A small community radio station in Kalamunda WA is facing closure with the impending sale of its building.
KCR FM, located in the hills east of Perth in WA, has been broadcasting from the shire’s old police station for a peppercorn rent since it got its licence back in 1997.
The land and the old police station are now being offered for development by LandCorp, forcing the station into a situation where it must find new, low cost premises.
KCR presenters who have contacted radioinfo fear that the station will not be able to find a suitable replacement building at a cost low enough to afford, and that it will be forced to close. No date has yet been set for the station to vacate the building.
The station is currently in discussions with the Shire of Kalamunda re potential new locations. Some major fundraisers are being planned to fund whatever next steps are required to keep the station on air.
A message on the station’s website says:
“We are indebted to the Police Department for their support over the years in providing us with these premises and without whose help, the radio station would probably cease to exist today.
“KCR-FM are intent on remaining positive and are seeking assistance from the Kalamunda Shire and relevant charitable organisations to help formulate a plan to relocate to a more permanent location, where we can serve the community by offering local news, events and happenings in our area coupled with great music too!
“It will be all hands on deck for this new venture, so if you have any ideas, want to help, then please let us know, since all help and ideas however large or small are welcome.”
Whilst surfing the internet to find out what is happening at Kalamunda Community Radio, I came across your excellent comment here on radioinfo voicing your thoughts on community radio and I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with what you say! – In fact I remember your program and how professional you sounded at the time, both my wife and I thought you should have been on the ABC as you were probably (and I've listened to a few) one of the most informative presenters I've ever heard.
What is happening at Kalamunda Community Radio, since the old police station appears to be more derelict than normal and appears to have been vacated - I’ve made several calls to the station to no avail – The stations website and Facebook page has no information and I can’t help but feel that as a member of the Kalamunda community, I and others have a right to know! (I live and work in Kalamunda) – Has the station moved to another location, like Outer Mongolia perhaps?
The Kalamunda Shire have purportedly allotted the station a block of land to build new premises on and yet nothing seems to be forthcoming as to any progress or final outcome – I have heard rumours that the station has had its share of problems as seems to be the case with many organisations, i.e., differences of opinion and ideas and I guess it must be difficult to keep stations running costs at an affordable level.
I understand that KCR membership fees alone to be in the region of $55 per annum plus access fees for presenters at $55 per quarter – I've often been tempted to join a community radio station but with two children of school age, I’d find those kind of fees ($275 per annum) to be totally prohibitive.
Maybe somebody reading this will be able to shed some light on the covert operations of KCR ~ Thanks in advance, Karl