Ben has been involved in Radio since 1991, but his earliest memory of recording audio was chatting with his grandad on a mic plugged into a cassette player.
As a long time hospital radio presenter, he served as elected committee member, Studio Manager and music librarian, but he is most proud of the hours spent around the wards, meeting the patients and cheering them up, on and off air.
A BTEC radio course at Lambeth College led him to win a national award for a radio commercial he produced and led to paid work producing radio adverts for the college two years running on London’s Kiss and Choice FM.
Post production and audio editing is his main love, however Ben can lend himself to anything, has been a reporter and News Editor on three RSLs. He says:
“knowing your audience is something I learned the hard way. At one RSL I used my cheesy hospital radio bed music and got called into the office to be told in no uncertain terms this did not go down well on a youth station. They gave me some beats to use instead, mortified yes, but I was really grateful to them taking an interest in what I was doing and allowing me to improve.”
Engineering for Resonance FM was a step out of his comfort area, but he loved problem solving for the creative programme makers, most memorably microphoning up broom handles and logistically enabling a sound art production of sweeping the yard outside the studio!
Ben said:
“Everyone was so creative, you never knew what you would be asked, you had to think on your feet to get it all ready in time for broadcast.”
Since moving up north permanently, Ben joined Wythenshawe FM in 2016 where he presented community focussed programme “The Forum with Ben”, covering issues from homelessness to visual disability and interviewing people from a Syrian refugee to Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
Most recently Ben has presented The News Hive and produced daily local news bulletins.
Ben is excited to be a co-producer at Mint Sounds and is looking forward to working with and supporting others. “It is refreshing to be involved in a project which understands the benefit of collaboration, realising we don’t have to do everything ourselves, but can utilise each others skills and expertise.”
He loves listening to radio and his favourite presenters past and present include:-
Emma B – how every daytime presenter should be. Always talking to you the listener and having something to say.
Trevor Blackman – passionate community champion on Maritime community Radio
Ian Chambers – a stardust quality seldom found in community radio
Alan Freeman – radio God, the absolute best. Feel good radio.
Janice Long – infectious cheerfulness, perfect for Breakfast.
Eddie Mair – sprinkling dry humour among the serious news. King of interviews.
John Peel – dry humour music champion, down to earth.
Sana Qadar – on ABC All in the Mind, she makes the subjects accessible
Mark Radcliffe – champion of comedy, poetry, drama in a music show. Best accompanied with Lard
Laurie Taylor – empathetic and a social champion on Thinking Allowed.
Listen to his tribute to o Whipps Cross Hospital Radio and appreciation of hospital radio below.
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