi in full digital sound. Also, as we are online everyone in the Moray area whether in the hospital or not can listen.
To celebrate our anniversary year, on Monday 10 Jan our new updated website www.waveradio.org.uk designed by Elgin-based Nightingweb along with our new schedule are launched.
Something that has not changed in the last 25 years is that Wave Radio is operated and run by volunteers who give up their own time to produce and put out the programmes for Wave Radio.
When the Covid-19 pandemic started we faced another challenge - which was to find a way to keep the radio station operating without the need for the presenters to go into the hospital studio. We quickly worked out that presenters could to do live shows from home into the studio and then their show is broadcast in the normal way. Now we have combining both, with presenters doing their show from home as well as a limited number using the Studio within Dr Gray’s.
Another thing that has not changed is our need for donations - Wave Radio is not funded by the NHS it relies wholly on donations and self fundraising. Normally we raise money by going out and about to local events with our Outside Broadcast Vehicle. However, due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation there have been no events and our fundraising has been badly hit. You can donate to Wave Radio on our website using the JustGiving link.