Community can gain access to radio
Coast Access Radio is now in the Levin Mall complex
Coast Access Radio has opened a new hub in the Levin Mall complex. The radio station outpost opened with a karakia from representatives of the Muau¯poko Tribal Authority before mayor of Horowhenua Bernie Wanden cut a ribbon.
Coast Access Radio has been going for 25 years, with a station that opened in Waikanae in 1997, and now Levin has its own sister office providing content for the 104.7 FM frequency that reached from Pukerua Bay to Tokomaru.
Nikki Carroll, who was appointed Levin station manager in August, said the radio station was a community station that was “by, for, and about” the community.
“It’s just so exciting,” she said. The not-for-profit station received 80 per cent of its operational budget with funding from New Zealand On Air. It applied for funding each year and was required to produce a report each quarter. As a registered charity, the rest came through grant applications or sponsorship.
The Levin station can’t broadcast live, but the station is a home base and recording studion for content that can air at time slot later on, whether it be performances or one of the many programmes. There is a breakfast show that ran from 6am to 8am, and from then on it is recorded community content.
There’s a variety of programmes — there’s a retired farmer with a slot, a te reo segment, a Pasifika segment, recipes from Gail, a radio reading service, and a Suzy Cato kids show on Sunday morning, followed by a Christian programme.
Carroll said the station would aim to connect with secondary schools, UCOL and community groups to increase the variety of content.
She said it was about making the community aware that the station was there, and was a vehicle for wholesome community content.
“We can teach people.. .our priority is to make it their show. They run it, and we teach them how to do it,” she said. “You can walk a fine line sometimes though, giving people a voice . . . it can’t be too controversial.”
Carroll said the Levin office was only open a few days a week at the moment, but from next year would be open five days a week.