Station News & Blog

Take Control Chart February

Our first chart show charting this year's TCR tunes was broadcast on 5th February.

Aaron Beadle presented The Take Control Chart couting down the top 40 songs based on TCR fm airplay between 1st January and 4th February 2012. See the full chart online.

The show revealed that 49% of TCR fm's music output is unqiue which means you'll hear more music and far less repetition when compared to other stations.

The show launched on New Year's Day with a unique chart counting down the most played songs since the station's launch to that day. This "all time" chart remains on the website to view here.

The monthly show returns in March and will take into account TCR fm airplay and listener's votes which can be cast by clicking on thumbs up or down icon on the chart page.

TCR fm iPhone® App Now Available

TCR fm on UK Radio Player

We have a brand new player for all online listeners. The new UK Radio Player is used across radio stations to give fast easy access to all the radio you need.

Straight from the TCR fm player you can listen online, view the webcam and send messages directly to the studio. Add TCR fm to your favourites now!

Get more with UK Radio Player Apps, you could get:
- A desktop shortcut to the player
- Add-in for Chrome web browser
- Add-in for facebook 

For all your options check our How to Listen page.

Christmas Lights Switch On

TCR fm were broadcasting live from the Tamworth Christmas Lights Event on Saturday 19th November in St Editha's Square.

Thanks to Tamworth Borough Council for making us welcome, Glen Chevannes for hosting the event, the Assembly Rooms technical team and all the groups involved with the event.

Don't forget the Christmas Tree Competition currently running in the church.

Listen to some of the event highlights (4:30) below.

TCR fm is 2 years old

Tamworth’s community radio station celebrated its second birthday this week with a glamorous awards ceremony. 106.8 TCR fm launched on 31st October 2009 and now boasts 30 presenters as well as live, local programming every day. The station marked the achievement last Sunday at the studios in Tamworth Youth Centre with an evening of awards for presenters and contributors, mixed with some entertainment.

Station director Daniel Hoult said: “This event brought the radio station together in a great way, and it was a fantastic evening for all involved. I am so pleased with how TCR Fm has evolved over the last two years as we have continued to grow, gain new members and raise the profile of the station.”

Amongst the awards handed out were ‘Most Improved Presenter’ and ‘Funniest Duo’. Daniel also received a Special Recognition Award for his services to the station. The presenters themselves provided the entertainment, ranging from music and magic, to songs performed in sign language. The feature was a short video presentation, filmed by all the different presenters in the style of a "video blog".

Alex Farrell is a presenter on the station, and commented: “The evening was very well organised, and all the presenters enjoyed themselves. The highlight of the evening was the video, which was a funny behind-the-scenes view of everyone at TCR, and the evening also gave us the chance to get to know one another, as it is very rare we are all in the same room at one time.”

Total Choice Radio is community radio for Tamworth, and gives the opportunity for people of all ages to train up as a radio presenter and have their own input into the station. Whether you are a complete beginner or a radio expert, if you have ever listened to the radio and wondered what it would be like to be on the other side of the microphone, TCR fm gives people the chance. Their dedicated team will train you up and can help you be a radio presenter in no time at all.

Daniel added: “Community radio is not only a fun thing to do, but it also brings people together. Be it the presenters on the station, or the local people that listen and get involved with the shows every day. It also gives local businesses the opportunity to advertise effectively in a way they would never be able to do with bigger, more expensive radio stations.”

Community Force Support

TCR fm has applied to the Natwest Community Force project for an award of £6,000. We need your support to be in with a chance of receiving a grant.

Click here to register your vote for TCR fm. The top 3 projects in each region will receive a grant of £6,000. This would ensure TCR fm can continue to offer our unique radio service run by young people, for young people, we continue to run our free training course and get involved in as many community events as we can.

The following is a list of other Tamworth based organisations that you may want to review and support. Each person may cast up to 3 votes for different projects and there are lots of community focused good causes.

Amington Brass Band: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1086
Belgrave Residents Association, Tamworth Community BMX Track: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/258
Bubblegums Animal Centre: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1455
CHOICES Counselling: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/4866
Community Cafe:  http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/3307
Fazeley Pre-School: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1521
Mercian Ability Partnership: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/2746
Mileoak Sea Scouts:  http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1082
Tame Community First Responders: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/851
Tamworth Amateur Boxing Club: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/3730
Tamworth Sea Cadets: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/3443
TCR fm Community Radio:  http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5777
The Manna House/Primetime: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5171
The Staffordshire Regiment Museum: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1210
Town Wall Conservation Group: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/2507
Wilnecote Congregational Church:  http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/631

The Community Force site is also a good resource for finding volunteer opportunities and seeing what else is on offer in the area. Voting closes on 22nd October 2011so register your support today.

Tamworth Carnival & Parade 2011

On Sunday 28th August, as part of the 3 day Saxon Festival and celebrations of the Staffordshire Hoard coming to Tamworth Castle, Tamworth held the annual summer carnival and parade.

106.8 TCR fm were in the parade and broadcasting all day live from 12 - 5pm. We spoke to lots of groups who took part and gave away all our freebies (it was unsurprisingly easy to give away free sweets!)

See the photos of the  day on our flickr set here.

Saxon Festival & Parade

Saxons are coming to Tamworth this bank holiday weekend with a 3 day event.

Starting Saturday 27th with activities including a weapons display and battles on Saturday and Monday, then the carnival parade and festival on Sunday.

TCR fm will be broadcasting live from the Castle Grounds 12 - 5pm on Sunday.

More on the festival here

Digital TV Switchover Help

TCR fm will be helping you with the Digital TV switchover which is coming to the Central region this September. Everyone needs to switch to keep watching TV.

Listen again to Erica Dancer's interview with Andrew Edwards from the Help Scheme. Find out about the switchover dates and what action you need to take and how you can help others.

Wild Time Live Event

TCR FM presents WILD TIME LIVE EVENT: "A critical look on animal testing" which was held at Tamworth Youth Centre on June 25th 2011

The event included the screening of a DVD produced by the Safer Medicines campaign and a talk by animal rights activist Jon White who will talk about the issue of animal testing from an ethical point of view. Photos are online here.

Supporter of TCR fm