6 June 2014
THE offices of Kawerau’s new radio station Galaxy FM were filled with visitors for the official opening of the town’s new broadcaster yesterday afternoon.
Organisers were expecting a good turnout during the launch party between 2pm to 10pm.
Chief executive and breakfast show host Grant Reid said the launch of Galaxy FM was a weight off his shoulders and now it was time for the real work to begin.
Galaxy would play a broad range of music “as long as it’s good” he said.
The station’s range would reach as far as Awakeri and in the future they would consider a stronger transmitter, but the focus was on Kawerau, he said.
Galaxy was a community trust and they employed seven staff members.
“The staff that work here are all locals,” he said.
They were interested in nurturing talent and were planning a competition to offer two Kawerau pupils announcer spots.
“It is a station for this town,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon the Galaxy office was full of people chatting and enjoying light refreshments, some were taking the chance to look at the room where the announcers would broadcast from.
The majority of the radio’s music would be stored digital rather than hard copies of cassettes, CDs or records.
“You don’t get as many scratches on digital,” Mr Reid said.
Galaxy FM had been running tests and playing music since early last month but the first breakfast show hits the airways at 6am on Monday morning on their 107 FM frequency.
Mr Reid was not giving away anything about the first show’s debut.
“It will be spontaneous; you will have to listen to find out.”
Source: Whakatane Beacon, Story by Megan Hunt