Warren opens Douglas FM
Radio for the people
The moment I awoke this morning and started getting ready for work it felt different. For the last five years I’ve been working for myself at FAB FM doing the breakfast show.
This morning however I realised I had a new boss, the Douglas Shire community. No pressure! As soon as I switched that microphone on at 7am we were off and running, the start of a new chapter in broadcasting in this wonderful part of the world.
Cliff Richard with the song ‘Big Ship’ got a spin along with ‘The Love Boat’ from Jack Jones as we welcomed the cruise ship Coral Princess in Port today. The music playlist that’s usually full of just country songs, was replaced with tunes I haven’t heard for decades. As a Baby Boomer many of these songs have been the soundtrack of my life and it’s great to be able to play them again.
Warren Scissorhands
Soon it was 9 am and Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch made his normal big entrance while a crowd of members, the Radio Station Committee, prospective sponsors, and well-wishers gathered outside the studio at the Marina, all there to celebrate our first day on air. Sitting alongside Warren in the studio was the Douglas FM President Kym Rowley who was excited, like all of us, that this day had finally arrived “Myself and all the committee have been working hard on this for two years and the day has finally arrived, I mean this is a great opportunity for the community to get involved either behind the microphone or behind the scenes, we need volunteers and sponsors to keep this radio station on the air” he said.
Warren Entsch had another important engagement in Cairns today, but took the time to travel up the highway to officially open Douglas FM this morning live on air “Congratulations to everyone involved” said Warren “Unlike the previous station you now have no restraints as far as giving out local information to the community and may I say good on you for kicking a goal for the Douglas Shire and I can only see it going from strength to strength and Council can benefit from this as well so I encourage them to get involved ” he said. Warren then cut an imaginary ribbon with real scissors declaring the station open. Mayor Kerr was on hand to represent Council on this important day “There are so many volunteer organisations in the Shire that can benefit from this radio station to get their message across with radio such a great medium and now Douglas FM is on the air it’s fantastic to have a community radio station and I know from a Council prospective we’re certainly watching it closely to see how the community takes it on” he said. So over to you Douglas Shire, get behind your radio station and help us connect the community.