2MIA FM upgrades transmission power

Riverina Community station 2MIA FM 95.1 last week upgraded its transmission power to reach Leeton, Narendarra and Coleambally.

Station secretary Marthin Botha told radioinfo that 2MIA is “the only Local Community Radio Station operating in a multicultural rural area of the MIA. The station has been in continuous operation for the last 12 years.”

Over the last four years, the management committee “has worked very hard to improve the service to the community at large, by applying to the ABA to issue a licence for increased power to the station.”

The ABA has now given permission for the Transmission Power of the station to be increased from 500 Watts, to 5 kW ERP. The station has spend more than $15,000 on a new antenna system and transmitter. 2MIA is keen to hear from listeners in outlying areas to gauge the strength of its new transmission system.

“Through sponsorship support from local businesses and the efforts of the members, presenters kept the growth of the station in the forefront. Our on-air presenters range from 13-year old school children to septuagenarians and the programming is as diverse as the ages of the presenters and the cultures in the MIA,” says Botha.

The station broadcasts 8 hours weekly in five different languages

“The benefit of this increased power is that listeners in these outlying areas can now also enjoy and experience Community Broadcasting, with a local flavor. Business houses can now draw members of the buying public from outside their town to their business, through sponsorship of 2MIA FM. As the station is a non-profit organization, the sponsorship rates are very affordable,” says Botha.

radioinfo: Where to from here? Botha: The next step in the development of 2MIA FM 95.1 is based on numerous requests from the listening public, a talk back program format. The Management Committee is now committed to the raising of funds in order to install the necessary Telephone Interface and Profanity Delay units. The cost of these units are in access of $8,000.00 and the management hope to have this up and running in the near future.

The Southern Media Association will hold a training day at 2MIA in Griffith on 26th October. “All members of the public (including year 10, 11 and 12 students) and other media personnel are invited to attend. Admission to the one day seminar is free, however booking of a seat is essential for course material and catering.”

Bookings can be made by calling 2MIA FM on (02) 6964 1033