Celebrating its one-year anniversary, the only online English as a Second Language (ESL) radio station for teens is rapidly increasing its global fan base of teens seeking to improve their English.
Built on Helen Doron English’s successes over the past 30 years, Helen Doron Radio for teens was launched August 20, 2013. The 24/7 programming is targeted at helping young people all over the world improve their English through: music, stories, quizzes, contests, several types of news, special guest interviews on various topics, targeted country weeks where the teens interview each other about their likes and lives, and more. All content is specifically geared towards teenagers, and in just one year, the station has attracted listeners from over 100 countries, with hundreds listening daily on a regular basis and participating in the diverse, interactive broadcasting.
In celebration of the one-year milestone, a new, upgraded website was launched featuring a wide variety of content options including: what’s on today, archives of past shows divided into categories (interviews, recipes, dog training, ecology and more), special segments hosted by students throughout the world, a Pen Pal programme, photo galleries, live chat and other topics of interest to teens.
According to Richard Freedman, Helen Doron Radio’s Manager and Broadcaster, “The live shows are different every day, but what they have in common is that they are all built around topics that affect our listeners’ lives— all presented in easy English. There are many teens that learn much of their spoken English from TV, so we provide them with a stimulating way to supplement their learning in a fun and exciting way. We have found that the students enrolled in Helen Doron Teen English classes enjoy the station as well, using it to enhance what they are learning in the educational franchise’s learning centres, giving them the best opportunities to speak English fluently.“
Marilyn Glazier, Content Developer and Broadcaster continued, “Helen Doron Radio was created to fill a need for a ‘cool’ EFL (English as a Foreign Language) radio station that appeals to youth and motivates them to improve their English skills. The station is very interactive and the country weeks, where teens get a chance to talk about their cultures and lifestyles, is an especially popular feature. Listeners say they enjoy the music and Richard is fun and interesting. There is always something exciting going on, and difficult words are explained, so ESL (English as a Second Language) students have no trouble understanding. We have found the right balance between music and content for this market, and the increasing listener numbers show we were right to create this station.”
Helen Doron Radio broadcasts online 24 hours a day 7 days week with a live show dedicated to teenagers from around the world Sunday to Thursday from 15:00 – 18:00 Central European Time, with repeat shows to allow those listening from Asia and South America to tune-in, as well. Future plans include increasing the live shows, with even more guest shows featuring subject experts from around the world.
