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Tune into a year of celebrations

January 12, 2005

Radio station 2 UNE 0005.jpgWhile this week marks the anniversary of an Australian institution in radio, members of TUNE!FM at the University of New England are marking their own, greater landmark.
For the radio station, which this year turns 35, is Australia’s longest-running, continually-operating community radio station.
While ABC’s Radio JJ – launched this week 30 years ago -- has been navel-gazing with memories of Dragon and Chuck Chunder, management TUNE!FM have been trawling its own archives, which include rallying cries to the anti-Vietnam movement and an historic speech by (then Vice-Chancellor) Sir Zelman Cowen.

“Our market has always been listeners aged between 13 and 30 and our charter is to provide an alternative to what currently exists, focusing on the youth market,” TUNE!FM station Manager Ed Campbell said.
Apart from celebrating a milestone, the coming year augers well for the radio station.
First, it is introducing three internships to students under UNE’s Work Ready scheme.
These will be in journalism/news/documentary-making, audio engineering and marketing and public relations. The internships will be offered to second and third-year students.
The anniversary date of when TUNE!FM first aired, January 27 at 7pm, will be marked with an on-air historical feature as well as a reunion party, concert and the production of a compilation CD of local artists.
But the radio station is also throwing down the gauntlet to local students, calling on them to organise a world record pillow-fight, topping last year’s effort by students at South Africa’s Witwatersrand University and marking TUNE!FM’s 35th birthday.
TUNE!FM has also launched a number of careers, most notably, ABC New England North West Radio presenter Andrea Ho.
It costs about $70,000 a year to run the station and while there are two paid positions (Station Manager Ed Campbell and Administrative Assistant Andrew Devenish-Meares), the radio station can call on an army of 100+ student-based volunteers, who act as DJs and keep the station on-air.
Most of the money needed to operate the station comes from contributions from UNE Students Association, however, under its charter, TUNE!FM is also allowed to air sponsorship ads every hour.
“Students also have a lot of leeway with the type of music they play,” Mr Campbell said.
Although the studio, on the campus of the university, is decked out with latest technological equipment (MP3-based music system) it has not always been at the cutting-edge.
Originally known as RUNE (Radio UNE), the station originally transmitted on a 1630 kilohertz AM frequency, using two studios and five tape recorders. It was the first station of its type in Australia and initially ran on an annual budget of little more than $10,000.
These days, the station can claim listeners world wide, with a mass audience in the hundreds of thousands, since its programs are all streamed on the Internet.
For more information phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779 or Ed Campbell on 6773 2744.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at January 12, 2005 03:10 PM