From the Vault: RTRFM Radiothon ’98: 21 Reasons
The 92.1 frequency on the FM dial turns 21 this year. For those 21 years it has been the sound innovator of Perth.
It has been the place where your ears can experience new sounds, old sounds that were never played anywhere else and the voicing of opinions not influenced by government (funding) decisions or commercial ‘realities’.
Initially the frequency, 92.1 housed the University of WA radio station, but a government decision in the early 1990’s saw the funding for any ‘non-core’ aspects of universities withdrawn. UWA was one of the first universities in Australia to pull the plug on funding for the on campus radio station. With that decision 6UVSFM bit the dust. However that radio station had produced some pretty hard workers and people committed to an alternative sound.
This hardy crew gathered together, formed a non-profit company called Arts Radio Limited, and applied for the community radio licence as RTR-FM. The level of commitment required from everyone concerned can’t be under-estimated and it was something that will be required for many years to come.
During its turbulent teenage years, 92.1 FM dealt with the raging hormones of change, cutting costs and squashing itself into increasingly smaller spaces, but still providing an alternative for the radio devotee.
A small core of paid staff manage the station, while the voices you hear over the airwaves are volunteers. They are people who love lots of different kinds of music, are interested in a variety of subjects and are from all walks of life. A motley crew that represents your community from young adults to some pretty active members of the grey brigade.
1998 has seen a change of station manager with Bradley John Scott taking over the steering wheel and heading towards the new millennium with his foot hard on the gas pedal. Scott was formerly in corporate management in the paper/ printing industry and moved to Perth five years ago.
“I used to listen to 2SER when I lived in Sydney or SKID Row radio, as it was known” admits Scott. “When I arrived in Perth I got stuck on Triple J, then I found RTR FM.
“I fell in love with that bloody awful voice in the morning, (That would be Genge) and thought ‘who is this guy. Then, inspired, I thought ‘I want to do radio,’ and here I am.
For this, the 21st birthday Radiothon, the theme is 21 reasons to subscribe. Production Manager, Graham Hill, suggests that the best reason is ‘because we are really nice guys’. Administrator Chris Hook and Scott agree with this, however, they are not sure that this will stand up to close and independent scrutiny.
Subscribers to RTR FM have for years had the opportunity to enjoy discounts at various cinemas and retailers around town along with discounted entry to RTR-FM events.
“We are looking to increase the value of subscription”, says Scott, “In the future, subscribers will be getting free entry to RTR FM events. This hasn’t been possible in the past because of our need to raise funds to keep the station going, something which eats up about $1,000 per day. It would be giving something more back to subscribers for their support.”
This year will also see the installation of a digital studio, a technical advancement that is very timely. This is an expensive business but something that has been on the mind of management for the last couple of years.
With that in mind, there has been a campaign of constant fundraising and as Mr Hill describes “a general nip and tuck in all areas of the station”.
“Once Radiothon ’98 is over,” says Scott “we will be installing the digital studio.” Will this make any difference for the RTR listeners?
“They won’t have any of those wonderful RTR technical glitches that they have come to know and love — not that the audience ever picked up on those,” says Hill quickly, “but it will make it a lot easier and quicker for the presenters putting things to air, and the quality will be better.
“We are using equipment at the moment that is at least 10 years out of date and there is only so much you can do with bits of reel to reel tape.”
Scott, who started life on RTR FM as a talks presenter of Understory, pipes up with “It will certainly help the talks programs significantly and allow us to sound like we hove more staff than we actually have!”
92.1FM started out as a technological innovator as the first FM licensee in Perth. This step forward to a digital studio is the first significant technological step since RTR FM came into existence and as Mr Hook points out “a significant infrastructure investment for the new millennium.”
There are, no doubt, more than 21 good reasons to help celebrate RTR FM’s 21 st birthday apart from the fact that the volunteers are a great bunch of community contributors. RTR FM actually plays electronic, dance music, heavy metal, funk and jazz and so much more. It gives you the opportunity to hear music from across the spectrum that was created 50 years ago, or yesterday. It gives local bands a leg up onto the airwaves and others the opportunity to talk about things of importance to the community that may not get an airing anywhere else.
RTR FM’s Radiothon week coincides with some important football fixtures not to mention an election campaign, but the most interesting coincidence, as pointed out by breakfast presenter Mark Genge is that it is also Official Worm Week. That’s animal tapeworms and stuff. The dates for that, and Radiothon are Saturday, Septembers until Sunday, September 13.
Put your money where your ears are. — MARY O’DONOVAN.
This excerpt originally appeared in Issue 603 of X-Press Magazine, published on Thursday, September 3, 1998. Share your memories of this and other classic X-Press content by joining the Rewind Facebook group. Rewind: 40 Years of X-Press Magazine by Bob Gordon is on sale now in hardcover and softcover.
