Tim Malone.id.au

Radio stations generally tend to entertain us, give us free stuff, and be our main source of pertinent information while on the road – namely traffic, weather and news. Our radio can also make us laugh, let us relax, or shock us.

But radio can also be a source of surprisingly deep friendship. Especially, a source of comfort in hard times when loneliness might otherwise prevail.

Take a look at this short and touching video uploaded recently by a listener to LightFM:

Renee found LightFM during one of the hardest times of her life – and it gave her hope to continue on.

Another listener, Rae, uploaded a video recently, in which she said after listening to LightFM after finding out about it on the Internet, she “was beginning to heal on the inside, and be motivated into a love of life with an overwhelming sense of happiness.” At the end of her video, she includes a photo collage of the LightFM on-air team – with the heading “My Awesome Cheer Squad”.

I’ve been involved in radio for just on three years now, and I still get touched by these stories that I get the privilege of hearing time and time again. Many of them have similar themes – but they are new every single time because they always involve another person who has found a new lease on life in a unique way.

As someone involved in making relational radio, it’s encouraging to hear these stories – and sharing these stories around mean that more and more people have the opportunity to hear about a source of hope – that they might otherwise never know existed.

Melbourne’s 89.9 LightFM is running the “My LightFM” promotion until 25th June, where listeners upload a 60 second video sharing what LightFM means to them. Find out more or view the videos uploaded so far.