92.5 Phoenix FM, based in Blanchardstown Dublin 15, are pleased to be operating a full service remotely and ensuring social distancing as per current governmental guidelines.
As an organisation we have developed procedures and work practices to enable remote working without it impacting on the quality of our programming and service. This is all thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of our wonderful staff who are all working at home from kitchen tables, spare rooms, and hall cupboards just to keep the station running. We start the week with an all staff zoom meeting to discuss schedules and to just catch up (there’s something fun about being able to wear pajamas to a staff meeting). Our phone systems enable station calls to be redirected to the appropriate member of staff’s mobile phone thus keeping the lines of communication with the public open.By utilising software and installing remote access we continue broadcasting our full schedule 24/7, using a range of technologies and working with volunteers enabling and supporting them to engage with these technologies. Also, our staff are taking this opportunity to engage in additional online training that will support the organisation in the future
We have also added to our existing services by responding to the needs of our community and are acting as a communication point for a variety of national and local organisations to communicate important information to the public. Our weekday local, national and International news is being written and produced at home by Ernis. While places of worship are closed due to Covid 19, we broadcast Mass on Sunday at 10.30 from St Brigid’s Catholic Church and we broadcast the Muslim Friday Prayers by Imam Kotwal. We have been overwhelmed by the response received from our (and the wider) community regarding this programming.
We launched a ‘Schools Out’ programme in conjunction with local primary educators in the D15 area. Each day we feature local educators delivering a different 10 min ‘activity session’ to primary school level students. These sessions support and complement the ongoing efforts of teachers in delivering subject matter in an innovative way. We especially love Fridays ‘School Disco (P.E.)!
Recently we have been able to restart our ‘D15 Today’ programme with daily local and national current affairs from in and around D15. Keeping our listeners updated on the issues that are important to them through interviews and chat!
In the first few weeks we programmed ‘Call Around’, an hour long show featuring audio from a diverse range of our volunteers talking about their lives now during ‘lockdown’ and offering advice and support to fellow listeners on staying home and staying safe. Not only does this inform and entertain listeners it also acts as a unique audio archive for the future as an insight into Ireland’s most diverse community during the ‘lockdown’. More importantly this means that we are also keeping in contact with our volunteers during this time and involving volunteers in programming making.
Photo:, Brian Greene, Sean Coogan and Amy Horan and Steph Mullins
Lynn Simpson
Station Manager
92.5 Phoenix FM
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