Editorial: A youth radio station ... now that's an idea

But what it must mean is putting on "things young people want to do" in "places young people want to go". Otherwise the whole exercise is futile.

At Crime Concern's recent Reflections on Tomorrow launch event (YPN, 2-8 February, p6), young people put together a wish list of things they would like to see in the green paper.

Sometimes "places to go" take precedence and, often, young people just want a warm, safe place to hang out. At other times, "things to do" are the main driver.

Amid having a real say in running youth clubs and services, younger youth workers and clubs that stay open longer, there was a desire for opportunities to make music and get that music heard. Last year, Young People Now featured youth projects that took out restricted service radio licences to broadcast during summer holidays (YPN, 28 July-3 August 2004, p14). But an underground youth radio station called Unity Radio has gone one step further and raised 12,000 to apply to Ofcom for the FM Independent Radio Licence in Manchester (see p5). It plans to broadcast seven days a week, 16 hours a day and, as far as Ofcom is aware, this is the first application from a station run by young people for young people.