PHOENIX FM presenters are swapping their microphones for telephones this Saturday, as the community radio station holds its second annual radiothon.<\/p>\n
From 9am to 6pm the phone lines will be open for donations, and secretary Anne Conway said any amount is gratefully received.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year we\u2019d never done it before, we were just coming out of lockdowns in the middle of a pandemic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome people said to me \u2018you\u2019re just wasting your time\u2019. I said \u2018that\u2019s okay, the worst thing that could happen is nobody rings up\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was successful. We didn\u2019t raise a huge amount, just short of $3000 which is a lot for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phoenix FM foundation member and presenter Floreena Forbes donations are crucial for the survival of community radio.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny genuine community radio station still has to pay bills,\u201d she said. \u201cTo keep community radio on air we have to work hard to keep raising money to be able to do that. The radiothon is a great way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Conway said the radiothon is also good for presenters to get together and build comradery.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven now we\u2019re having all our committee meetings and volunteer meetings online,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresenters tend to work in isolation, they may have seen the person before and after them, but not a whole lot of people.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople were saying last year, this is so good, it\u2019s just like old times when we used to all come in a and rock out together.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lost a lot of that through the lockdowns and we\u2019re just getting our mojo back.\u201d<\/p>\n