Kalamunda Group Radio (KCR), which broadcasts within the Perth Hills, has moved to 88.9 on the FM dial after the Australian Communications and Media Authority re-distributed quite a few frequencies.
ABC Radio Perth will transfer to KCR’s previous frequency on 102.5, whereas NewsRadio and Radio Nationwide will even transfer from AM to FM.
Regardless of having to make the swap, Roger Jennings, chair of KCR, stated there have been benefit to shifting down the dial into the 80s.
As a neighborhood station, he stated KCR broadcast on decrease energy and was solely allowed to broadcast to its outlined license space.
Roger Jennings says neighborhood radio can broadcast hyper-local tales greater stations cannot cowl. (ABC Information: Pip Waller)
“[At 102.5] we have been really caught in the course of a lot of very highly effective stations and that made us troublesome to search out,” Mr Jennings stated.
“Auto-tuning radios in automobiles, and so forth, simply skips over us.
“Down within the 88.9 space, we’re extra more likely to be discovered by automotive radios and issues like that, we predict.”
Hyper-local radio
KCR, which is totally staffed by volunteers and runs on grants and sponsorship, supplies a singular radio service that focuses carefully on its rapid surrounds.
“[Community radio] is vital as a result of it is doing these issues that business and ABC do not do,” Mr Jennings stated.
“They don’t seem to be promoting the truth that there will be the Kalamunda present or that some vital occasion is happening in Kalamunda or that there is some points within the space that must be addressed.
“That is not one thing which you can count on a broadcaster that covers the entire of the metropolitan space to cowl.
“It fills a niche that approach.“
Kalamunda Group Radio station’s broadcast space covers the Perth Hills. (ABC Information: Pip Waller)
The station additionally provides its volunteer presenters the prospect to discover their very own musical pursuits and share them with others, leading to singular radio broadcasts.
For Mr Jennings, his Sunday night program is all about classical music composed within the Twentieth century.
“I play full works and there aren’t different stations round doing that. Even the ABC is just not actually doing fairly that,” he stated.
“I’ve at all times had a really nice curiosity in Twentieth-century classical music and I’ve obtained a really massive repertoire, and I attempt to play items that folks will take pleasure in, composers that folks know within the Twentieth century, but in addition some extra uncommon items that by no means get performed on the radio.”
Data on a shelf at Kalamunda Group Radio. (ABC Information: Pip Waller)
For different presenters, it is a variety — from rock, soul and straightforward listening to Australian, Americana, classical music and people.
“We now have about 30 presenters in complete, and you need to be very devoted as a result of you have to be there each week,” Mr Jennings stated.
“You possibly can’t simply say, ‘oh sorry, we might go on vacation’ … you may’t say, ‘oh I’ll have a number of weeks off for the time being’ — as a result of this system will disappear.
“You have to have devoted individuals, they usually’ve obtained to have adequate music of the sort they need to play as a result of we do not really present them with the music.“
Broadcasting from the cells
When it was based in 2000, KCR broadcast from the previous Kalamunda Police station, with the studios positioned within the cells.
Later, they have been in a position to transfer to purpose-built studios within the Gooseberry Hill Group Centre.
Whereas the cells had character, they have been “a bit claustrophobic”, Mr Jennings stated.
“I imply, it was good and soundproof and fairly appropriate for a studio as a result of you do not get interference, nevertheless it was a bit claustrophobic, I feel.
“We now have now obtained some very good studios which the state authorities have been variety sufficient to offer funding in direction of, and we constructed them ourselves.”
Volunteer presenters play music of their alternative at Kalamunda Group Radio. (ABC Information: Pip Waller)
New residence, similar station
KCR has already made the swap to its new frequency at 88.9FM and is hoping its loyal listeners will observe it.
Mr Jennings stated that whereas surveys have been prohibitively costly, they might get some thought of listenership from their social media feed and from on-line listening.
“We now have fairly a number of listeners these days on the web, and around the globe actually,” he stated.
“I feel we simply need to consolidate the place we’re, get individuals to understand what our new frequency is and ensure we’ve got loads of presenters.”
ABC Radio Perth will transfer to 102.5 FM, Radio Nationwide to 103.3 FM and ABC NewsRadio to 104.1 FM from February 23.
