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Get to know our new programs hitting the CRN grid in 2025

By CBAA Comms posted 04-12-2024 12:34

  
Get to know our new programs hitting the CRN grid in 2025

After the first round of our new programming initiative, we are so excited to welcome an incredible group of new programs for you to enjoy throughout 2025. A lot of our new programs celebrate new Australian music or focus on parts of our cultural identity. We get to know the program makers behind these new shows by asking them some questions about their program, their station and what inspires them to make radio every week.


Real to Reel - fbi.radio (Eora, Sydney)

Jasper from Real to Reel

Real to Reel is an hour of curated support, discovery and admiration for the music makers / appreciators with a Do-It-Yourself attitude and a healthy disregard for perfection. We sat down with the host, Jasper.

What inspired you to start Real to Real?

Playing in bands in the DIY scene and seeing such a big community of really interesting creative people really inspired the show. I felt like the programming of FBi at the time (although excellent) didn’t really seem to have a space for any of this music.

I figured that the DIY tracks rarely made it onto radio because they sounded jarring next to the much more produced mainstream in music, so the answer was to make a show that focused on those kinds of recordings. Now it’s much more jarring if I want to play a hi-fi track.

What makes you most excited about joining the Community Radio Network? 

The prospect of connecting with people and places in Australia that I have no knowledge of. I imagine that there is so much music and creativity and appreciation all around, and if I can offer a space for some like-minded music makers and and fans to find some shared community, then that would be magical.

What about the DIY music scene intrigues you the most? Why do you think community radio lends itself as a home to DIY?

The scene for me feels special to me because it’s like being let in on a secret.

By its nature, most of the music around this scene is only known to those people who want to know about it. It takes work and curiosity. In a way DIY music fans are already DIY themselves.

It lends itself to community radio because community radio is imperfect, anti-commercial and welcoming, just like the DIY scene. Both communities are also all about just getting up and doing something that you want to do - and I think doing that inspires others to give it a go themselves.

Real to Reel will broadcast on CRN on Thursdays at 2200 AEDT from January 2025

Middle of Nowhere - RTRFM, (Boorloo, Perth)

The Middle of Nowhere Team

This show is no place for Country and Western, but it is music for our highways and open plains, from WA, and around the world.

Contemporary alt-country and alt-folk – music with silence and space in it. Deep resonant guitars, fingerpicking, pedal steels and vocal laments. We hope you find yourself in the Middle of Nowhere.

Tell us a little bit about the team!

Middle of Nowhere is made up of a diverse team; six women and three men of varying ages and includes both newer presenters and those who have been with RTRFM for a long period. What brings us together is a love (and good ear!) for contemporary and alternative folk & country music, and promoting both emerging artists and diversity in music, including local and Australian artists. We also each don’t mind at all being up bright and early to bring the music we find to our listeners on a Sunday morning!

What inspired the conception of Middle of Nowhere?

Middle of Nowhere was inspired by the need to provide a dedicated and ‘go to’ home for contemporary and alternative folk & country music, and to be able to foreground a diverse range of artists, including First Nations, local and gender diverse, and to ‘dive deep’ into those genres, bringing the best music possible in them to our listeners. The concept of ‘Middle of Nowhere’ reflects our home city of Perth’s status as “most isolated capital city in the world” and the vast spaces and distances surrounding us, and the role that contemporary and alternative folk & country music plays in keeping us connected, sharing and telling stories, and reflecting unique elements of identity.

Middle of Nowhere will broadcast on CRN Live on Sundays at 1104 AEDT from January 2025

Indigenuity - 3RRR (Naarm, Melbourne)

Krystal De Napoli from Indigenuity

 

A weekly conversation with Indigenous knowledge holders, showcasing all forms of Indigenous ingenuity. With host, Krystal De Napoli.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I am a proud Kamilaroi woman raised under Bpangerang skies in rural Victoria. I am constantly pursuing all areas of my interests which leads to me being an astrophysicist, author, science communicator, and educator, alongside my radio broadcasting! I am captivated by our wondrous shared dark skies which inspire my writing.

What 3 words best describe your show? 
Land, Sea, and Sky (we explore it all!)

What makes you most excited about joining the Community Radio Network?  

Community radio is the life of our airwaves, and I am honoured to have the chance to share the stories covered on Indigenuity with a wider audience. I know I have learned so much from our incredible guests; scientists, artists, writers, performers, gamers, and the lived experiences of knowledge holders - there is sure to be a valuable gem that captures your interest. 

Cultural care taking and knowledge sharing are at the core of your show. Why is it important to you to platform that knowledge and share it with a broad audience?

Australia as a whole has a long way to go in regards to reconciling with this nation’s origins. As an educator, I truly believe that education and understanding is a promising path forward, and the ability to access First Nations perspectives directly is a powerful opportunity for all of us.

Community radio has a presence here at all reaches of this continent, and its value as an educational tool is immeasurable. 

Indigenuity will broadcast on CRN on Fridays at 1004 AEDT from February 2025

Aussie Trove - Phoenix FM (Dja Dja Wurrung and the Taungurung Country, Bendigo)

Brett from Aussie Trove

Reaching into the treasure trove of alternative Australian music to find the gems you might have missed.

Since first broadcasting The Trove Show in mid-2023, Brett has quickly created a show that is now seen as one of the best sources of new Australian music for his local area.

“When I started this journey, it quickly became clear that there’s not enough outlets for the amazing Australian music that is being made every week. The show is now 100% Australian music and has captured the attention of artists and fans from around the country”.

Tell us about your station! What do you love most about being a broadcaster at Phoenix FM?  

Phoenix FM is on the cusp of something very special. We are building on the foundations created by our predecessors and building relationships with local creative artists and community groups. Our Live Music Bendigo radio show is inspiring a generation of musicians to reach for the sky.

We are also in the process of developing local music content playlists that our presenters can utilise and that listeners can request tracks from. Through our Outside Broadcasts we have built key relationships with local multicultural groups, Bendigo Pride and our First Nations community. As a broadcaster on Phoenix FM, I am energised and inspired by seeing the impact the station can have by creating an outlet for our general community and particularly our creative communities.

What do you love most about the Bendigo music scene and why are you so passionate about platforming music from the regions on your show?

The people. The scene has always existed but what we have been able to build in the last 12 months is a connected scene where artists feel supported and empowered to do what they love. Regional musicians are just as talented as their city peers however there are far less opportunities for them to have their music heard. Regional community radio stations are more conservative than some of the city based large radio stations and as a result it can be difficult for artists who are not mainstream to find an outlet for their music. Showcasing regional artists on the Community Radio Network provides a readily accessible location for the larger city based to also showcase these regional artists.

Aussie Trove will broadcast on CRN on Saturdays at 1500 AEDT from January 2025

The AU Eclectic – 2BBB (Gumbaynggirr Country, Bellingen)

Ash Sambrooks from The AU Eclectic

Discover new Australian music weekly with Ash Sambrooks on The AU Eclectic. The show features interviews with emerging artists while genre-hopping across indie, post-punk, electronic, ambient, experimental, and all the in-betweens.

Tell us about your station! What do you love most about being a broadcaster at 2 Triple B? 

After more than forty years, 2 Triple B has grown to be a Bellingen Shire institution – a vital part of the community that provides music, local news, information, and a wide range of quality programming reflecting the original aim to serve the diverse needs and interests of the Bellingen Shire community. Being a broadcaster at 2 Triple B allows you to engage with the thriving creative culture here in Bello.

What makes you most excited about joining the Community Radio Network? 

I’m really excited about this opportunity!

Being able to reach a wider audience and share the incredible emerging artists from Australia with more people is amazing. It feels rewarding to be part of the CRN alongside like-minded broadcasters and to contribute to the national conversation about music and culture.

You’re no stranger to the Australian music industry, why is it important for community radio (and for yourself) to champion Australian music?

Community radio plays a vital role in promoting emerging local music, especially when mainstream channels often overlook it. For me, supporting Australian music is about celebrating our cultural identity and appreciating the incredible artists who dedicate themselves to creating music for our benefit.

The AU Eclectic will broadcast on CRN on Tuesdays at 2100 AEDT from January 2025

First Pressing - RTRFM (Boorloo, Perth)

Mark Neal from First Pressing

Unique and valuable, first pressings are vinyl records highly sought amongst music buffs for their distinctive sound. Perth’s local music scene is similarly unique, with grass-roots record labels making their mark on the State’s sonic landscape. Join local musician and label head Mark Neal as he sits down with WA record labels championing their own unique sound on First Pressing.

What 3 words best describe your show?

Inspiring human stories.

What’s been a highlight of your program so far?

Discovering sounds, I wasn’t aware of. Meeting amazing people. Learning and exploring the music of WA. Every episode has been a joy to create.

How important is the relationship between community radio and Australian independent record labels and what do you think nurture’s it the most?

It’s a vital relationship. Community radio is the voice of the community. Without community radio all we have is government run radio stations or commercial radio stations which are operated to generate profit. They’ve become even more important in the rise of streaming services.

It’s never been easier to access music, and to release music, which is great. But we need spaces where scenes can grow and community radio does that.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel around the country a few times, and experience other community radio stations, so I feel confident when I say that RTRFM and the other community radio stations in each city are the pillars of alternative sounds. They are the voices of interesting and unique. They are communities of humans who want to celebrate weird and wonderful. They challenge us and they present views that we might not have considered.

Boutique labels like mine would struggle to promote without these radio stations supporting us.

There's nothing wrong with corporate radio and the government radio stations. But the world would sound very boring without an alternative voice.

First Pressing will broadcast on CRN in place of the Local Source (AMRAP Show) on Wednesdays at 2100 AEDT throughout summer. It will start on December 11.

The Mission – 3RRR (Naarm, Melbourne)

Daniel James from The Mission

Exploring the issues that impact the lives of Aboriginal people and those at the wrong end of social justice in this country.

What inspired you to start The Mission? 

It was really the only thing I wanted to do.

There are so many good people across the country doing good but often unrecognised work. I wanted to give them the chance to be heard and to be acknowledged for all they do. 

What 3 words best describe your show? 

Heavy, honest and real. 

What’s been a highlight of your program so far? 

There’s been so many. So I guess winning the CBAA award for best Indigenous Show during the pandemic was a nice acknowledgement for the show’s concept and all the wonderful guests we’ve had on the show.

The purpose of The Mission is to explore the issues that impact the lives of Aboriginal people and those at the wrong end of social justice in this country. Why is community radio an important platform to have these sorts of discussions?

Community radio is the best platform in the country for hearing stories about people where we live. Mainstream or commercial radio can’t compete with the reach and understanding that community broadcasters have about the communities in which we live. It’s priceless!

The Mission will broadcast on CRN on Tuesdays at 1804 AEDT from February 2025

Live From Studio 3 – Three D Radio (Tarndanya, Adelaide)

Live from Studio 3

Each week a diverse selection of South Australian artists performs a full set of music and give an in-depth interview allowing listeners to learn more about their favourite acts. Tune in to rock out or chill out (depending on the band’s vibe), and to keep up to date of the latest in local music.

Tell us about your station! What do you love most about being a broadcaster at Three D?

Three D Radio is run by the Progressive Music Broadcasting Association Inc. (PMBA), and is committed to playing contemporary, progressive and alternative music. The station has a focus on local South Australian music, ensuring that the music content is at least 40% Australian, 20% local and 40% femme energy content.

What I love the most about being a broadcaster is the autonomy to bring the sounds of SA to a wider audience. Not to mention the incredible endless content being created all the time making that really easy.

What makes you most excited about joining the Community Radio Network? 

Having experienced the joy of providing content to the CRN via our outside broadcasts at Womad over the past two years, meant that the concept was familiar, and an understanding of how such content is valued across the network of community radio stations. It was a no brainer to submit our live music show with the strong intent of sharing the exceptional sounds of SA to a wider audience.

Live From Studio 3 will broadcast on CRN on Sundays at 2300 AEDT from January 2025

Sunset with Nazty Gurl - fbi.radio (Eora, Sydney)

Sunset with Nazty Gurl

From the coveted Sunsets spot on FBi Radio, your favourite Turkish delight Nazty Gurl brings you the freshest hip-hop, rap and R&B selects from across the country every week. Tap in to hear guest selections, live performances, cyphers and more.

Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Nazlican Eren and I go by Nazty Gurl. I’m a triple-fire sign and highly passionate about everything that I do (and emotional) but I attribute that to being Turkish. I like to think of myself as a facilitator and connector in music; I’m the founder and presenter of JUICE, a show that consistently highlighted hip-hop, rap and R&B across the country with a focus on underrepresented voices. I have a passion for building strong communities, both on the ground and working directly with the artist and at a governance level through my work at Music Australia.  

What’s the origin story behind Sunset with Nazty Gurl?

I have to give a big shoutout to my baby, my first show JUICE, which I presented and co-produced alongside Maz for two years, for leading me to Sunset with Nazty Gurl.

The Sunset slot on FBi Radio is a coveted slot; you get to soundtrack one of the busiest parts of people’s day and ease them into their transition from evening to night. Wednesday Sunset was historically a hip-hop speciality slot, presented by highly-respected Sydney creatives, so to continue on that legacy means the world to me.

What’s been a highlight of your program so far?

Most recently, I interviewed Burmese-Thai producer and street photographer ZZARNI who grew up in Marrickville and is one of the most coolest, talented creatives I’ve ever met. I had wanted to get him on the show for a long time and I was so gassed when we finally lined up the interview. ZZARNI’s sound, artistic vision and curation are so unique and it was so awesome learning more about how he approaches his photography and music. He then treated myself, and the listeners to a 45 minute guest mix on his SP404 loaded with hip-hop and soul deep cuts, and edits of some of my favourite local artists including GUILD, and Josef & Yibby. When I get to interview artists, producers or creatives I am a fan of on air, I feel like it translates to just hanging out with your friend, talking about your passions and things that you love, which is what I always want Sunset to feel like.

Sunset with Nazty Gurl will broadcast on CRN on Fridays at 18:04 AEDT from January 2025



We’ve been blown away by the incredible response to our new program initiative. We had such a great time listening to all the amazing content submitted to us by stations. We want to thank all those that put forward a program during this round – we’re excited to see the future of this initiative take shape over the next few years. 

We’ve got a bunch of great programs coming on for a stint in Extras as well – we will provide you more details on those shows in the CRN newsletter.

If you’ve got a program you think would be great for the CRN, the first program call-out for 2025 will open in January. The team are especially keen to hear from women and gender diverse presenters and producers. If you want to get in touch or have questions about submitting programming to the CRN, email [email protected].

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