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Corona Virus doesn't stop your radio station

With the nation homebound and almost on a hold thanks to the corona virus, we often get questions like "How can you still be operating while there's all this need for social distancing and self-quarantine?"      So here's our policy on it for you

1. We're an essential service in the Hawkesbury.   With print media shutting down all over the country, and fewer people getting to meet others in social gatherings, the local radio is the only way a lot of people stay connected.   As always when there’s an emergency of any kind in the Hawkesbury, it's our job – our duty – to provide the way for local residents to connect with the rest of the community and to stay up with important goings-on in the Hawkesbury.   When our temporary license requires us to stop broadcasting on 89.9FM, we continue around the clock on our streaming services you can pick up over the internet and   through our apps on your mobile phone or tablet.  Listeners can always connect with us by phone at 45 899 899 or by sending a text to our text line at 0427 899 899
2. This doesn’t come without risks, however.  There’s always a chance that our presenters could become infected if they are out of their houses to come to do their show.    We have offered all our presenters the choice of not doing their show and we’ll find a fill-in for them or reorganise our programme schedule to accommodate this wish.   A few have taken this choice and the option remains open.     For those that still wish to come into the station to do their show,  we have taken a number of steps to minimise their risk
3. Everyne is required to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds prior to entering the station’s studios or offices
4. Hand sanitiser has been provided in several places around the station and everyone coming to the station is encouraged to use it frequently
5. Face masks are strongly encouraged when at the Station except when in the studio broadcasting
6. All presenters have been given their own personal microphone protectors/filters (or ‘socks’) .   This is the part of our equipment that gets the closest to any presenter’s face.  The sock prevents the breath hitting the microphone and making that irritating ‘popping’ sound.  Since it’s being changed each show to the presenter’s own ‘sock’ it also helps prevents the passing of infections from one presenter to another.
7. The studio is being sanitised every few hours.  Equipment is being wiped down and desks and other surfaces are being wiped with sanitiser
8. Update:  Two-person shows have been approved to continue because two mics in the broadcast studio allow the two presenters to sit more than the required separation distance apart, if they use diagonal spacing rather than the more normal face to face spacing. 
9. Everyone is required to stay at least 2 metres from anyone else while they are in the station’s premises.    We don’t believe there is any need for anyone to get closer to anyone else for any activity at the station.
10. Shift change is not a time for being social.    Everyone is asked to leave the studio with all their belongings as quickly as possible, sign out and leave the premises as soon as they have completed all radio station tasks.
11. Presenters feeling unwell with a temperature, coughing, headache etc have been told not to come to the Station, and to seek medical help.

Several members of the public have called the police, worried that we might be breaking the isolation rules.   We have had two visits from the police now.  In both cases they have looked at what we’re doing, how we’re operating and left again, satisfied that we are doing everything that can be asked of us to protect the public,  our members, and anyone we interact with. 

As long as we are able and the law allows, we will continue to serve the public of the Hawkesbury as we have done for around 40 years.

Download our FREE app!!

Now you can download our free app from the Google App store.  (our IOS app for iPhone and iPad coming soon)      WIth the free app, you can listen to YOUR Hawkesbury Radio all day, every day in clear rich stereo through your mobile device.   Connect it by bluetooth to your car's stereo,  headphones  or your home stereo system.   Even when we arent allowed to broadcast on the FM transmitter, you can still hear us through the app, loud and clear.   

WIth a single tap, you can listen to our growing collection of podcasts,  and communicate with us by twitter.      Downoad it today from the Google App Store

UPDATE:   iPhone version now in the App Store.  

The IOS version for iPhones and iPads is now available in the Apple App Store.    Just search for "Hawkesbury Radio"  and there it is!   It's free and with it you can tune into us 24 hours a day,  every day.  

Community Noticeboard

Community Noticeboard is a free public service  from Hawkesbury Radio.  Not-for-profit organisations holding events in our listening area or close to it, are welcome to let us know about forthcoming events, which will be included in our noticeboard announcements several times a day.

All you have to do is let us know at least two weeks in advance,  and make sure you give us details of a contact person so we can follow up with one of the organisers.

Now you can contact our Community Noticeboard team on line through our Community Noticeboard page. >>>

Overwhelming Vote in Favour of Change

During August,  Hawkesbury Radio Communications Co-operative Society Limited,  the entity that owns the station, conducted a postal vote of members regarding a proposal to change the structure of our organisation.     We are pleased to announce that the votes are in and have been counted.        The members have decided by an Overwhelming majority to convert the organisation to an Incorporated Association. 

This will mean a new simplified set of rules and procedures,  a new name   (Hawkesbury Radio Communications Association Inc ) and a structure that’s a lot more flexible and easy to adapt to changing circumstances in the 21st century.   

The procedures are currently in process to make all the legalities happen and register the change with the relevant Federal and State Government departments.  These should all be finalised in the next few weeks.    

But one thing is not changing – we are going to continue to bring the Hawkesbury community good local and relevant LIVE radio 24 hours a day, EVERY day as we have for around 40 years.

Update On Our Licence Arrangements.

There is a new order from the regulator, ACMA about sharing of the frequency 89.9FM in the Hawkesbury. As from 5 December, a new operator will be joining the scrum sharing our frequency, making a total of four aspiring radio stations seeking what will eventually be a permanent licence.

Hawkesbury Radio, the original community radio station that has been serving the Hawkesbury district for about 40 years will now broadcast on FM from 12:01am Thursday until 12 Noon Saturdays.    Of course we will continue to broadcast around the clock every day on our streaming services as well. An increasing number of people are joining us that way from all around the world which is making us very pleased indeed.

To accommodate the latest schedule, some changes are happening to our programme schedule. A few presenters have decided to leave us, and some new presenters are coming on. You can see the updated schedule on our Progamme Guide

The ORIGINAL Hawkesbury Radio | Serving the Community

Please be advised that Hawkesbury Radio - the ORIGINAL station that has been serving the Hawkesbury community around the clock for almost 40 years - is Not off the air we have switched off our transmitter to share the frequency with other stations who want to take over the licence, as instructed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The ACMA has granted temporary licences us, and to 2 other stations to see who will be granted the permanent licence eventually. We have to share the time on 89:9FM

• Hawkesbury Radio (us - the ORIGINAL station) has been given noon Thursdays to Noon Sunday
• CAMS has noon Sunday to Noon Tuesday
• Hawkesbury Gold has Noon Tuesday to Noon Thursday

We will recommence our FM Broadcast on 89.9FM at Noon Thursday In the mean time you could listen to us on the internet stream, by clicking "Listen Live" above and follow the instructions, or go to the Tune-in app and search for Hawkesbury Radio.

If you want to help, let ACMA know what you think. Email them at communitybroadcasting@ACMA.gov.au

UPDATE Hawkesbury Radio is continuing to improve live and streaming services!

Hawkesbury Radio is delighted to announce that your Hawkesbury Radio has been granted the temporary broadcast licence from ACMA, that Hawkesbury Radio applied for. Hawkesbury Radio will continue to broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days every week, just as we have done for 39 years. The other applicants for the temporary broadcast licence advised ACMA that they were not able to commence broadcasting immediately.

Hawkesbury Radio will remain broadcasting 24/ 7 until November 5 by which stage Hawkesbury Radio will have a further update on proceedings. The future of radio that serves the Hawkesbury is secure. Just like the phoenix, a new era for Hawkesbury Radio begins now. Get on board with your Hawkesbury Radio. Apply for membership now and show your support as we move forward and grow into the future. Thank you for your support.

Hawkesbury Radio | Making great radio and streaming content

An important announcement from Hawkesbury Radio.

Yes, The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced that they were not renewing the broadcast licence for Hawkesbury Radio. In the formal confirmation from the ACMA, they advised the board of Hawkesbury Radio that the ACMA would be calling for applications for Temporary broadcasting licence. In conversations with representatives of ACMA, again Hawkesbury Radio was encouraged to apply for a temporary broadcasting licence. All successful applicants of a temporary broadcasting licence may then apply for a full broadcasting licence.

Hawkesbury Radio would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support we have received at this time from the community. We ask that the Hawkesbury community, who we have served for 39 years will swing behind us and all join Hawkesbury Radio and write to Minisiter Fifeld, the Minister responsible for community broadcasting, protesting their actions. The minister's email address is minister@communications.gov.au or telephone (02) 6277 7480.

In light of the facts, the directors of Hawkesbury Radio are committed to continue on the tradition of 39 years of continuous broadcasting, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Our action plan going forwards is simple. Firstly, Hawkesbury radio will continue to serve the Hawkesbury community and the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the internet, while we await confirmation of our temporary broadcast licence. We will negotiate with the ACMA to meet any concerns regarding membership requirements. Hawkesbury Radio will then apply for the re-instatement of the broadcasting licence. Hawkesbury Radio believes that the ACMA is committed to a community radio station for the Hawkesbury. A radio station that serves our unique part of the world; part urban, majority rural and unserved by other media.

The directors of Hawkesbury Radio believe that the future is bright. Hawkesbury Radio will go the tough yards to prove that we are the only option for broadcasting in the Hawkesbury. Our plan is clear. Hawkesbury Radio has a dedicated membership to broadcast into the future. Let us not be tarnished by our few bad apples. Hawkesbury Radio will move onto bigger and better things and be stronger in the future.

Hawkesbury Radio is not dead!