South City Radio London's top community radio station Radio Peckham has a new look and name: South City Radio. The name change reflects the station’s growing listenership across the whole of South London.
South City Radio is a community project and all shows are presented by volunteers and reflect the diversity of the local area. It builds on the success of Radio Peckham, which ran for more than four years and gained a dedicated listenership in the local area.
South City Radio is run by Eclectic Productions , a not-for-profit organisation based in South East London. Eclectic has been producing successful community radio projects across the country for more than five years. It also provides consultancy, outreach services and accredited training courses in all aspects of radio and music production.
One of South City Radio's biggest community projects to date is their youth radio broadcast Reprezent 87.7FM, which has been on the air since August 2008. Run entirely by young people for young people, Reprezent 87.7FM is delivered by Eclectic Productions in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, Crimestoppers and Choice FM. The project enables youths to convey their anti-gun and knife crime 'Peace On The Streets' message directly to each other, and some 85 young people between the ages of 13 and 19 present and produce all the radio programs.
 Bashy, Booty Luv and Materstepz joined the youths in Peckham for the launch of Reprezent 87.7FM and were interviewed by the young people. They conveyed their support for the campaign, with Bashy commenting: "Reprezent is an exciting project and opportunity. It's great to be part of it, to see it happening and make a difference; working to keep people on the straight and narrow".
Booty Luv added: "Reprezent 87.7FM is a great project. It's giving kids something to do that they're actually interested in, while giving them experience at the same time. Reprezent is also giving kids the chance to meet people they might never have the chance to meet".
Reprezent 87.7FM is also supported by a host of other DJs, musicians and singers, including Choice FM's: Richard Blackwood, Kat and Lucy Ambache; and artists: NDubz, Tinie Tempah, Pete Doherty, Alan Wass, The Metro’s, Teezy, Dot Rotten, Ironik, Chipmunk, Stylo G, Tinie Tempah, Tinchy Stryder, and Kano.
Kano said of the project: "Reprezent 87.7FM gives youths a qualification and gives them something interesting to do, getting them off the streets. It’s a breath of fresh air; it's great that young people are running the show. We need more projects and youth clubs for young people".
The project is helping young people listen to each other and offer advice from a street level, campaigning to reduce street crime in Southwark and helping to relieve London postcode tensions.
MPs supporting the Reprezent 87.7FM campaign include Harriet Harman MP and deputy leader of the Labour Party, Hazel Blears MP and secretary of state for communities and local government, Tony McNulty MP, Simon Hughes MP, and Dawn Butler MP. "Reprezent 87.7 FM is exactly the sort of community-led project needed in order to help tackle issues associated with knife and gun crime," said Butler. "Community radio stations such as South City Radio and their Reprezent 87.7FM broadcast really empower the community and are an important part of the solution when tackling this issue."
Reprezent 87.7FM also broadcast live from The Mix Festival, in Burgess Park, South London, in August this year. The event saw up to 20,000 young people celebrating the 'Peace On The Streets' message. Stage acts included: Sway, Ironik, Teezy and Stylo G.
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