Community station to remain on air

Local information a hit

GEORGINA STYLIANOU

Last updated 17:07 16/04/11

 

A portable radio station founded in the aftermath of February's earthquake will continue to broadcast after gaining huge local support.

Radio New Brighton was founded by Invercargill man Chris Diack, 64, operating out of a caravan and using portable radio equipment. The caravan, based on the grounds of the Central New Brighton School, began transmitting on March 16 and has beenIt has been co-ordinated by about 12 volunteers.

Diack said the response to the station had been "phenomenal" and instead of "shutting it down and heading home" he was now looking to hand the station over to an interested community group.

"There's been about four groups who have voiced their interest in it and obviously I'm taking the caravan home but I will leave as much equipment as I can, including the broadcast antenna system."

Diack said the station was set up to provide ''real local communication to a displaced community''.

The station had been making up-to-date announcements about local infrastructure and the progress of quake-affected businesses in the New Brighton area.

"We've been providing information that regional stations can't and because of that people who have left town can listen to what's going on in the area and then decide whether they want to come back or whether they want to wait a while."

Diack hoped to announce which group would take control of Radio New Brighton on Monday. The station broadcasts on 102.1fm.