By Imogen Abbott
Despite an era of streaming platforms with user control and choice, community radio is still able to reach the hearts of communities through their ability to focus on a particular location and/or interest.
Hawkesbury Radio has done this in their Greater Western Sydney community for over 40 years.
Rebecca Craven and Leon Watson, presenters of the ‘Double Trouble’ show, spoke about why they find broadcasting radio is important in the modern age of streaming services.
Destructive natural disasters in the Hawkesbury have made news, with the 2019/2020 bushfires, and back-to-back floods between 2020 and 2022.
Where major news outlets were only sharing live news of events if there was an evacuation, Watson said that during the floods Hawkesbury Radio was “giving updates on the flood levels every 15 or so minutes” due to the rate the Hawkesbury River was rising.
During that time, Craven described the station as “finding out about the community, for the community.”
Both presenters also described how their station gives back to the community of small and local musicians.
“COVID knocked out the music industry 100 per cent,” said Craven. “Big bands are fine because they’ve got big companies behind them, but our local ones are still struggling and I think a lot of them had their confidence dropped.
“Supporting local musicians is a big part of what we do.”
Ethan Parlato is a local musician from the Blue Mountains who the presenters talked about supporting on their show.
By giving Ethan’s art airtime after his rocky start to a career during the start of COVID, the presenters proudly talked about him having his album release at a Hawkesbury Radio Gala Day.
Other than the services that community radio provides to their audiences, the presenters also shared the joys that it gives those participating.
Watson loves the ability to “make a show your own”, which shows community radio’s ability to provide members of the community with the opportunity to express themselves on a creative platform.
Both presenters said almost simultaneously that on their Saturday show together they just “laugh for three hours”.
Featured image: Leon, Ethan Parlato (centre) and Reb launch his album on Hawkesbury Radio Gala Day. Photo: Ethan Parlato Music