Jesús Sarmiento: "We want to be a public service for people who want to do radio, by providing the structure."

Radio Morell (98.3 FM) is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, doing so with vitality, adapting to changing times and attracting new collaborators. Journalist Jesús Sarmiento (Tarragona, 1992) has been leading the project for six years. A graduate in Communication from the UOC, he joined the Morellan radio station from Radio Ciutat de Tarragona.

How did you join Radio Morell?

— In 2019, I was tasked with coordinating the radio station's day-to-day news. We joined the Local Communication Network because it helps fill in the gaps in programming. We're a small radio station, and we can't cover everything. The idea is to create collaborative program slots, produce a daily newscast, and use the website extensively, as the new website allows us to upload live programs and streaming services. We also created a weekly program that talks about the municipality and revived the old idea of an associative Ràdio Morell, linked to the municipality's assets, and providing a space for them.

And how is it going?

— We're trying to grow and get people to think, "I like radio, I'll do a weekly, biweekly, or monthly program for free." The pandemic put a stop to everything for us, because 2021 feels like we're starting over. In these four years, people know that Ràdio Morell has begun a new era and want to be there for many years to come, providing information and with greater engagement with society. We're going out more, and more people are interested in the project.

How many collaborators do you have?

— Half a dozen. There's a bit of everything. We have people who do their DJ sets, there are cultural programs, like a historian and a restaurateur who talk about their fields, a girl who links her show to mental health, a guy who talks about the world of tattoos. We want to be a public service for people who want to do radio, providing their own structure. The radio station is open, and any resident can bring any idea they have to life.

How is the relationship with the listeners?

— Now, people are increasingly associating you with the station. I'm not from the town, and at first it was harder to find me. We're a small station, and going out and doing live broadcasts and specials on the street is complicated, but this past year we were at TerraFira. The 40th anniversary celebration also gave us visibility. The relationship with the residents is very close. They know everything you say about the organizations; they're increasingly interested in the station; it's a way of promoting themselves. Many people tell me that if Ràdio Morell doesn't talk about the townspeople, no one will.

How have social media, on-demand radio, and streaming services boosted your business?

— We started in 2020 by hiring a streaming service that uploaded programs directly to the website, which was quite preliminary. Four years later, we launched our own website, radiomorell.cat, which has changed the entire look and is much more intuitive and allows you to consume and share news. We also have an on-demand service where each program is uploaded after its broadcast. We're strengthening social media, with constant communication with everyone who follows us.

What is your relationship with the City Council like, given that the mayor was the station's coordinator?

— It's good, and the mayor has been there for a long time and has been a communications councilor. He's very aware of this. There are difficult decisions and a lack of resources to modernize the station, but the station has been progressing in recent years and efforts are being made to improve it much further. The will to consolidate it is there. He says the station is that small treasure that four friends created in 1985 and that it still lasts and should last for many more years. And this is happening so that the station doesn't stop. The relationship is very good, and he has great confidence in the project.

What was the celebration of Ràdio Morell's 40th anniversary like?

— We did a special program, as well as a reception in the theater-auditorium. It was emotional because it brought together many people who were there at the time and have reunited after so many years at this celebration. It brought back many memories of what the radio station used to be in the attic of the Cultural Center, and they were able to see studios that, after years of doing radio, they hadn't seen before. Many have decided that in the future they want to return to radio to relive that urge to work with the microphone. The celebration has highlighted the value of the means of communication we have here and has given visibility to a radio station that has been dormant for so many years. Perhaps it was dormant, but it's there, and the people of Morell are eager to see it continue celebrating its birthdays.

What should be the role of local radio in this rapidly changing world of communication?

— This is the dilemma. At the 40th anniversary celebration, they brought journalists Esteve Giralt and Tere Ortega, and they talked about it. They don't know about it, and neither do I. One idea was very clear: the future lies in connecting young people to local radio, bringing it closer to them, and getting them involved so they can create content. Young people see themselves more on digital platforms, but we need to encourage them to come to radio and return to this analog aspect that we're forgetting. We hope to capture them there.

Do they do anything with educational centers?

— We run initiatives with the school and the institute, and they go through it every year. Some find it interesting, but it's much harder for them because there are so many incentives. They don't see it as a big incentive to come to a studio where they think almost no one listens to them, and social media has accentuated this. The challenge is connecting young people to a radio station they have and can use and make it their own. More than growing in content and audience, it's about consolidating what we have and expanding our portfolio of collaborators, so that people of all ages can come through.