When you put together the components of not-for-profit, locality and public relations you get an unusual pudding: a local community radio! Started off in the mid 1990s, Heart FM community radio station still broadcasts in our time in the middle of Tasmania.
The broadcasting schedule of "easy listening" dispenses vintage pop hits of the 1980s with linked up newscast, local weather and some talk back shows.
One noticeable show is Mouldy Oldies by presenter Les McSweeney. Les has an extensive collection of 78 rpm records dating back to the 1930s. it is quite a discovery to hear those sounds from beyond the grave together with Les introductions.
The broadcastingo license limits drastically the geographical reach of the station yet a survey reveals some 2500 regular listeners tune-in to the station. The local area is mostly an agricultural community in this northern central part of Tasmania. They indeed like to hum along those old hits while riding their tractor all day across the countryside.
Fusion is a Christian ministry operating from the village of Poatina as a rehabilitation centre for people fleeing addictions and abuse. The radio station originally located there has now a studio in downtown Longford - the nearest township, to facilitate local community interaction.
Sponsors are a rare breed and are much needed to bring in the cashflow of a not-for-profit organisation.
Open air broadcast is a way to reach out and connect with the listeners. Events include the local butcher store grand opening (a station sponsor) and public holidays such as Australia Day or the local agricultural show. These are run along the format of open crowd festivals innovated by Fusion International. The idea is to coordinate sport and activities to get a local community interacting with each other. Suddenly folks encounter their neighbours after dwelling in the area for a while but lacking the opportunity to get involved into anything together.
It looks like in our pro-active 21st century world we have to be reminded again how to interact with each other and be aware that not everybody is a religious fanatic or a paedophile.
The Heart FM community radio mandate fits perfectly with the Fusion order of business in social work. In fact several Poatina inmates serve as volunteers at the radio station and run their own late night show - Captain Midnight.
More recently the station indulged in an internet presence to offer Fusion supporters an idea of the programming by providing the download of specific mp3 files.
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