After 21 years at Radio One, station manager Sean Norling has decided to change channels on his career.
The 46-year-old has been responsible for the Dunedin student radio station’s dedication to showcasing young local musicians and nurturing media-savvy students.
"My focus has been ensuring that local music has a platform that wholly supports it and gives it every chance to be heard and promoted on a local, national and international level.
"We have really high local music play counts and things like that, and local music is something that we all feel in the deepest depths of our soul."
It was one of the reasons he and his colleagues went above and beyond to save the station in 2011 when its funder, the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA), faced financial turmoil due to proposed legislative changes.
"Student radio and student magazines tended to be the first things to be put on the chopping block.
"Me and the crew hatched a plan to get them to blink a little bit — to impress upon them the importance, culturally, of what student radio is."
He said the station did "a little protest", lobbied hard to the wider music community and the alumni, and eventually secured Radio One’s survival.
"It was almost written that eventually me and Radio One would meet up somewhere along the line, and I guess that happened."
His journey with Radio One began in 2002 as a volunteer, where he later carved a niche with his show The Subterranean Guide Show and championed underground and experimental music.
Over the years, he steadily climbed the ranks, transitioning from volunteer to promotions and programme manager in 2007, followed by operations manager in 2009, before becoming station manager in 2010.
Beyond his station duties, Mr Norling has been a passionate advocate for Dunedin’s broader culture and arts community, with projects like the Ōtepoti Music Blog which chronicles Dunedin’s musical history, and the Ōtepoti Culture Guide which spotlights music, art, and cultural events within the city.
He is also a member of Dunedin’s sci-fi punk band The Futurians.
Mr Norling said departing the station after more than two decades was not an easy choice to make.
"I think it was time for me, and it’s time for new blood.
"I think I’ve done a good job and I think a lot of my longer horizon goals have largely been achieved."
