Tune in and celebrate the volunteer-run FM station
Radio Northern Beaches (RNB) has been entertaining the community since 1984, when Radio Manly-Warringah (as it was then known) first went to air. RNB’s first studios were in Narrabeen, then Belrose in 2003, before settling in Terrey Hills in 2012. Forty years on, RNB has 50 regular weekly programs all produced locally by local people.
Run by volunteers, RNB was established by the Manly-Warringah Media Co-operative to allow locals to speak to the community.
RNB’s monthly five-hour Saturday workshops give people a taste of radio. And many go on to present their own show, like Craig Brown, who got involved with RNB completely by accident.
“A lady asked me, ‘Have you ever thought of being on radio?’ and told me about the workshops,” recalls Craig. “I went along and at the end of the day, they said to me, ‘What would your program be?’ I said I wanted to do people’s histories in an interview format with music interspersed.” After more training and ongoing mentoring, Craig has now been on the airwaves for about seven years.
“The station is open to everything of interest,” says Craig. “We have guidelines but if someone’s got an interest, they are encouraged.”
He says RNB has trained 1,000 people, including media students and retirees, and that the workshops are not just for people who want to present – plenty of technical support is needed behind the scenes, and even setting up outside broadcasts.
Craig describes his first show on air as ‘nerve-wracking,’ but trainer Andrew Goodman-Jones gave him lots of encouragement and put him through many processes so that Craig was ‘ready to go’ when his moment arrived.
He finds all his own interview subjects, mostly through observation and talking to people. He likes a great story and allows his storytellers to choose music that informs the story. He’ll occasionally simply do a music program.
Craig says that as well as volunteers, RNB needs some ‘friends’. And money talks!
Help support a great local service by donating today. Visit rnb.org.au
Tune in on 88.7 and 90.3 to listen to Radio Northern Beaches.