26th February 2024
And We’re Live…
At 10.30am on Monday 5th February 2024, my classmates Lily, Joe and I were standing between Studios 1 and 2 at Xpress Radio in Cardiff Students’ Union. We were figuring out how to upload our theme tune onto the radio station’s computer.
Joe had clipped together a track overlaid with the song Arthur, composed by Rick Wakeman. The song was used as a theme for every UK General Election programme on the BBC between 1979 – 2005, and was revitalized for the 2019 election. It’s well worth a search on YouTube or Spotify when you get the chance.
Once we had worked out the process of uploading the music we moved into Studio 2. At 11am, pretty much on the dot, Joe worked his magic on the decks, the Xpress Radio jingled played, followed by the theme for our show: RJ, Mott and Spare. We were live on air.
Trumpets bellowed and symbols clashed interwoven with funny clips and speeches by British politicians. We introduced ourselves and the show, the hour sped by and I finished by reading the news. That was show one in the can.
The three of us were pleased with our output. Joe and I couldn’t quite believe something we had discussed in the first term becoming a reality in the second. It demonstrated how easily ideas can become a reality when you are a student.
Listen to Show 1 below:
Small countries that do big things
The following week, on 12th February, we returned to the studio for our second show which looked at the theme of small countries that do big things. We looked at Lichtenstein, Qatar and Costa Rica for different approaches that Wales could learn from. We found out that Lichtenstein has the highest income per capita in the world, that Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad created Al Jazeera to rival the BBC and CNN, and that Costa Rica does not have a standing army. We concluded that Wales could learn from the way Lichtenstein makes the most of business with its neighbours, that Qatar used its diplomatic powers and football to change its image, and Costa Rica had become a world leader in green energy and eco tourism.
Listen to Show 2 below
Interviewing Professor Laura McAllister CBE
A couple of hours after recording the second show, I hotfooted it back to my flat to join a zoom call with Professor Laura McAllister CBE for a segment that will air in the week of International Women’s Day. I covered a range of topics with Professor McAllister from her early career in football to her role as Vice President of UEFA and most recently as the co-chair for the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales.
I am very grateful to the conversation with Professor McAllister that will be shared over the next couple of shows. She also confirmed during recording that I should consider myself Welsh given I’ve chosen to live here and I sign-up to Welsh values. So diolch Laura for your endorsement!
The shows ahead
We have a packed schedule of future shows, including a live in-studio interview with Professor Wendy Larner on International Women’s Day. We hope you will be able to join us on the following dates and times:
- Monday 26th – St David’s Day Explained 11am -12
- Monday 4th March – Celebrating the Women of Wales 11am -12pm
- Friday 8th March – An International Women’s Day Special: Interview with Professor Wendy Larner 11am – 1pm
- Monday 11th March – Politics and Mental Health 11am – 1pm
- Monday 18th March – The New First Minister 11am – 1pm
Do the little things
Today (26th February) Joe and I were in the studio talking about St David’s Day and its importance to Wales. The national celebration for Wales is celebrated annually on 1st March. Lily sent over some voice notes about the history of the day, the traditions and asked why it isn’t a bank holiday.
Listen to show 3 here:
St David is alleged to have said on his death bed: “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things” diolch Dewi Sant, wise words to live by.
Joe, Lily and I look forward to spreading joy, keeping the political faith and doing the little thing of running our radio show every Monday, term time, 11-12.
If you want to listen to us live head to: https://www.mixcloud.com/live/xpressradio