Worldwide FM to switch to ‘much more minimal service’
The online radio station Worldwide FM will streamline its service from next month, it has announced.
From October 28, the platform will offer “a much more minimal service,” according to a statement shared on its social media pages. Financial considerations appear to be behind the decision to scale back the station’s activity, although the website and Mixcloud archive will remain available.
In a message to listeners, Worldwide said: “We are having to make certain changes at Worldwide FM, re-organising and re-evaluating the next phase and financing for the station. This means we will be pausing new broadcasts and shows, operating a much more minimal service from the end of October.” You can read the full statement below.
Big love from the Worldwide FM crew 💜 pic.twitter.com/1T1N1zbvUs
— Worldwide FM (@worldwidefm) September 12, 2022
The station, which is based out of the BoAt Pod studio in Little Venice, London, was founded in 2016 by Brownswood Recordings boss and BBC Radio 6 Music mainstay Gilles Peterson, who addressed the move on his own Twitter account. “With regret I’m having to pause Worldwide FM from the end of October,” he said.
“WWFM was actually born out of the show I made for Grand Theft Auto in 2013,” he continued. “And grew to be a real life music and culture platform helping develop a new generation of broadcasters, as well as acting as a first base in the development of many new artists.”
With regret I’m having to pause @worldwidefm from the end of October. I’m so proud of what has been achieved in the last 6 years. If you’ve followed my career in radio you’ll know I started putting aerials up on Pirates aged 16, playing my first track on Radio Invicta 92.4 at 17 pic.twitter.com/fVz6DNG9Vr
— Gilles Peterson (@gillespeterson) September 12, 2022
Peterson went on to suggest that the station’s fate is not sealed, saying that he is placing new shows on hold while he searches “for a solution to revive it.” He confirmed that he will continue to host his own shows during the hiatus. He also thanked Worldwide’s global fanbase, as well as its artists and presenters; the platform boasted over 100 residents at the time of today’s (September 12) announcement.
The news comes soon after the Bristol-based station SWU.FM pulled the plug on its own broadcasts earlier this month. Founded in 2020 and initially a pandemic success story, SWU cited “recent rising costs and massive energy bills” as the reasons behind its closure. Worldwide will continue to broadcast as normal until October 28, with Peterson promising “a big event before the end of the year.”
