We are particularly looking for people living and working in Dublin 17 to get involved.

Are you interested in presenting on the airways? Have you ever listened to the radio and thought: ‘Why does no-one talk about….?, How come nobody sounds like me? Why are there not more women on air?’ Why does no-one ever play… Maybe I could do that’ Then this is the place for you! Learn the skills to become a broadcaster on Near FM and host your own radio programme. No experience necessary.

To register email training@near.ie

Near FM are running their next interactive media skills training for women who want to learn skills in broadcasting. This course is limited to 12 places and will run over 7 weeks, 2.5 hours per week from 10.00-12.30pm starting on Tuesday 24th October, finishing on December 5th 2023.

Get a chance to learn how to produce your own radio programme in a safe and supportive environment. In this training we will look at different strands of media; media literacy; media law and regulations; interviewing and research skills; editing; radio studios;  production features; structuring a running order and producing a radio programme. 

Plus: 2 hours shadowing of a radio presenter in Near FM’s studio during a talk or music programme. Follow up discussion on your ideas development. Mentoring for the first programme from the studios at Near FM. 

Living in Dublin 17, Dublin 13 or Dublin 5? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch today – To register email training@near.ie

The cost is €160.00* for this 7 week training course. *We never want cost to be a barrier to people joining our training. Concessionary prices are available, please get in touch with Mercedes at mercedes.nearmedia@gmail.com

Becoming a volunteer presenter and member of Near Media Co-op

After the training course, we encourage everyone to stay involved and to apply for your own programme to present on Near FM. All modules need to be completed. Who knows, maybe you will meet someone on the training with similar interests and you form a production team to develop a programme together!

What trainees with Near Media Co-op say about us:

‘It was by far the best experience I had in a long time. I would recommend the course, great trainers and guest speakers. All the topics were very relevant. I really liked the balance between practice and theory, commitment of staff and that we were a great group of people [in the training]. It was an inspiring and revealing experience.’

– Participant, course in radio skills for Irish and Non Irish participants aged 55+, March 2019 

I want to thank the NearCast team for promoting, supporting and challenging volunteers to produce podcasts on a variety of topics. I found the experience of working with NearCast to be exciting, inspiring, challenging and rewarding. They facilitated me as the producer to dissect a complex topic into digestible chunks of knowledge. This helps the listener to engage in the subject.

-Mary Oyediran – Racism is Real in Ireland Podcast and International Writers Network Broadcaster

Near Media Co-op

Near Media Co-op was established over 30 years ago. We offer a unique community development approach to media training, production, broadcast and dissemination. Best known for our award winning radio station Near FM, we also are a television production house (Near TV), a podcast platform (NearCast), a media training facility and work as media consultants for the not for profit and community voluntary sector.

Near Media Co-op is a social enterprise that gives voice to people that are underrepresented in media. By signing up to our workshops and services you will support the work we do to- empower people, give voice and contribute to a more equal media landscape and a more equal society.

This training will be delivered by experienced staff and voluntary presenters from Near FM. 

Near FM is a not-for-profit, democratic, community radio station based on the northside of Dublin, broadcasting 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. We operate an open access policy and run a minimum of two community radio introduction courses a year for new volunteers. The station encourages groups to use community media as a tool in their development work and aims to cover the issues, events and stories important in the local area. Programming involves radio drama, multilingual programmes, assisting unsigned musicians, intercultural programming, educational programming, outside broadcasts, documentaries to name a few.