Reform Radio

What Reform Radio does

Reform Radio is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) registered in the United Kingdom and operating from Bonded Warehouse at 18 Lower Byrom Street, Manchester. The organization's primary activity is operating an online radio station that broadcasts music, arts, and culture content, distributed via website streaming, DAB digital radio, YouTube, TikTok, Soundcloud, and Mixcloud. Built on a professional broadcasting platform with award-winning recording studios and audio production facilities, the station functions as both a media outlet and the engagement layer for the organization's youth development mission.

The commercial core is a portfolio of free creative training programs (DJ Sessions, Music Course, Radio Course, Podcasting Course, Comedy Course, Positive Frequencies wellbeing program, Run the Show, Soundcamp, and Money Matters) targeting young people aged 16-25 in Greater Manchester, particularly those struggling to find employment. Reform Radio is primarily funded by grants from public bodies including MAES, Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Youth Music, Arts Council England, the European Social Fund, the Education and Skills Funding Agency, The Prince's Trust, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. All educational courses are free to participants, with travel and lunch also covered.

Secondary revenue comes from studio hire and end-to-end podcast production services for external clients, plus voluntary donations via the Ko-fi platform. The organization operates an in-house record label, Rhythm Lab Records, originally an Arts Council England-funded project, and is signed on multiple social platforms to support outreach. With 11-50 employees and no disclosed financials, Reform Radio functions as a community-led social enterprise whose go-to-market relies on referral partnerships with local councils, community organizations, and a resident DJ network of 300+ participants.

Name

Reform Radio

Legal name

Reform Radio

Website

https://reformradio.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Reform Radio is a Manchester-based not-for-profit Community Interest Company that operates an online radio station and delivers free creative skills training (DJing, music production, podcasting, comedy, wellbeing) to 16-25 year olds in Greater Manchester, funded primarily through public grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Sound Recording Studios (51224)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Digital Radio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+, HD Radio) (MPAIAEAD), Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Youth creative training
• Podcast production services
• Music education programs
• Studio hire services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Funding and Grants: Reform Radio operates as a registered Community Interest Company (CIC) primarily funded through grants and funding from public bodies including Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES), Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Youth Music, Arts Council England, European Social Fund, The Prince's Trust, and National Lottery Heritage Fund. All educational programs and courses are free to participants as they are funded through these grants.
2. Studio Hire: Reform Radio offers studio hire and podcast production services through their podcast-production page, generating revenue from external clients who wish to use their award-winning facilities.
3. Donations and Community Support: The organization accepts donations through Ko-fi platform and encourages community support for their not-for-profit activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Reform Radio operates an online radio station broadcasting music, arts, and culture from Bonded Warehouse in Manchester, available via website streaming and DAB digital radio. Alongside the broadcast, the organization delivers a portfolio of free creative training programmes for young people aged 16-25 covering DJ sessions, music production, radio presenting, podcasting, comedy, and wellbeing, funded primarily through public grants. It also generates earned income from paid studio hire and end-to-end podcast production services using its award-winning facilities.

Product overview

Reform Radio is a not-for-profit community interest company operating an online radio station from Bonded Warehouse, Manchester. The organization offers a portfolio of free creative training programmes (DJ sessions, music production, radio presenting, podcasting, comedy, and well-being courses) alongside podcast production and studio hire services. The core offering combines radio broadcasting with youth development, using creative engagement to help young people develop skills for employment in the creative industries. Funded primarily by MAES, Manchester City Council, Youth Music, and Arts Council England.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Radio Broadcasting Online radio station broadcasting music, arts, and culture from Bonded Warehouse in Manchester, available via website streaming and DAB digital radio to young people, residents, and a global online audience.
• Creative Courses and Workshops Portfolio of free creative training programmes for young people aged 16-25 covering DJ, music production, radio presenting, podcasting, comedy, and wellbeing, with travel and lunch provided. Funded by public grants and free to participants.
• Studio Hire Paid rental of Reform Radio's award-winning professional recording studios for external podcast production and audio recording needs, available on a pay-as-you-go basis.
• Podcast Production End-to-end podcast production service for external clients, delivered using Reform Radio's award-winning studios and team, recognized with Audio Production Awards and British Podcast Awards.
• Rhythm Lab Records Reform Radio's in-house record label focused on fostering collaboration and creative relationships between artists, originally funded by Arts Council England.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won Outstanding Project Award at Youth Music Awards 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• One Manchester and Gorton CentralminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2024Partnership with One Manchester and Gorton Central for delivering the Podcasting Course in Gorton area of Manchester.
• MHA (Manchester Health and Care Commissioning)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2024Partner in the Money Matters financial literacy program along with Manchester City Council, providing wrap-around support for participants.
• Do As You PleasecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2023Partnership with Do As You Please for delivering beginner DJ courses. Reform Radio collaborated with this organization to deliver the 2023 beginners DJ course teaching beatmatching and gig promotion skills.
• shesaid.sominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2023International partnership with South African community organiser shesaid.so for the Mutualism EP collaboration program connecting South African musicians with Manchester producers.
• Rhythm Lab RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2023Rhythm Lab Records is Reform Radio's in-house record label, originally an Arts Council England funded project exploring collaboration and fostering new creative relationships. The label was handed over to young people for six months as part of the Career Starter project.
• Curious MindsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2022Partner in the Hope Continues Project along with Hope Streets and National Heritage Lottery, which funded the Artist in Residence program.
• Hope StreetsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2022Partner in the Hope Continues Project along with Curious Minds and National Heritage Lottery, supporting the Artist in Residence program.
• Manchester Imagination LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 January 2022Partnership providing free books each month until children are 2 years old for families involved in the First 1000 Days storytelling program.
• Thirty Pound GentlemanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in the Soundcamp project, contributing mentors including Jenna G and Danny Fahey (Thirty Pound Gentleman) to the music bootcamp program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rinse FM: UK community and pirate-heritage online radio station combining music broadcasting with talent development and youth engagement. Comparable hybrid broadcast-plus-cultural-development model.
• Worldwide FM: London-based independent online radio station focused on global music, arts, and culture. Similar curatorial online-radio identity serving culturally engaged listeners.
• Balamii: London-based independent online radio station with a resident DJ community and strong cultural-music focus. Closely comparable community-driven online broadcasting approach.
• Soho Radio: London-based independent online and DAB radio station mixing music, talk, and culture with a community of resident DJs. Directly comparable independent local community broadcaster.
• NTS Radio: London-based independent online radio station with global streaming reach, a resident DJ community, and a strong cultural/music focus. Closely comparable online-community radio model targeting similar creative audiences.
• Sub FM: UK underground electronic music online radio station with roots in community broadcasting. Comparable grassroots online-radio identity targeting niche music communities.
• Resonance FM: London-based not-for-profit community radio station focused on arts, music, and culture with significant volunteer and resident-DJ involvement. Comparable arts-and-culture community broadcaster with similar non-commercial mission.

Broad incumbents

• Hits Radio Pride / Bauer Media Audio UK: Bauer Media operates UK-wide commercial radio stations including Hits Radio, which Reform Radio has produced content for (Tough Talks). Larger incumbent broadcasting group that interacts with Reform Radio as a partner rather than direct competitor.

Regional players

• Refuge Worldwide: Berlin-based community online radio station with a strong DJ residency model and cultural programming. Comparable community-radio and creative-development ethos, though operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Jamal Edwards' SBTV / youth media peers: UK youth-focused digital media platform historically combining broadcast content with talent development for young creatives. Comparable youth-development-through-media mission, though operating in online video rather than radio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUAaHScr68n15saZqHG7l2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/ReformRadio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reform-radio
• Instagraminstagram.com/reformradio
• TikToktiktok.com/@reformradio
• Xx.com/radio_reform

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reform Radio