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At 9am on Saturday 31st October, Mark Summers and Tim Morgan will launch Activ8 Radio in Colchester with a show called Test Transmission. They’ll be playing dance and rock, introducing fellow presenters and finding out how months of preparation sound on air.
For Mark, whose jobs have included working on the sound system, producing jingles and editing shows, it will also be a chance to hear the station become part of his adopted city.
“Being new to Colchester makes this deeply personal. I want to put down roots, build relationships and contribute something meaningful to the place I now call home,” he says. “That starts with listening to people, understanding what matters to them, and making room for them to help shape the station.”
Activ8 grew out of plans for community podcasts. Conversations between Tim, Howard Gibson and Owen Louis, later joined by Mark, developed into the idea of a station where local people could broadcast their own programmes. The volunteer-led venture will combine specialist music with podcasts, interviews and live performances.
The four founders have divided the work according to their strengths. Tim deals with licences, registrations, accounts, and subscriptions. Howard arranges meetings and gets people involved, while Owen produces social media posts and reels. Mark handles sound engineering, jingles, station IDs, and editing.
His descriptions of the others suggest they have managed to enjoy some of it. Tim is “the admin king”, Howard is “the arranger” – which Mark jokes sounds like a hit man – and Owen is “the media mogul”, bringing “the biggest bass lines” into the studio.
There is plenty to organise before anyone switches on a microphone. Asked what he hopes will come from it, however, Mark talks about the people who might otherwise never get the opportunity.
“More than anything, I want Activ8 Radio to bring a sense of possibility to Colchester. I want people to feel their voice matters, their creativity has value, and there is somewhere they can take that first step toward something they’ve always wanted to do.
“That could be a local artist hearing their music on the radio for the first time, a young person finding the confidence to speak into a microphone, or a community project reaching the people who need to hear about it. Those moments can seem small from the outside. For the person experiencing them, they can change how they see themselves and their future.”
His own experience in DJing and production has made him conscious of what an early opportunity can mean.
“Having spent so much of my life working in music, in DJing and production, I know how much talent depends on somebody opening a door,” he says. “There are people with extraordinary ideas and abilities who simply need encouragement, access to equipment, or someone willing to give them that first chance. I want Activ8 to help create those chances.”
The first broadcast
Saturday’s launch will introduce listeners to the people making the programmes. Presenters will join Mark and Tim for chats and selections, with some taking over for half-hour shows during the day.
Mark also expects visitors from local charities, support groups, businesses and community organisations, alongside creatives and musicians performing original songs. The opening day will be a mixture of the station launch and the team’s Halloween celebrations, before regular programmes begin on Sunday 1 November.
“It should be a great mixture of Colchester’s general population, all on day one,” he says.
Dave Malone takes over at 5pm with the debut of 4 REAL, playing soul, jazz and house grooves. At 7pm, Mark returns for Summers Magic Disco Show, drawing on nu-disco and house, 80s and 90s piano and rave tracks, and classic 70s disco. Linda Plays the Blues follows from 9pm until 11pm, with overnight mix sessions running through to 6am.
“I’d encourage people to tune in on 31st October and give us the chance to surprise them,” Mark says. “You might discover your next favourite track, hear a local creative whose work deserves your attention, or find a presenter who feels like someone you’d happily spend an hour in their company.
“I want people to hear the passion going into Activ8 from our incredible line-up of DJs and presenters, to feel excited about what we can build together in Colchester.”
The launch gives everyone a date to work towards. Keeping people listening will depend on what follows, and Mark hopes the station’s presenters will become familiar company.
“What I hope brings them back is that feeling of connection. The music matters enormously, but so does the person listening. Radio can keep you company when you’re on your own, it can lift your spirits after a difficult day, and it can introduce you to people and ideas that you might otherwise never encounter.”
He wants listeners to have a reason to make time for a programme, whether that means hearing a particular DJ’s selections or following a conversation with someone from the city.
“I want listeners to find shows they look forward to, voices they grow fond of, and opportunities to get involved with the station themselves,” he says. “If someone finishes listening feeling happier, inspired, or a little more connected to the city around them, then I’d love them to come back and make us part of their daily or weekly routines.”
A place on the programme
There is still room for people to contribute. Anyone interested can contact the team through the Activ8 website or social media and share their ideas.
“Perhaps they’ve always wanted to present a music show, have an idea for a podcast, or would love to help behind the scenes? I’d encourage them to start that conversation with us soon after we’ve launched, to get the first opportunity in our schedule and to join our fantastic team.”
Mark wants people to feel comfortable making that first approach.
“Someone reading this could have the idea for a programme that becomes another listener’s favourite part of the week. I’d love to hear from them.”
For all the attention on Saturday’s opening broadcast, his answer about what he wants Activ8 to achieve reaches much further into the station’s future.
“I want people to feel proud of what we can create together here. If, years from now, someone says ‘Activ8 was where somebody first believed in me, where I got my first ever opportunity…’ then that would mean everything to me. That is the kind of difference I want us to make.”
Activ8 Radio launches at 9am on Saturday 31 October. Listen at activ8radio.com, through TuneIn, or by asking Alexa to “Play Activ8 Radio”.
