''Worthy FM'' is the onsite radio station of The Glastonbury Festival. It broadcasts on 87.7 MHz FM and online for one week only during the Festival, operating under a

Restricted Service Licence A UK Restricted Service Licence (often called an RSL) is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event. Licences are granted by the broadcasting authority Ofcom ...

(RSL). The station features interviews and music from across the entire festival site, promoting the festival's good causes, as well as providing important information on traffic congestion, camping availability and any lineup changes. The station caters for members of the public as they arrive at, stay at and leave the festival site, as well as the many crew members on site, and those who listening at home who cannot attend the festival that year. The station is run by a team of 30 volunteers, many of whom have been working on the station for a number of years. In addition, the station reserves a number of crew places each year for new volunteers, who are chosen through a national competition judged by festival organiser

Emily Eavis Emily Rose Eavis (born 26 July 1979) is co-organiser of the annual Glastonbury Festival, and the youngest daughter of the festival's founder and organiser, Michael Eavis, and his second wife Jean. Personal life Eavis grew up on Worthy Farm, So ...

Programming

Worthy FM broadcasts from the Saturday before the festival opens to the following Monday when the festival closes. One of its main functions on-site is to provide news and information for people attending the festival. Throughout the week, the station broadcasts regular news bulletins, containing information on traffic around the site, space availability in the campsites, what to bring to the festival and anything else festival goers need to know to make the most of their time on site. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day, and features a range of different shows and presenters. The shows mix discussion and music with features recorded around the festival site. The station also actively encourages listener participation through

SMS Short Message Service, commonly abbreviated as SMS, is a text messaging service component of most telephone, Internet and mobile device systems. It uses standardized communication protocols that let mobile phones exchange short text messages, t ...

and

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

. The station's longest running show is Daddy Teacha's Reggae Show, which previously appeared on

Radio Avalon Radio Avalon was a pirate radio station set up at the Glastonbury Festival near Glastonbury, England, in 1983. It later became a legally recognised station. In 2007, Radio Avalon was replaced with Worthy FM. The beginning The idea of launching ...

before Worthy FM. Worthy FM always features the finalists of the Festival's Emerging Talent Competition, inviting them up to the studio for interviews and live performances.

History

Worthy FM was launched in 2007 to replace the festival's previous onsite station,

. The name Worthy FM was chosen by festival organiser

Michael Eavis Sir Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis (born 17 October 1935) is an English dairy farmer and the co-creator of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place at his farm in Pilton, Somerset. Personal life Eavis was born in Pilton, Somerset on 17 Oc ...

and is named after

Worthy Farm The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, England, in most su ...

, Eavis' farm and the home of the festival.

2007

Worthy FM started life in the same location as its predecessor,

, on the upper western edge of Big Ground field, near Worthy Farm. It featured a number of different presenters and shows, many focussing in on one particular aspect of the festival, such as its emerging talent competition and the Elemental tent. Many guests came to the station to perform on its outdoor stage, including Bible Code Sundays, Small White Light, The Beathovens and Bluebird Kid Clark, whilst interviews included

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta “Jr. Gong” Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican reggae musician. The second youngest child of Bob Marley, he is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Marley is the youngest son of leg ...

Paul Weller John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...

Seasick Steve Steven Gene Wold (né Leach; March 19, 1951),freight trains">freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains/nowiki> for 14 years off and on..", adding "I've been married to this one girl for 25 years, so I’m a litt ...

The Proclaimers The Proclaimers are a Scottish Rock music, rock duo formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid (born 5 March 1962). They came to attention with their 1987 single "Letter from America (song), Letter from America", which reached No. 3 ...

and Bob Wilson from

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by a group of Environmental movement, environmental activists. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its biod ...

2008

2008 saw Worthy FM return for its second year, again with an outdoor Wireless Stage open to members of the public. The stage featured performances from The Levellers,

The Bluetones The Bluetones are an English indie rock band, formed in Hounslow, Greater London, in 1993. The band's members are Mark Morriss on vocals, Adam Devlin on guitar, Mark's brother Scott Morriss on bass guitar, and Eds Chesters on drums. A fift ...

Martha Wainwright Martha Wainwright (born May 8, 1976) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. She has released seven critically-acclaimed studio albums. Wainwright is the daughter of musicians Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright III and the younger si ...

Ron Sexsmith Ronald Eldon Sexsmith (born January 8, 1964) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the songwriter of the year at the 2005 Juno Awards. He began releasing recordings of his own material in 1985 at age 21, and has ...

and Seth Lakeman, as well as interviews with Katy Melua,

Daddy Freddy S. Frederick Small (born 1965), better known as Daddy Freddy, is a Jamaican ragga vocalist. Early life Small was born in 1965, in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district.Huey, SteveDaddy Freddy Biography", Allmusic, ...

and

Gilbert O'Sullivan Raymond Edward "Gilbert" O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish singer-songwriter who achieved his most significant success during the early 1970s, with hits including " Alone Again (Naturally)", " Clair" and "Get Down". His songs are of ...

whilst pre-recorded features covered she-pees, solar showers and 'green' tent pegs.

2009

In 2009, the Worthy FM compound was moved to the top edge of Big Ground field, closer to Worthy Farm. This placed it behind a security cordon for the first time, meaning members of the public could no longer walk up to the station itself. The station's live performances returned to being fully acoustic, and featured appearances from guests such as

Stornoway Stornoway (; ) is the main town, and by far the largest, of the Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles), and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland. The town's population is around 6,953, making it the third-largest island town in Scotlan ...

The Travelling Band The Travelling Band are an English rock band, formed in 2006 and based in Manchester. The band members are Jo Dudderidge (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, hammond organ/piano, electric guitar), Adam P. Gorman (lead vocal, electric guitar, synth) an ...

and Atilla the Stockbroker. Interviewees that year included

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...

Florence and the Machine Florence and the Machine (stylised as Florence + the Machine) are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2007 by lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, drummer Christopher Lloyd Hayden and harp ...

Marcus Brigstocke Marcus Alexander Brigstocke (born 8 May 1973) is a British comedian and actor. He has worked in stand-up comedy, television, radio and musical theatre. He has appeared on many BBC television and radio shows. Early life Brigstocke is the son of N ...

Madness Madness or The Madness may refer to: Emotion and mental health * Anger, an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat * Insanity, a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns * ...

Horace Andy Horace Andy (born Horace Keith Hinds, 19 February 1951) is a Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as " Skylarking", as well as "Government Land", "Angel", "Spying Glass", and "Five Ma ...

Steel Pulse Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ro ...

Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...

and

Nick Clegg Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British retired politician and media executive who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2015 and as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007 to 2015. H ...

Dreadzone Dreadzone are a British electronic music group formed in 1993 in London by ex-Big Audio Dynamite drummer Greg Roberts and musician Tim Bran. They have released nine studio albums, two live albums, and two compilations. They gained a reputatio ...

claimed to have performed their first ever acoustic set live on the station that year.

2010

Emily Eavis drops into the Worthy FM studio for a chat

Glastonbury 2010 was the 40th anniversary of Glastonbury Festival, and much of the station's content reflected this, with shows covering various aspects of the Festival's history. The festival also linked up with

BBC Radio 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It primarily plays a wide range of alternative music, from established and emerging artists and bands. In 2002 it was the first national music radio station t ...

on-site, with Worthy FM crew co-presenting shows on 6 Music with the likes of

Lauren Laverne Lauren Cecilia Fisher (née Gofton; born 28 April 1978), known professionally as Lauren Laverne, is an English radio DJ, model, television presenter, author and singer. She was the lead singer and guitarist in the alternative rock band Kenicki ...

and

Steve Lamacq Stephen Paul Lamacq (born 16 October 1964), sometimes known by his nickname Lammo (given to him by John Peel), is an English disc jockey, currently working with BBC Radio 6 Music. Lamacq was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire ( ...

. Guests interviewed that year included

Damon Albarn Damon Albarn (, ; born 23 March 1968) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman, main vocalist, and lyricist of the rock band Blur (band), Blur and the co-creator and primary musical con ...

Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters are an American pop rock band formed in 2000. The band's current line-up consists of Jake Shears (vocals), Babydaddy (various instruments), Del Marquis (guitar, bass) and Randy Real (drums). Former members include vocalist A ...

Tinchy Stryder Kwasi Esono Danquah III ( ; born 14 September 1986), better known by his stage name Tinchy Stryder, is a British rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and investor. Stryder has released three solo studio albums, '' Star in the Hood'' (2007 ...

Toots Hibbert Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert, (8 December 1942 – 11 September 2020) was a Jamaican singer and songwriter who was the lead vocalist for the reggae and ska band Toots and the Maytals. A reggae pioneer, he performed for six decades and ...

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, author and political activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic th ...

Gentleman's Dub Club Gentleman's Dub Club are a British Dub music, dub band, originating from Leeds, Yorkshire. Biography Having built a reputation for delivering energetic live shows, the group has played for crowds from Goa to Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury, B ...

and

Tony Benn Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn (3 April 1925 – 14 March 2014), known between 1960 and 1963 as Viscount Stansgate, was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and political activist who served as a Cabinet of the United Kingdom, Cabine ...

2011

Guests and interviewees this year included

Fatboy Slim Norman Quentin Cook (born Quentin Leo Cook, 31 July 1963), also known as Fatboy Slim, is an English musician and DJ who helped popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. His music makes extensive use of Sampling (music), samples from eclectic ...

Big Boi Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), known professionally as Big Boi, is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in Atlanta, he was one half of the Southern hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper ...

Noah and the Whale Noah and the Whale were a British indie rock and folk band from Twickenham, formed in 2006 and dissolved in 2015. The band's last line-up consisted of Charlie Fink (Singing, vocals, guitar), Tom Hobden (violin/Keyboard instrument, keyboards), M ...

Will Young William Robert Young (born 20 January 1979) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He came to prominence after winning the 2002 inaugural series of the ITV talent contest '' Pop Idol'', making him the first winner of the worldwide '' Ido ...

Pixie Geldof Little Pixie Geldof (born 17 September 1990) is an English-born model and singer. She is the third daughter of Irish musician Bob Geldof and Paula Yates. Early life Geldof is the third daughter of Irish musician Bob Geldof and Paula Yates.

and

Guy Garvey Guy Edward John Patrick Garvey (born 6 March 1974) is an English musician, singer, songwriter and radio presenter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Elbow. He has a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music titled ''Guy Garvey's Fines ...

. The station also introduced a dedicated Kids' Show, focussing on the Kidzfield section of the site, and presented by two children under 10. The Kids Show also featured the station's first marriage proposal live on air, which happily resulted in an engagement. With the introduction of a one way system to access the south-east corner of the site at night, Worthy FM also carried regular updates on queuing times and alternative things to do for those not wishing to queue.

2012

There was no Glastonbury Festival in 2012, so Worthy FM took a year off. Taking advantage of this break, the station arranged a fact finding crew swap with

BMIR BMIR 94.5 FM broadcasting, FM (Burning Man Information Radio) is the unlicensed community radio station for Burning Man, an event held annually in Black Rock Desert, Nevada. BMIR begins broadcasting on 94.5 FM on the Black Rock Desert, pla ...

, the official onsite radio station of the

Burning Man Burning Man is a week-long large-scale desert event focused on "community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance" held annually in the Western United States. The event's name comes from its ceremony on the penultimate night of the event: the ...

Festival,

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

2013

Worthy FM commenced broadcasting for the 2013 festival on the morning of Monday 24 June. This year, the station has a second studio located in a public area in Arcadia, inspired by the 2012 Burning Man exchange visit. This enabled the public to walk straight into live broadcasts and appear on air themselves. Guests and interviews this year included

Mumford & Sons Mumford & Sons are a British folk rock band formed in London in 2007. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums), Ted Dwane (vocals, double bass, bass guitar), and Ben Lovett (British musician), B ...

John Lydon John Joseph Lydon ( ; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a British-born singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. He was the lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols, which was ...

The Orb The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for their psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Their influential ...

, Sir Bruce Forsyth,

Liam Gallagher William John Paul Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis and fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2010 to 2014, before starting a succes ...

, Portishead,

Bill Wyman William George Wyman ( né Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who was the bass guitarist with the rock band the Rolling Stones from 1962 to 1993. Wyman was part of the band's first stable lineup and performed on their first 19 ...

The Congos The Congos are a reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica) and Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a tri ...

and Bez.

2022

After two forced cancellations of the festival due to

Covid Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

, Worthy FM returned in the 2020s, broadcasting two day earlier than usual on the Saturday prior to the festival, and also for the first time on

Digital_Audio_Broadcasting Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is a digital radio international standard, standard for broadcasting digital audio radio services in many countries around the world, defined, supported, marketed and promoted by the WorldDAB organisation. T ...

in the

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

area.

2023

Sticking with tradition, in 2023, Worthy FM broadcast live 24 hours a day from Saturday 17th June at midday, to midnight on Monday 26th June. In addition to music, the statio
broadcast
traffic and travel, news and information on what’s going on around the site, along with a host of stories.

2024

In 2024, Worthy F
broadcast
live 24 hours a day from the morning of Monday 24th June, to the end of Monday 1st July. 2024 also brought the launch of th
Vodafone x Glastonbury mobile app

References

External links

Official Worthy FM Website
{{coord, 51.1584, -2.5802, display=title, region:GB_scale:10000 Radio stations established in 2007 Radio stations in Somerset Glastonbury Festival