This month we welcome Mari*, a driving force behind much beloved online radio station Worldwide FM. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Hi Mari, people might know you for being one of the driving forces behind Worldwide FM. Can you tell a bit about what you do there and how you ended up with that position?

M: I am “Head of programming and A&R” at Worldwide FM. I oversea programming, produce special guest shows and develop relationships with artists and labels. I’ve been working in radio for about 20 years. Starting with college radio in Boston, and subsequently I worked in New York and then Tokyo and now I’m based in London. So, I’ve always worked as a radio producer! From 2005, I produced Gilles Peterson’s daily show for 7-8 years on J-WAVE, one of the biggest FM radio stations in Japan. I also produced music events for the radio show and brought him over to Japan a couple of times, and this is how I started working with Gilles. 

MFM: How's the online radio scene in Japan actually?

M: Unfortunately, Japan is super behind with anything got to do with playing music online due to the strict and old school music copyright laws. Even Japanese radio stations are not broadcast outside of Japan. People still love tuning into AM/FM radio which could be a good thing, but it’s hard for music to be heard outside of Japan if the copyright law is too strict. Japan is probably one of the most complicated places to start an online music platform which people can tune into for free.

MFM: It seems that the pandemic brought many new online broadcasting stations, likely due to a lack of a stage for artists. How do you feel about this development?

M: It’s great that people realised there is so much potential in online radio stations during the pandemic. Hopefully, listening to radio will stay part of people’s life. Now the norm is back, people are getting busier and artists are back in the studio and touring. It is impossible to run a station in the same way as it was during the pandemic, so stations need to keep up and make relevant adjustments in their programming to fit into this changing world. Continuation is key to success, and also “sustainability” is another essential element to be considered, especially for independent online radio stations.

MFM: How important do you believe online radio is in the current field of music? What do you believe should be its main purpose?

M: With online radio there are so many possibilities and more freedom of expression, whereas traditional radio has to deal with regulations and politics. Online radio can build a strong sense of community as most of them were started out of sheer love to support music and culture. The interesting thing is that online radio can build a community that is Worldwide! Also, online radio could be a good start for young DJs and a place to develop young and up and coming artists as the presenting skills you need are much less on online radio than the traditional radio. There isn’t any format how online radio should be or sound like so there are more possibilities to create something new. I hope to continue searching and developing the unique and engaging platform where people feel welcome and part of by tuning in from any part of the world.

MFM: As a host yourself, what do you seek for in a show? 

M: I like to insert unique content in my radio show which is not just about presenting new music. I like to have some humour and personality in my show, and make people feel great with my music tastes. I don’t have much to say about other people’s show but being original is very important, people follow personality, great content and like to enjoy a show.

MFM: Any future plans at Worldwide FM you'd like to share? A scoop maybe?

M: We are building a new studio which will allow us to do more including live sessions! I cannot wait!

MFM Mix 042: Mari*

Taken from 'The Zenmenn and John Moods - Hidden Gem' (MFM060)
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© 2022 Music From Memory

Hidden Gem

Everytime

B3. Everytime (8:03)

Ordinary Time

B2. Ordinary Time (5:45)

Fantasy Again

B1. Fantasy Again (6:52)

The Invisible Landscape

A3. The Invisible Landscape (10:09)

Into The Heart Of The Matter

A2. Into The Heart Of The Matter (6:06)

Out Of My Mind

A1. Out Of My Mind (6:31)

GBR043 - A2 - The Person (Snippet)

Veteran NTS host Hampus brings you Doing Time: a genre-agnostic monthly trip through quality records from around the world’s past and present, featuring regular appearances from musical friends and family.

https://www.nts.live/shows/doing-time/episodes/doing-time-11th-december-2022

Doing Time w/ DAVID MCFARLINE 111222

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http://www.propermag.com/site/mix-stratus-songs-for-susumu-2015-07

Stratus : Songs For Susumu

Odd Waves

NO DEMOS, thanks...

Webshop: https://www.musicfrommemory.com

Amsterdam based record label releasing visionary electronic music from both past and present.

Sublabel: @secondcircle

B3. Everytime (8:03)

Music From Memory

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