How WAR FM won the battle
Published in CBX Magazine, November 2014
The team at WAR FM in Gilgandra is a busy one. Aside from the programming that goes out to their dedicated listeners both on air and online, the entirely volunteer-run station has its hands full organising fundraisers, outside broadcasts and community events all throughout the year.
As aged care nurse and WAR FM’s current president, Del Gordon describes it, “we are a committed team of individuals all striving for a common goal bringing community radio to our community, which is evident in our success of receiving several volunteer team awards both at a local and state level. Our town has a population of 2900 people and when you consider we have 23 active presenters this percentage per population is amazing.”
It may come as a surprise then, that less than 15 years ago, the station was struggling to exist.
It was in the old bakery building on Miller St that Gilgandra community radio first began. Local businessman and radio technician, Gary Edwards, with help from a small group of supporters and a temporary community radio licence, started broadcasting on 29 June 1999 off second hand equipment. With just two on air presenters – Colin Whitby and Bruce Shipway – the station had no satellite dish to connect to CRN thus resorted to playing CDs when the presenters were unavailable.
Things didn’t improve. After just 18 months of life on air, Gilgandra’s station had dwindling membership, basic equipment and, according to Gordon, “a depleted bank account.”
Seeing the state the station was in, the Promotions and Economic Development Officer, Justine Brotherton, held a meeting to discuss what the community could do to repair the situation. The members committed to continuing to operate the station, and with the election of a new board came the plan to raise $10000 in sponsorship from local businesses.
This determination manifested in quiz nights, raffle ticket sales and a doubling of member numbers. Eventually, as resources improved, they set about finding a better studio, as the old bakery was “freezing cold in winter, hot in summer ... and there were no toilet facilities.”
After much negotiation, and some resistance, they bought the Telstra building out of where they still operate today.
“Without Gary’s constant pursuance of a licence, his technical knowledge and assistance, as well as his tenacity in the purchase of a Telstra building, Gilgandra would not have a community radio service.”
Things continued to blossom for Gilgandra community radio, with the acquisition of a transmitter tower donated by Graham Robins, erected using the crane of local funeral directors, Paul and Barbara Carter. This is a perfect example of the strong community spirit in the town. The station also now has its own outdoor broadcast van, “paid for totally by the station without donations or government grants”, says Gordon.
She makes a point of acknowledging some of the station’s unsung heroes, such as Treasurer, Robyn Walton, who “has had a 100% success rate with her grant applications” and Secretary presenter, Jeffrey Freshfield, who has been there since the beginning, always willing to lend a hand “in all technical aspects, as well as cleaning, renovating [and] painting.”
“The core of its success lies in the forward thinking, positive approach that has been contagious amongst its members from the beginning”, the passionate president explains, stating that “those who didn’t believe in the dream of Gilgandra one day having a viable community radio station ... either fell by the wayside or resigned.”
Celebrating 15 years this year, you can listen to this driven team of volunteers on 98.9FM in the Gilgandra area, or stream online at 989warfm.com.