DJ Bobby is new on Blue
DJ wants more folk to use radio
EMMA DANGERFIELD
|
|
Bob Mawer is the newest voice on Kaikoura's radio Blue FM
|
With his velvet voice and love of music, Bob Mawer seems to have been made for
a job on the radio.
But although he certainly sounds the part, he has only recently taken up the
challenge of hosting his own radio show.
Bob, or DJ Bobby to his listeners, arrived in Kaikoura almost a year ago, on
August 5 as a result of losing his home in the Christchurch earthquakes.
Although he and wife Lyn were only looking for a house, they ended up falling
in love with Churchill Park Lodge B and B, and, despite never having done anything
like it before, the couple are really enjoying their new way of life running the business.
Their story is beautifully romantic, a tale of childhood sweethearts reunited.
Although they met when they were teenagers, they both went on to have two failed
marriages before rekindling the flame more than three decades later. They have
eight grandchildren between them around the South Island and are happy to put
down their roots here in Kaikoura, where their families can visit easily.
"We absolutely love it here, it's a beautiful little place.
"And we've got the best views in Kaikoura!"
The couple are keen music lovers and have a long association with the
entertainment industry. Bob used to be quite the singer, and won Have a Shot
many years ago in Christchurch as one half of the singing duo Kel and Bob.
"Everybody can relate to music. It's a great medium, and a whole lot of fun."
Listening to local radio Blue FM and knowing the station's owner, Kevin Heays,
through his links to the bowling scene, Bob decided he would like to have a go
with his own show.
He approached Kevin about an on-air slot and has now been on the airwaves for a
couple of months.
Athough he sounds like a seasoned professional, this is also a new venture for him.
"I did play around with radio a little bit in Auckland when I was living there
but that was nothing like the equipment I am using here," he says.
"It took me about six weeks before I finally got into the studio. I didn't want to
make a fool of myself - I can do that perfectly well without an audience!"
The little radio studio certainly is one of a kind. It is situated at the Innovative
Waste Kaikoura site and until recently appeared to run through the help of a transmitter
housed in an old beetroot can.
But once Bob had got a grasp on the unique set up, he found he enjoyed himself and
listeners began to tune in.
For those of you who have yet to catch him on air, his regular slot is every
Thursday from 10am till noon. He plays a broad spectrum of music includinga few old classics.
"I'm really a country fan - the lyrics always tell a story. I love Alan Jackson,
Ricky van Shelton and Paul Overstreet. But I play a real range of stuff, from Billy
Joel to Spanish Flea and Herb Alpert."
One thing Bob will be working to improve is the community's ownership of the radio.
He sees it as the perfect medium for getting information out to the wider community.
"We do really need the support of the local community. There are a lot of little things
bubbling but sometimes you don't know about them. All groups, whether they be sporting
or other, should be using their local radio station to get their news out there.
If people don't know [about sporting fixtures and events] then they can't support them.
If people let us know, we will be able to provide what the community is looking for."
- © Fairfax NZ News
© Marlborough Express July 25th, 2012.
This material remains © Fairfax New Zealand Limited and is only to be used for non-commercial personal or research use. Any other use requires permission of the copyright holder.
For a current list of all Low Power FM stations broadcasting in New Zealand, visit
our NZ LPFM Radio Guide.
^Top
|
