Other Sport / BCfm Radio
BCfm’s sports show wins national award
A Bristol radio show that shines a light on grass roots sports and minority groups has been recognised with a national award.
BCfm’s The Midweek Sportsbar programme won the title of ‘Best Community Radio Show of the Year’, becoming the first of its kind to ever receive the accolade.
Producer Neil Maggs is a regular contributor to Bristol24/7’s sports pages, where he covers the stories of sporting stars rarely seen in the mainstream press – from disability climbing groups, to the competitive achievements of older athletes.
is needed now More than ever
“We are over the moon,” said Maggs. “This is reward for four years of breaking new ground. When we started the show, there was little, if any, coverage of community sport in the media. It started as an idea to change that.
“The sport media world is traditionally a very white male and middle class world – and in many regards it still is. Our mission has been about shining a light on a world not seen, but also lobbying the mainstream to do more.
“We receive this on behalf of every community sport organisation in the city.”
BCfm presenter Anthony Barnett, Neil Maggs (right) and the head coach of Bristol Aztecs
The show focuses primarily on community sport and is presented by people who work and are involved in the field.
Mayor Marvin Rees added his congratulations, saying: “I know from personal experience, appearing on the show, that The Midweek Sportsbar is unique.
“Not only does it cover community sport stories in great depth, it uses the media as a vehicle for positive change. In telling the stories of minority sport and grass roots sports people, it does a jobs that mainstream sports shows have failed to do.
“All the presenters are diverse and reflect the communities they serve. The media is as subject to elitism as any other I sector which is why this is so important, because good journalism is not just what stories you tell, but the authenticity of those who define and tell them.
“In 2017 Bristol is European City of Sport and I can see of no better way to celebrate this than the honouring of a radio show that has been approaching sport in a unique, informative and highly entertaining way for some time – taking sport itself out of its bubble and making the connection with wider city life.
“Neil Maggs and the team fully deserve the title and Bristol should be proud of this accolade.”
BCfm presenter Ashley Jenkins
Alongside his radio and Bristol24/7 work, Maggs has played an integral role in promoting inclusive, community sports and set up Street Games in Bristol, with Nic Squire, to engage people from deprived areas through sport.
Many of the people they trained up went on to become paid professionals and now lead projects in the city today.
BCfm Radio CEO Pat Hart said: ‘‘BCfm were shortlisted in three categories which is an incredible achievement in itself, but The Midweek Sportsbar is special because it has opened up so much for local people in Bristol.
“It has also shown the way forward for our mainstream broadcasters who have used Neil Maggs and his work as a blueprint for their projects. This is recognition for the great work he, and the entire team, has built up”.
The win at the National Community Awards, on Saturday (September 23) also comes in the year that BCfm celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Maggs’ articles shed a light on sports that don’t get mainstream coverage. Photo features competitor Dorothy Fraser, taken by Alex Rotas
Main photo: Neil Maggs (right) and Alfred Reynold.
Read more: The career change that gave others a sporting chance
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
