Purbeck Sounds to launch online in Swanage following closure of FM station

A new community radio station for Swanage in Dorset is officially going live on October 5th.

Purbeck Sounds is the brainchild of co-founders Graham Turner and Andrew Birt.

The digital service has a studio located at ‘The Hub’ community centre in Swanage town centre, and will be streaming 24 hours a day.

It is now testing at purbecksounds.com.

Technical Director Andrew Birt tells us more about the station: “FM has served the public well but belongs in the past – even DAB is over 30 years old now, conceived to give listeners more choice in a pre-streaming age.

“Our main transport system is smart speakers, internet radios, mobile phones and tablets. Using Bluetooth technology streaming has now taken on the last bastion of traditional radio – listening in the car.

“We’ve had a fantastic positive response from our listeners.”

Purbeck Sounds is run by volunteers and funded by member subscriptions and advertising income. The station is a not-for-profit organisation and any surplus at the end of the year will be given back to the community.

It comes after the town’s FM community station Purbeck Coast closed down in February this year saying it wasn’t financially viable to operate.