Promote Shetland Launches New Platform

By Promote ShetlandJune 21st 2016

60north.com

Today, Promote Shetland launched 60north.com, a new video and radio platform hosting stories about all aspects of life in Shetland, from wildlife encounters, community events to interesting characters and local culture. 60north.com aims to inspire.

To celebrate the launch, a special ‘60 North Midsummer live’ 12-hour marathon broadcast will be streamed on Saturday 25 June. Starting at 12noon veteran former BBC broadcaster Tom Morton will anchor the live event.

You can enjoy live and recorded music, interviews and guests, from various locations in Shetland including feeds from Sumburgh Head, Victoria’s Tearooms in Unst and the new community audio and video suite in Market Street, Lerwick. Pre-recorded shows from local folk and expatriate Shetlanders like David Lewis, formerly of Original FM, will also feature.

Two years in the planning, 60 North platform is a major step for us in promoting Shetland as a destination to live, work and of course to visit

Promote Shetland’s Andy Steven commented: “Two years in the planning, 60 North platform is a major step for us in promoting Shetland as a destination to live, work and of course to visit and enjoy the land, sea, food, culture and people - especially the music. The webcams, specifically the puffin cams and aurora cams, have been a worldwide success. We’ll be able to accompany those and other pictures from Shetland with music and conversation, both live and recorded, all reinforcing a positive message about the isles.”

Highlands and Islands Enterprise invested £49,962 in the project to help support the development of initial content for the 60 North platform. Rachel Hunter, HIE Area Manager for Shetland, said: “Our rationale for investment was two-fold. First we want to push the boundaries of digital technology in marketing and promoting Shetland as a place to live, work, study and invest. Second, we are keen to support the development of the creative community in Shetland, and the 60 North platform offers a vehicle for creative people, across a range of disciplines, to collaborate and innovate.”

Mr Steven added: “We’ll provide training and a creative outlet for aspiring and established community broadcasters, DJs, producers and engineers. We see this as both a fantastic marketing tool for Shetland and a great way for our creative community to connect. Many people, especially young folk, from throughout the Shetland community are involved with us, as film makers, writers, broadcasters and photographers.”

We’ll provide training and a creative outlet for aspiring and established community broadcasters, DJs, producers and engineers.

The platform will now extend the reach of the quarterly 60 North magazine by including blogs, video, online and radio, all harnessed to the job of promoting Shetland and cultivating the confidence we need to attract new business and people to the isles.

Following the launch, Tom Morton will initially be the presenter of a two hour music and conversation show live from Lerwick every Saturday night between 8pm - 10pm, with local and visiting guests, and stories from around the isles. Pre-recorded shows, interviews and stories, plus ‘guest playlists’ will be broadcast 24 hours a day. Guest presenters and co-presenters will also be involved.

If you would like to be involved, or have a playlist you would like to present or hear played out, in any musical style, get in touch by emailing: connected@60north.com.

Promote Shetland Launches New Platform

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