New radio breakfast presenter Pamela Boland has vowed RTRFM will continue standing up for WA music and the local music scene.
Boland, 27, is enjoying her first days in the early-bird hot seat at the volunteer-led station and is not taking her responsibilities lightly amid heated ratings wars on the airwaves and the ABC’s motions towards a national focus.
“There needs to be somebody that is holding up the WA music scene that is supportive,” Boland tells The West Australian. “It’s more of a responsibility than an opportunity.”
Over a third of the music played on the station’s breakfast show last year was from WA musicians.
“Those artists really have a home,” Boland says. “I am trying to support a music scene I love that is local. More importantly we need to create spaces that are about WA music so people in that industry feel like they have a place that supports them. If we continue to occupy that space, it secures it for us.”
With the ABC’s radio audience tumbling to five per cent of the market share, Boland says RTR is the one delivering for WA and in tune with the word on the street.
“RTR really occupies a space that no one in commercial radio, not even the national broadcaster, occupies — to merely create a platform for local music. No other commercial radio station, no other radio station, not even the national broadcaster play as much WA music as RTR does. We have volunteers that are part of that music scene, who want to support the people who they are around and their friends,” she says.
RTRFM raises the funds to cover a third of its operating costs during the 10 days of Radiothon in August.
Describing the passionate workspace as she takes over the coveted presenter spot from Taylah Strano, Boland says, “No other broadcaster really gives a platform for WA voices. It’s not hard to imagine that volunteers want to give up their time to support something they believe in.”
As for being WA-centric, she says, “It really is hard to see something like that now. If you can have a space where you occupy that, no one else is occupying it. Absolutely.”
Revealing her alarm clock goes off at 4am, Boland says: “It’s hard to get up in the mornings for anyone. I am getting up before anyone else and I hope I am welcoming people into the morning softly and nicely. Talking to people as if they are your friends you care for. That’s what I want to hear on the radio.”