Last week, Blair Woodcock was given a stark reminder of why the power of local radio goes well beyond just the signal.
Driving into the Victorian regional city of Bendigo during a work trip, SCA’s Head of Regional Content found himself surrounded by scenes of devastation from the recent bushfires.
“Along stretches of highway, scorched trees and blackened ground still frame the landscape,” Woodcock posted to LinkedIn. “The scale of it is hard to ignore.”
“Only weeks ago, homes and properties were devastated across the region. In the middle of it all, our local radio transmitter was also destroyed.”
During the emergency, local radio stations united as one to help each other out.
When a fast-moving grassfire severely damaged two transmission sites on Mount Alexander, local community station Phoenix FM and Vision Australia Radio (Bendigo) agreed to rebroadcast ABC Local Radio’s emergency coverage.
Woodcock says “Thanks to BAI and our engineering teams, we were back on air within days. But even before that happened, the strength of local radio was already showing through.”
Woodcock says across the market, people stepped up.
“Long-standing Triple M Breakfast host Bryan Coghlan returned early from leave. With no transmitter yet, he leaned on what mattered most, his connection to the community.”
“Stories of hardship and support were shared through our social channels when people needed information and reassurance.”
“No one had to do it. They did it because they knew it mattered.”
“A genuine thank you to everyone across the Bendigo market who showed up when it counted.”