So, for this brand new blog series - lets start with one half of our Directors - drumroll please ... 

Introducing .... Daniel!

Hi, I’m Daniel — Co-founder and Director at Devote Radio, working alongside Mr Reece to keep things running (mostly) smoothly! I’ve been involved in radio since my teenage years, so you could say it’s been a bit of a lifelong obsession. These days, I look after all things commercial and technical, while also keeping an eye on our Content, News, and Marketing teams — basically spinning a lot of plates and hoping none of them smash.

I haven’t been behind the mic in a while… but never say never — stranger things have definitely happened!

How did your journey into radio begin — and what made you stick with it?

Radio has always been something I’ve been interested in, even from a really young age. After leaving school, I went on to study Media and Broadcasting at college, which gave me a proper taste for how it all works behind the scenes as well as on-air. I also spent some time volunteering at a local hospital radio station, before getting more and more involved in internet radio.

During COVID, me and Reece launched Devote Radio for the first time — it was the perfect time for it, with everyone stuck at home and listening figures booming. But as things started to return to normal, radio naturally dipped a bit, so we decided to put things on hold while we focused on a few other ventures.

Now we’re back — and bigger than ever. We’re live on DAB in Walsall, streaming worldwide, and available on mobile apps and smart speakers… so it’s safe to say the journey’s stepped up a level!

What does a typical day look like for you at Devote Radio? (If such a thing exists!)

Honestly… no two days are ever the same (which is probably a good thing!).

A lot of my time is spent in meetings with the brilliant people that make up Devote Radio, as well as being on WhatsApp pretty much constantly — helping presenters with their shows, answering questions, and just generally getting to know everyone. We’ve got such a great bunch of people involved, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Alongside Reece and Phil, I also make sure all the “boring but important” stuff gets done — things like accounts, reports, and all the behind-the-scenes bits that keep everything ticking over. But it’s not all spreadsheets… I also get stuck into the fun side too, like planning social media, coming up with new ideas, and working with Daisy and her team to create fresh content.

So yeah — a bit of everything, all rolled into one!

What’s been your proudest moment since co-founding Devote Radio?

There are honestly so many moments to choose from, but one of the biggest highlights has to be meeting all the incredible volunteers who devote their time to Devote Radio (had to get that one in!).

The team really is what makes everything worthwhile — such a passionate, supportive group of people who all bring something different to the station.

Another huge milestone for me has been getting Devote Radio onto small-scale DAB in Walsall. It’s something we’ve worked towards for a long time, so seeing it become a reality is a massive achievement. I’m really excited to officially launch everything with Reece and the team from 1st May — it feels like the start of something really special.

If you did jump back on-air tomorrow, what kind of show would you host?

I’d probably go for a weekday evening show — there’s just something about that time of day where everything feels a bit more relaxed and you’ve got the freedom to have a proper chat.

For me, it’s all about interaction. I love connecting with listeners, so I’d want it to be really open — people messaging in, getting involved, having a laugh, and just being part of the show while I play the greatest hits.

That’s what radio’s all about really — not just talking at people, but actually talking with them.

Tell us about the “Dantionary” — what is it, and what are some of your favourite Daniel-isms we should know?

Well… everyone at Devote already knows about the Dantionary! It’s basically the official “Book of Dan” — a growing collection of words that I’ve somehow made a thing.

We’ve got classics like Danmazing, Dantastic, and Dancredible… and yes, I’ve been known to call myself a bit of a Dansta (you know… like gangsta… but better).

There are honestly loads of them at this point — it’s slightly out of control. Daisy keeps telling me I should write a full blog post dedicated to the Dantionary, so who knows… that might make an appearance one day!

Well - there's everything about me! You never know you may see me crop up on air in the near future and we've got plenty of more great features coming to Devote Radio over the next few months - so be sure to get involved! ;-) 

Daniel xox