Many readers may well have heard of Station House Media Unit (shmu) as a result of our community radio station, shmuFM which launched on 99.8FM back in October 2007.
What people often don’t know is the scale and reach of the organisation, with an annual turnover of over £1 million, it employs 30 members of staff and delivers a broad range of services for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals and communities across the north-east.
A shining light, it’s at the forefront of community media in the UK (through radio and podcasting, TV and filmmaking, magazine and online journalism, and music), with visitors from around the world coming to find out more about the work.
Our recently redeveloped HQ in Woodside, Aberdeen is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our staff team, volunteers and supporters, who passionately believe in shmu and who contribute to its impact across the region.
The origins of the organisation started with a focus on video and filmmaking back in the late 1990s, supporting groups of young people in Woodside and Tillydrone to make films about topics that were important to them. More than 20 years later, the importance of supporting young people to find their voice and for that voice to be heard has never been so important.
Challenging the status quo
Issues including the climate, gender, and mental health and wellbeing are hugely important to us all but, all too often, the voices of young people and other underrepresented groups in the mainstream media are not heard or valued.
Our work focuses on celebrating our communities, not running them down
Our role as an organisation is to work alongside our communities to develop community-owned platforms and support individuals and groups to develop the right skills and confidence to populate those platforms – to explore, discuss, celebrate, and ultimately, to hold power to account.
You could argue that we are disruptors, challenging the status quo. Our work focuses on celebrating our communities, not running them down; championing the fantastic contribution that volunteers and community organisations make across the region, and tackling prevalent negative stereotypes.
Back in 2007, shmuFM became a new platform in the city, to broadcast a different kind of media – it was, and continues to be, the voice of our communities in Aberdeen.
We recently applied for and have been awarded a new, small-scale DAB radio multiplex licence for Aberdeen North from Ofcom. This will carry up to 20 different stations, and will provide a future for many existing broadcasters, as well as offering a platform where new local broadcasters can flourish.
Despite the challenges faced by the third sector over recent years, we have always and will continue to innovate and push boundaries, making the most of opportunities as they arise.
Murray Dawson is chief executive of Station House Media Unit (shmu)
Conversation