Making history: radio joins forces for Mental Health Minute

On May 15 the BBC and commercial radio stations around the UK will make history, uniting for the first time to simultaneously broadcast a minute long message about the stigma of mental health.

The message, named the ‘Mental Health Minute’ and due to broadcast at 10.59am, will be in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week and coincides with the industry’s Radio Audio Week.

Led by Radiocentre and The Radio Academy, over 300 stations have agreed to take part, broadcasting to one of radio’s biggest collective audiences with an average of 20 million listeners.

“Radio is coming together in a UK first today to shine a light on the important issue of mental health,” said Siobhan Kenny, chief executive, Radiocentre.

“Radio is unique in being both fantastically intimate and yet part of a shared experience. As well as providing company and fun, radio can be an important lifeline for listeners. It is therefore an obvious choice for us all to come together to talk about the things that matter most in our lives.”

The audio message, which will feature globally famous voices talking about mental health and its stigma, will be created and produced by content agency Somethin’ Else.

“We are pleased that the power of audio is being used to such fantastic effect and confident that what we’ve produced will get people talking,” said Steve Ackerman, managing director, Somethin’ Else.