IN a humble building in Strathdale lies the community radio station affectionately known as the voice of the community.<\/p>\n
The volunteer-run Phoenix FM conducted its inaugural radiothon on Saturday, 18 September, raising over $2600 to go towards the operational costs of the station.<\/p>\n
Secretary of Phoenix FM Anne Conway said the event was conducted without a template, and even though COVID-19 restrictions such as density limits were adhered to, a formidable amount of support was received.<\/p>\n
She said as well as raising money through calls and people visiting the studio, the radiothon achieved a sense of comradery that had been lacking, with no social gatherings held during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cMembers would say it\u2019s just like we used to be,\u201d she said. \u201cThere was only a maximum of 10 due to our building, but they were coming and going having a yarn, having a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe money was the main thing, but then I realised there was this wonderful flow on.\u201d<\/p>\n
President of Phoenix FM Samual Harrison said they rely on donations and grants and they want to ensure the station is financially viable for years to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day-to-day operations are up to the organisation. If something breaks we can source grants, source funding for them, we thankfully do have a lot of spare equipment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiversifying our funding stream through a radiothon also brings in listeners as well, the listener is constantly calling in for donations and we\u2019re engaging with them on that personal level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phoenix FM is an open access radio station, and one of five community stations in Bendigo and Mr Harrison said they strive to provide a \u201cvery diverse\u201d program with a range of genres and programs \u201cto represent the very diverse community.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said a large amount of Bendigo residents exclusively get their information from community radio stations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe further you go into regional, rural areas they normally have a large community broadcaster nearby and they are the asset of the community, they are the life-force of where they get their information,\u201d he said. \u201cWe try be the life-force of Bendigo.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IN a humble building in Strathdale lies the community radio station affectionately known as the voice of the community. The volunteer-run Phoenix FM conducted its inaugural radiothon on Saturday, 18 September, raising over $2600 to go towards the operational costs of the station. Secretary of Phoenix FM Anne Conway said the event was conducted without […]<\/p>\n