- Cook Government providing $20,000 to long-running Perth radio station RTRFM
- Radiothon 2024 donation to help continue community radio in Western Australia
The Cook Labor Government will provide $20,000 to RTRFM to continue delivering quality community radio and supporting Western Australian artists for another 47 years.
Premier Roger Cook announced the one-off donation, to be made through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, during RTRFM’s Radiothon 2024 live on air with Breakfast show presenter Pamela Boland this morning.
RTRFM is an independent, not-for-profit community radio station with charitable status located in Mount Lawley. It celebrated its 47th birthday this year and has around 400 volunteers that present a diversity of live radio programs 24/7.
So far this year, the station’s on-air music programming has been made up of 20 per cent WA acts and 34 per cent Australian acts. More than 8,000 WA songs have been playlisted by its presenters since January.
RTRFM raises funds through its Radiothon subscriber drive every August. The theme for 2024 is ‘Sending Out a Signal’ to returning and first-time subscribers.
Funds raised through subscriptions and donations predominantly cover RTRFM’s essential expenses, such as licensing fees, presenter training fees, equipment and staffing costs that enable the station to continue broadcasting.
Radiothon also supports RTRFM’s renowned live music events, including the long-standing In the Pines held at Somerville Auditorium and the Fremantle Winter Music Party.
The State Government also provided $250,000 in funding through Lotterywest in February for new broadcasting studio equipment.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“I think it’s safe to say I’m a long-time RTRFM listener, having been a fan since the early days when it was called 6UVS-FM.
“We’re really fortunate in WA to have a community hub like RTRFM running one of Australia’s most respected and popular independent radio stations.
“RTRFM relies on the support of listeners who believe it’s important to hear different music, local stories and diverse voices on their airwaves.
“I hope this $20,000 funding boost will help to ensure RTRFM’s longevity, so it can continue supporting our community and WA artists for years to come.”
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
“Community radio provides enormous value to Western Australians through storytelling, interviews and music, with more than 105,000 tuning in each week to RTRFM alone.
“I love listening to RTRFM while driving to my various meetings and engagements and hearing the new and upcoming talent.
“Over the years, I have seen acts such as Jebediah and Eskimo Joe move from obscurity to fame and the one thing they had in common was starting out at RTRFM.
“It is a fantastic resource and the Cook Government is so proud to support it.”
