Community Broadcasting Mourns "A Dear Friend"

“ShoutOut” and its home station B.C.F.M. and the wider family of community radio stations throughout the UK, are saddened to report the loss of one of B.C.F.M.’s engineers, Mr Mike Edney. Mr Edney passed on last weekend. For “ShoutOut”, Mr Edney had been a comrade and ally. His work had helped many of our outside broadcasts, in which we have transmitted from Pride events to an audience at home and allowed them to participate in LGBTQIA life. At B.C.F.M., Mike was a regular sight, tinkering with equipment and keeping us on the air. Unlike the B.B.C. or commercial radio stations, community broadcasters such as the family of stations “ShoutOut” broadcasts on, do not have vast paid teams of technicians and instead rely on the volunteered time of technical aces like Mike to ensure that we bring you our programmes. Patrick Hart, speaking for B.C.F.M. noted that Mr Edney had been part of the station since it began broadcasting in 2007. He added “We are devastated and will make a full statement when this terrible news has been fully processed.” Terry Starr, for the “ShoutOut” team said “Mike recognised the very important role played by community radio stations in the lives of their listeners. That’s why he could be relied upon day or night, to fix problems and troubleshoot. The whole movement of community radio stations has lost a dear friend”.