Dr Dennis Jensen MP

Tangney seniors rule the airwaves

It was again my great privilege to be invited to visit Capital Community Radio 101.7fm, to draw the major prize winners for their Radiothon fundraising week 2011. From very modest beginnings Capital has grown from strength to strength and it has been my pleasure to assist in any capacity along the way, particularly in relation to their broadcasting licence applications.

It’s pretty special to have a Community Radio Station right here in Tangney and I congratulate the many dozens of volunteers at Capital Radio for the work they do to improve the lives of seniors in my electorate and beyond. Each time I visit their studios at Wireless Hill Park in Ardross I am amazed by the new technologies and equipment this community station is using to broadcast to their Perth wide listening audience.
 

This community station like many others must raise its own funds to continue to operate. While sales of sponsorships and grant funding from groups such as Lotterywest and the Community Broadcasting Foundation fill some of the budget holes, the generous donations of individual listeners and supporters are a most important part of keeping the station financially viable. This funding I might add goes towards new equipment, service and maintenance costs and everyday expenses such as insurance and electricity. There aren’t any wages paid because everyone at Capital volunteers for a love of broadcasting, connecting with their audience and the wider community.
 

The calibre of the prizes I was privileged to draw speaks of the high regard in which this station is held. A brand new car, travel packages, hampers wines, CD’s and tickets. Over the past decade the station has moved from sharing time on-air with other community groups, changed frequency, gained their own full time licence and are in the process of completing renovations and equipment upgrades worth some $350 000. They will soon be one of, if not the best equipped community radio station in Perth. This is their most successful Radiothon to date and the funds raised go a long way towards continuing this tremendous growth.
 

I commend the dedicated work of the some hundred volunteers at Capital and as a small token of my appreciation for their work in Tangney I was pleased to present Certificates of Appreciation during National Volunteer Week. I wish Capital Community Radio every success in the future and look forward to continuing my close association with this important community group. Their success is richly deserved; given the hours and dedication many volunteers have tirelessly given back to Perth’s Senior Community.
 

Make sure you tune in sometime, 101.7 on the FM dial, on-line and on digital radio.