It will take more than a lockdown to stop Radio Active broadcasts
Tom Hunt
Radio Active was ready when lockdown hit but nobody could prepare for the pet dog almost stopping transmission.
The Wellington radio station has managed to keep operating - albeit not from its new studio but from a series of homes around the Wellington region and beyond.
"We are used to broadcasting remotely, from events like the Newtown Festival and the Pride Parade," station technical manager Jesse Walsh said.
"And we were ready for (the cancelled) Cuba Dupa.
|
RadioActive.fm station technical manager Jesse Walsh and baby son Atlas man the mic. |
"So I figured if we could replicate our remote players, and provide enough of them to keep at least most of our regular weekday shows going out live, then our listeners and advertisers would appreciate it."
The result is Radio Active.fm is being broadcast from station manager Jen Kyle's Island Bay home, Breakfast host Maggie Tweedie's aunts' garage in Hawke's Bay, DJ Don Luchito's show is from a house high in Brooklyn, while Drive shows and specialist music shows are coming in from different locations around Wellington and the Hutt Valley.
"Whilst we are an essential service, I made the call for everyone to work from home so we can do our utmost to help stop the spread of Covid-19," Kyle said.
"I must admit broadcasting Drive from Island Bay is challenging, but a lot of fun."
|
Breakfast host for RadioActive.fm Maggie Tweedie and pug Lola broadcast from Hawkes Bay. |
Tweedie, who got to Hawke's Bay before the lockdown hit, said there had been some unnerving moments.
"The dog almost pulled the mixer straight from the desk.
"For the first week I was treading water and I was apprehensive to ask for help from my colleagues at six in the morning."
Advertising manager Graeme Tuckett said tghe station had been around for more than 40 years, and they were "still playing the music you won't hear anywhere else".
"We launched the careers of John Campbell and Samantha Hayes, it seems it will take more than a global pandemic to stop this station going live."
|
DJ Don Luchito's show is being broadcast from a house high in Brooklyn during the Covid-19 lockdown. |
Stuff
© Stuff April 21, 2020
This material remains © Stuff Limited and is only to be used for non-commercial personal or research use. Any other use requires permission of the copyright holder.
^Top
|
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
