A pupil-led radio station goes live to the community today, after an eight-year hiatus.
The station was set up by former Mount Aspiring College (MAC) teacher Warren Judkins, who left the college in 2015.
Senior pupils Luke Burke and Sean Dickey then nurtured the station for another year before it fizzled out when they left school.
Now, Toby Mills (year 11) and Harrison Eastwood (year 12) are leading the revival, supported by a crew of senior music pupils who are helping to create content.
Head of arts Mat Doyle said MAC Radio provided a platform for pupils to showcase their music, engage in creative broadcasting and develop media production skills.
"MAC Radio is a great way for our students to learn about audio engineering, public speaking, content creation and media management while also fostering a sense of community.
"Our students are involved in every aspect of production, from planning and recording to editing and broadcasting, and we encourage any students who are interested in different roles — such as hosts, DJs, reporters, technicians, and producers — to get involved."
MAC Radio host and organiser Toby Mills said he loved being able to talk to people and hear their stories and music.
"It’s really fun to be able to choose the music people hear.
‘‘And to be the person asking the questions.
‘‘While the radio content is mainly related to music, we are aiming to get more well-known names to talk to us and share their stories.
"MAC Radio is 24/7 fun and relatable radio.
‘‘It has no ads and it's a great way for bands at our school to get their music heard and to help the wider community learn more about all that MAC has to offer."
Year 12 pupil Harrison Eastwood said he was enjoying finding out how radio worked.
"It's really interesting to understand the software and hardware that goes into producing radio content.
‘‘I also enjoy creating jingles and little skits to entertain our listeners, and I love meeting new people and finding out more about their lives and how they like to lead them.
"I would like to deliver enjoyable content for the whole region to love, including a plethora of different genres and musical experiences for everyone to enjoy!"
MAC Radio broadcasts a variety of content including pupil-produced music played 24/7, live music events, recordings of public performances, interviews with students, staff and community members, MAC news updates, sports results, daily notices and other educational content.
TUNE IN: radio.mtaspiring.school.nz or 88 FM (subject to change).
CONTRIBUTE: Ideas, recordings and feedback are welcome to help MAC Radio to grow and improve. For submissions and inquiries, contact radio@mtaspiring.school.nz
