Airing Britain’s first all-female radio station, the atmosphere was “electrifying” as women took over the airwaves, a remarkable feat considering many women were still viewed as “substitute husbands” during their childhood, recalls a founding member of the radio station transmitter.
Fem FM started as a project on International Women’s Day in 1992 and was broadcast for eight days from a studio in central Bristol.
Since then, it has organized two more workshops, paving the way for more women to confidently sit behind the microphone.
Radio host and producer Miranda Rae comes from the station’s first generation of women.
At the time, she said her lifelong dream was to be an actress, but she was turned down for the training because she was blind in one eye.
“Back then, they didn’t have women of color or people with disabilities in the industry.”
Instead, she was told her voice would be great for radio, but remained concerned as she thought presenting wasn’t something she could do as a woman.
“When we started Fem FM the vibe was just amazing, it was electric.
“There’s never been anything like it.”
Ms. Rae joined Trish Caverly, Caroline Mitchell and a core team of about 13 women when she was 18 to start Fem FM.
She became the UK’s first full-time paid presenter, working for BBC R4 and R5 and Radio For The People, the first UK pirate radio station to receive a legal license in 1990.
“They didn’t have women on the radio in the 1970s because they were considered surrogate husbands. Apparently they should only be housewives.
“We felt the imbalance was still there.
“It wasn’t just about being a female radio station, it was about the nature of the programming, because there just wasn’t any programming that catered to women.
“So Fem FM was really different and unique,” she added.
Ms Rae now leads Sound Women Bristol, another initiative empowering women who want to learn radio.
TV journalist Jasmine Ketibuah-Foleytook part in the second workshop set of Fem FM in 2017.
She said that “in a million years” she could never imagine becoming a radio presenter for Bristol community radio station Ujima Radio CIC.
“At the time, I was just out of university and unsure what to do next when my friend suggested I sign up for the project.
“I knew I had a passion for telling people’s stories, but I wasn’t sure where to take it.
“After the first session I knew exactly what I wanted to do and felt so supported by the women and other participants.
“It kind of made me feel safe.
“There is definitely something special that happens when you encourage women to support each other, especially in an industry that has traditionally favored men.
“It gave us a fire in our bellies just to try it.”
Ms. Ketibuah-Foley hosted and produced for Ujima Radio for four years. She then joined the BBC News Online team as a journalist.
Award-winning Sony radio producer Sue Clark and BBC World Service presenter DJ Ritu are just a few of the people who emerged from the Fem FM project and went on to have successful broadcasting careers.
Now in its third iteration, the founders of Fem FM continue to inspire more women to follow in their footsteps.
Media student at the University of the West of England Edith Atridgehas participated in radio workshops and contributed to the production of a radio documentary about the history of Fem FM.
“It was inspirational for me. What they did was so groundbreaking for women who wanted to get into radio,” she said.
“Women in the past created this space for us.”
She said it’s dangerous to think because “feminism is everywhere, we don’t have to think about women” because we’re building on the legacy of women who came before us.
Since Fem FM’s inception, she said, there has been a “massive shift” for women in the industry who have gained recognition for their talent and skills.
“I think women got more and more frustrated that they couldn’t get radio slots, pirate radio stations came out and women involved got tired of having to do their radio in secret.
“They didn’t get the recognition they deserved until it got to a point where enough was enough.
“It was time to show the world what they were doing.”
Fem FM’s radio documentary will be broadcast on community radio stations across the UK to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Submit your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk
Add Comment