Years from now, 2006 will be remembered as an historic year for the staff, volunteers and audience of Byron Bay’s fantastic community radio station, Bay FM. It was a year where Bay FM’s tradition of hard work and innovation culminated in both the establishment of new premises and sector recognition.

Since 2003 Bay FM have been engaged in the ‘Quantum Leap’ project, an initiative that consisted of firstly constructing new studios and then moving the entire Bay FM operation into this new location. Befitting of both Bay FM and the community broadcasting sector as a whole, local support proved integral to the success of this operation.

So, when Bay FM unveiled their high tech new studios to much fanfare on the 2nd of July, 2006 you would think that it was time for the crew from Bay FM to have a rest, and not just on one’s laurels.

The whirlwind pace of 2006 continued for Bay FM when they were awarded the award for Station of the Year at the 2006 CBAA Annual Conference.

We talked to Chezi Pullen, President of the Bay FM Management Committee about her reflections from the past year and where the station goes from here.

‘We are fortunate enough to have plenty of passionate volunteers at the station helping us,’ says Chezi when asked about Bay FM’s success. ‘We are quite liberal, creative, generous, steadfast in our beliefs and courteous in the way we conduct ourselves. As such volunteers give us their all. In fact, the ones who do get absorbed into our collective passion seem to feed off the wacky organic thing that is Bay FM.’

The importance of volunteers is something that Chezi and the Bay FM staff is well aware of. ‘New volunteers are always stepping up to help, and they bring with them an influx of skill and energy to different departments.’

What is it about Bay FM that makes the station and its surrounding culture so attractive to volunteers? According to Chezi it’s because: ‘Bay FM, like all community broadcasters, have a core group of extremely dedicated workers who work as a team and look out for each other. It is independent alternative media and as such exists outside of any financial or editorial influences. We make an effort to see both sides of any story.’

‘We have also started have an open forum for members to discuss anything at
all to do with the station. In fact, they set the agenda,’ continues Chezi. ‘These open forums will occur 6 times per year and we see it as an effective method to keep everyone in the loop.’

Byron Bay is renowned for being a diverse community, so how does Bay FM best service the local area?

‘We have a broad programme base,’ says Chezi. ‘We respond to, and reflect our community via our many programmes. We strongly support new programs that reflect our vibrant and fluctuating community. It means that if the audience doesn’t warm to one particular program, chances are they’ll like the next one!’

As is the case with many modern media organisations, the internet serves as the first point of contact that the listening audience has with a media organisation. Bay FM have taken this concept one step further by using their website as a way of openly inviting the community to visit the station, a measure that Chezi feels strengthens the community involvement needed to make the station successful.

‘We love to welcome visitors to the station,’ says Chezi. ‘We are a creative asset for the community, after all. It is essential that people in the community feel they are part of Bay FM as much as Bay FM feels that we are a part of the community.’

What is the future for Bay FM after such a successful year? According to Chezi, Bay FM has no plans to slow down!

‘We will continue on our quest for excellence in broadcasting’ proclaims Chezi (and who could blame her!) ‘In 2007 Bay FM will embrace training in many shapes and forms. We have already begun peer assessment sessions within our programs. We all need to be refreshed and re-trained in a diverse range of areas, whether it be broadcasting skills, production or management. There's always room for improvement because of Bay FM’s ongoing commitment and respect for both our audience and our sponsors. Keep on with the community cultural evolution!’