Former Rutland Radio presenter Rob Persani looks ahead to challenge of creating new community station for county

A long-standing radio presenter is looking forward to the challenge of creating a new station following the rebranding of Rutland Radio.

Rob Persani was a figurehead of the station for 21 years before Bauer Media axed its local presenters and switched to national content last week.

Luckily for Rob, Rutland County Council was already hatching a plan to save local radio and knew there was only one man for the job .

Rob has been appointed project manager for a feasibility study which will look at ways to set up a new community station for Rutland and Stamford.

He said: "To have the chance to shape something new is incredible.

“It’s already evident that there’s lots of support for a radio station that focuses solely on the local community. I’m excited to get underway with this project and find out what is possible.”

Rob grew up in Staffordshire and only moved to Rutland three months before Rutland Radio launched on December 13, 1998.

He had worked on similar stations during his time at college and knew he wanted to become part of a small community operation.

He said: "I wanted to present on a show that matter and where you know the audience. We had the community on our side right from the start."

As a young presenter, Rob admits he hadn't intended to stay longer than a year or two, but the ever-changing nature of radio is what kept him in the job for so long, as well as a love of his new home.

Advances in technology have changed the way things work, with the team going from one dial-up computer and a fax machine between them to presenters being able to broadcast from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The advent of social media also made a huge difference to audience expectations, with people wanting instant access to news and information.

But Rob believes radio still has a place in a social media world, saying: "You have to give people something that they can't get anywhere else."

Rob likens himself to a character from the 1990s American television show Northern Exposure. Chris Stevens was a DJ who broadcast on the events of his small town from a garden shed, not unlike the first home of Rutland Radio in Melton Road, Oakham.

And when it comes to local events, Rob is certainly no stranger.

Whether it's commentating on the Stamford Festival parade or reporting from Burghley Horse Trials and the Rutland Show, Rob could always be spotted in the crowd wearing his trademark purple t-shirt.

His dedication to reporting on local events often took him way beyond his contracted hours.

Rob said: "I'm just really bad at saying no, but I also have a habit of thinking I can fit everything in. It's always worth going to something though because you will always get something out of it to talk about."

Aside from a 21-year career, Rutland Radio also introduced Rob to his wife Rachel.

She appeared on air as an unofficial royal correspondent for a few slots and went on to marry Rob. They now have three-year-old daughter Florence who regularly appeared on air with her dad.

Rachel and Florence have become as well-known locally as Rob himself and have had to adjust to his busy way of life.

Rob said: "They've had to get used to my other family - the listeners."

But Rutland Radio has given Rob many opportunities. He has met celebrities including David Attenborough, Bill Oddie and Agnetha from Abba, but one of his best moments was journalist John Craven reading the news on air during a visit to film Countryfile.

A sure sign of his professionalism, Rob can't remember too many times when things went wrong but he did have to fill 11 and a half minutes with constant talking while waiting for Princess Anne to emerge from a visit to Jules youth centre in Oakham.

There have been many times over the years when listeners have appreciated Rutland Radio's informative broadcasts, including school closures during the snow, but none more so than during the coronavirus pandemic.

Rob said: "Broadcasting during Covid made us realise what we're doing really matters. There were people at home on their own, but listening to the radio made them feel like someone was there."

In a devastating twist, it was during the coronavirus lockdown that staff were first told about Bauer Media's plans to rebrand the station .

Despite so many listeners relying on the station for local news, the station's owners wanted to make the switch to national content.

Rob and his fellow presenters continued to offer the same level of service, right up to the final days when they had to broadcast countdowns to the big changeover on September 1, knowing that was the day they would lose their jobs.

Rachel said: "He remained so professional throughout all of it."

Rob added: "It felt like a bereavement."

Despite legions of fans switching off the new station in protest on September 1, the Persani car radio is still tuned in to Greatest Hits Radio and Rob insists he wishes the company success with the rebranding.

But now his focus is exploring the creation of a new station for the county.

He has also launched the Persani Podcast to keep in touch with what's going on. It was been warmly welcomed by fans of "Mr Rutland".

Rob said: "Being referred to as Mr Rutland is really overwhelming. I do go the extra mile but I do it because I think it matters.

"When people say I have got them through the good times and the bad times, I just think crikey, I didn't realise we were doing that."

Work on the new radio project will start next week and there is plenty to do.

The new radio station would need to have a strong community input but also a commercial aspect to remain sustainable.

Rutland County Council leader, Oliver Hemsley, said: “A great many people feel very strongly about the important role that local radio can have in representing communities and keeping them informed.

“I’ve received lots of enquiries from people expressing an interest and wanting to help since we announced we would be looking at the viability of a community-focused station for Rutland.

“To help with this project, we are fortunate to be able to draw on Rob’s extensive experience – not just of the radio industry but also Rutland as a county.”