Can I through this column thank The Weekend Sun and Winston Watusi for the comments about local Mount Maunganui radio Kiss-FM 88.1
The station has been broadcasting for the past two years and we know that the future success or failure of the station will reflect the level of buy-in from local music fans, the local music community, the wider Bay community, the corporate sector and local (and central) government.
Kiss-FM has been based on a traditional student radio model of broadcasting.
We enjoy playing a format of old school and new school rock and a wide range of specialist music content, while also promoting local musicians.
To be clear, we don't play local music simply because it's local - we play local bands (Brilleaux, Grace Falls, Hannah Fryett, Luke Thompson, Kokomo, Kindred, Jayme Fitzgerald) because they are are world class musicians.
Like Blowhole-FM before us, we too wish to broadcast in a non-commercial not-for-profit community based model. Kiss-FM supporters tell us there they're tired of commercial radio. We concur. We hope the coming review of FM frequencies in 2011 may go some way towards providing genuine access to the airwaves for the people of NZ, wherever their communities may lie.
The future for Kiss-FM 88.1 is to become a genuine community centred not-for-profit radio station. And through this column I wish to seek support to help establish Kiss-FM as a truly unique beach-based station; part traditional student radio; part Access radio and part Kiss-FM.
To make this dream a reality will take local community support from the commercial sector and local government. I urge those who believe in the vision of a unique Mount based radio station to lend their support to the project.
Kiss-FM has gone as far as it can on its own. This now needs to become a community project with the weight of the local community behind it. If we are to see true community based broadcasting in Mount Maunganui, Kiss-FM 88.1 may represent the best and last opportunity to provide it.
Max Christoffersen [email protected]