Australia Day Award Winner Profile – Paradise FM

Australia Day Award Winner Profile - Paradise FM - keeping us connected

Paradise FM has been a voice for the Ballina Shire community for 20 years, and while its contributions have been appreciated in the past, the COVID pandemic has been a timely reminder of just how important community radio is to our residents.

Paradise FM was awarded Community Event of the Year in the 2021 Australia Day Awards for its ANZAC Day coverage during the April 2020 COVID lockdown – and more generally for the station’s role in keeping people connected.

Station Manager Jenny Ellenbroek explains that ANZAC Day has always been an important event on the station’s broadcasting calendar.

“Since the beginning Paradise FM has run a specialised ANZAC Day program based around music over the eras, along with traditional Anzac Day elements, so it’s in our culture,” says Jenny.

“We recognised immediately [during the 2020 Covid lockdown] that a lot of people were isolated and alone, and ANZAC Day is such an important day to recognise. The 2020 coverage was a joint initiative between Paradise FM and the Ballina RSL Sub Branch to enable the entire community to participate. Our Paradise Production Team and the Sub Branch put it together so beautifully. Sub Branch President Dick Wills organised the traditional Anzac elements (the Service Introduction and the Ode of Remembrance, which he read), Ballina Shire Mayor recited the Australian Defence Veterans Covenant, and Sub Branch Chaplain Father Richard Brown the traditional Anzac Prayers.”

That year residents across Ballina Shire stood in their driveways listening to their local Dawn Service via Paradise FM, and this tradition was repeated again this year.

But Paradise FM’s Australia Day Award goes beyond ANZAC Day, it recognises the team’s tireless efforts to support the community.

“We were nominated for the award by a listener who was one of those people that was by herself,” says Jenny. “This listener recognised overall the role that Paradise FM was playing to keep people feeling safe and comforted.”

“It’s the immediacy [of radio] that’s so valuable and it is local. Yes, we can give people information about Covid case numbers and testing clinics and so on, but that is available in detail from mainstream media. We aim to give our listeners local news and events that are happening right here and now.”

This is done with so much support and input from the community. Paradise FM operates with a team of four staff and around 12 community volunteers who perform various tasks including office admin and reception, on-air presenting, production, speciality interviews and technical support. There are many regular guests for segments like Marine Rescue, the Stock Market, Fishing Report, and Wellbeing. Then there’s the Management Committee, external to the operational set up and comprised of local community members with relevant expertise, who provide guidance and governance.