As Valley FM and later also as NOW fm, our radio stations have combined speech and music based programmes with travel, weather and local news read by local people.

A community directed schedule has incorporated what's on, events, community and charitable appeals and locally produced historical features. As well as a popular and effective music policy acclaimed by many listeners we have made outside broadcasts from festivals, included children's radio, stories and poetry, extensive coverage of the arts, live bands and artists, and involved local people in exploring topical, relevant, and often controversial local issues.

No-one else has done this in more than one location in the South Leicestershire area.

We have developed our audience each time by extensive press publicity, promotional activity and distribution of schedules and advertising material via newspapers, community groups and street events. In 1997 joint promotional links formed with the Leicester Mercury group produced immense press coverage, newspaper wrap-arounds, numerous access points through News shops and a first class local news service. Calls to our 0990 Listener Line were unanimously positive in praise of our month long broadcast to a brand new audience. Many letters of thanks and encouragement were received long before our current Campaign was even announced.

The Big Dial's presenters and producers are all local people. Some bring practical and professional experience from previous involvement with radio. Many have experience of all three of our RSL broadcasts, and have appeared on other local RSL stations, developing their skills in the process. Others, including many young people, have joined us through our volunteer advertising or through friends, entirely new to radio and have learned valuable new skills, improving with each broadcast.

A joint promotion with Sly Community Arts on our show produced a standing-room-only audience as Leicestershire bands performed live at our Wigston radio shop. The show was organised/presented entirely by four 15yr old girls who had never broadcast before and attracted great interest from many young musicians, parents and followers.

A further and larger collaborative venture on this theme organised with music venues and recording companies is scheduled during our Campaign period in September 1997.