Breaking into broadcasting.

This may be of interest.

Both of my sons have autism, originally diagnosed as "severe", but high-functioning.  My eldest son did well in education and got a job in admin with an insurance company.  My youngest son did not do so well, and found himself lost in the post-16 world of college and jobseeking.

What he has done, is flung himself into community work.  It had to be stuff in which he is personally interested or enjoys - he did try volunteering at a charity shop, but he hated it, so that didn't work out in the end!  He currently volunteers on a project at the local hospital providing stimulus and engagement activities (music, games, social chat etc) with first stage dementia patients. He loves this.  He also is a very decent vocalist and performs regularly with live bands and at open mic nights.

But the main one is that he has got into radio broadcasting.  He started off by buying an hour's airtime every week on the online and DAB station Upload Radio.  He then contacted our local FM station Canalside Radio 102.8 (Macclesfield & Bollington, North-East Cheshire).  The station manager there, Nick Wright, was absolutely fantastic and gave Liam a programme.  It is called Late Night Liam, features quality album rock and indie music, and goes out every Monday night at 10.30pm, with a repeat early on Friday mornings at 2am (targeted at the North American online audience).  The show has been going out for about 5 months now, and an enthusiastic audience is building, including international online listeners).

Personally I think it is remarkable that a professional broadcaster has been prepared to give Liam the chance and space that no other employer or education provider has really yet done.  He loves it, and especially loves receiving emails from listeners, all of which he mentions in a future show.

If you are in the North-East Cheshire area, you can tune in on 102.8MHz FM.  If you are further afield, you can listen online via http://canalsideradio.net/player/index.htm

The address to contact is:  studio@canalsideradio.net   ... Liam announces this several times in each show.  Please do have a listen and get in touch.

Here is a jingle Liam sang and recorded himself for the show:

https://youtu.be/175eARAfBJU

...and here is a studio recording of Liam's vocals from earlier this year, if anyone is interested:

https://youtu.be/yCAHxCxcckA