Students ready Manu FM for launch

Get ready, Waitara; the latest radio station to hit your local airwaves is finally about to launch.

107.0 Manu FM, staffed, programmed and operated by Manukorihi Intermediate students is almost here, and with it will come an exciting new outlet for the school’s always very creative children.

Overseeing the station, and teaching the pupils foundation skills vital to running Manu, is Marea Rawiri. Like this reporter, Marea is a graduate of the Radio School in Wellington.

When asked about Manu FM, her first comment was that it may well not be called that for very long. ‘‘It’s only going to be called that until the kids settle on a final name,’’ she says.

‘‘We’re starting from scratch, providing a basis for growth and opportunity. Besides the music, everything on the station will be created by the students. My job is basically to give them the information they need to know how to run a station, how to create items for broadcast.

‘‘The station won’t be up and running for a couple of weeks yet, and until then we’ll be teaching the kids the basics. Formatting, identifying target audiences, recording for broadcast, and so on.’’

The purpose of the station goes beyond merely the technology of radio, and will touch on almost every aspect of the pupils’ education, says Marea.

‘‘For instance, literacy skills will be taught through the creation of scripts and so forth, and also vital talents like time management … all things that are useful in and out of the radio environment.

‘‘A main thing is building confidence in the students, and this is a way for them to do so while having fun at the same time.’’

A radio station is nothing without an audience, and Marea feels the influence of Manu will extend far beyond the school itself. ‘‘Interaction with the community is very important. As well as reaching out to Waitara and beyond, creating news bulletins for the station and so on will help teach the students about the world around them.’’

She is particularly proud of some work in that area already done, with two students doing an interview with local band Paua. ‘‘They smashed it,’’ she says. ‘‘So impressive for their first time.’’

Manu FM had been planned to start broadcasting last year, but technical problems with the equipment has delayed the launch until this school term.

Now, with all that sorted out and the training well underway, the future looks very bright indeed for Waitara’s newest on-air sensation.

Watch out for Manu FM on your dial very soon!