Community radio station 93.3 celebrates 30 years on air

Community radio station 93.3FM is proudly celebrating its Pearl Anniversary – 30 years on the air over the entire Central Coast region.

Thanks to a couple of dedicated radio buffs feeling a need for music for the mature listener on the Woy Woy Peninsula, Radio Five-O-Plus 93.3FM first began during Seniors Week in March 1993 – then broadcast two days a week from August that same year, with a 10-watt transmitter from a small room above a chemist shop in Umina.

Due to the great response from listeners, it was decided to move to the Gosford area, transmitting from Rumbalara Mountain at East Gosford with an increased power of 200 watts, broadcasting seven days a week by 1999.

From its modern North Gosford studios staffed entirely by volunteers, 93.3M has grown remarkably since those humble beginnings and now broadcasts with a powerful 2000 watts from its Kariong tower all across the Central Coast, throughout the Hunter, Lake Macquarie, northern suburbs of Sydney and some areas of the Blue Mountains.

The station’s live internet streaming service also reaches out to many new listeners – anyone with a computer!

Over six million Australians tune into the national community radio network each week because it provides a unique range of services and programs, and contributes to media diversity with a high level of local content such as news, weather, traffic and commuter updates, and free community service announcements – which 93.3FM proudly embraces.

Its unique easy-listening music and songs evoke great memories, with playlists covering the 1950s to the ‘80s, and occasionally beyond, with at least 25 per cent Australian content.

93.3FM is also proud of its partnership with Central Coast Newspapers, which provides the station’s local news content three times a day for its Monday to Friday bulletins.

As well as revenue raised from sponsors and members, the station receives community-funded grants which enable the upgrading of all its broadcast facilities to state-of-the-art digital equipment.

The two presentation studios now have much improved audio quality, cabling and sound-proofing.

Radio Five-O-Plus boasts at least 700 members, with 14 on-air presenters, over 30 office and support staff and a member-elected board of seven which meets regularly to monitor not only station quality control and audience feedback, but to remain abreast of all digital and associated platforms for continuous integration of automated programming.

To commemorate its 30 years of broadcasting, 93.3FM will present a one-hour show special, hosted by Allan Maddox, Kathy Patterson, Roy Bailleau, Wendy McRobie and Kevin Bullock, who will play some of their favourite tracks from the Radio Five-O-Plus library of great music.

Tune in to 93.3FM at 5pm this Saturday, August 26, for the Pearl Anniversary celebration program.

Visit www.fiveoplus.com.au, which has links to email, Facebook page, and Coast Community News.

Bryan Hall