While many seniors have been forced to wait out the COVID-19 outbreaks in isolation, these retirees have managed to find connection and comfort through the airwaves.
Radio Recliner is an online pirate radio station that is hosted exclusively by elderly DJs from assisted living communities across the United States.
The project was launched by marketing firm Luckie back in April as a means of keeping lonely seniors entertained and optimistic during the pandemic.
The company only planned on airing new 60-minute shows every day for one month—but since the station has garnered more and more listeners, Radio Recliner has also attracted a team of 18 senior DJs to continue recording new segments.
In addition to new shows being aired every day at noon, the station now streams a continuous loop of old content to keep its fanbase entertained. On the Radio Recliner website, listeners can also submit song requests and ask the hosts to broadcast audio messages and shoutouts to friends and family members.
“For this generation, radio was the original social media,” Luckie chief creative officer Mitch Bennett told The Tennessean. “Dedicating a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, is a special way of connecting. It’s a great time to bring that feeling back
