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FBi 94.5FM needs saving

Wed 29th Apr, 2009 in Local News

Do you love a little bit of community radio? It’d be a crying shame to see one of Sydney’s finest sources of alternative viewpoints and music disappear into the ether, but news just indicates that FBi 94.5 has officially been placed on the – œendangered species list’.

While there are currently an impressive 219,000 listeners tuning in every week, issues with funding are threatening the station’s existence and it’s now seeking $1million to stay on air. The FBi crew is currently reaching out to the music industry to assist with a series of fundraising events during May and June.

FBi music director Dan Zilber says he’s hoping for a good response from the fundraising drive. “The station has always relied on our community for support and growth, so I hope we can count you and your artists in.”

Zilber says he’s currently working with major venues across the city for a series of ‘Save FBi’ gigs, and at the moment they’re seeking acts for a Hordern show in mid June, as well as shows in the last week of June at The Metro, Annandale Hotel, Oxford Art Factory, The Gaelic Theatre, Manning Bar, Hermanns, World Bar, Spectrum and more.

Think you can help FBi stay alive and thrive? Email Dan Zilber dan@fbiradio.com or Rob Giovannoni at rob@selectmusic.com.au.

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Comments

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22636
Wolf

Wolf said on the 30th Apr, 2009

It would certainly be a shame to lose FBi but it might be worthwhile explaining why FBi finds themselves in a $1,000,000.00 black hole. I'm not saying there was any impropriety by FBi at all but there must be a reason for it.

joelzilla

joelzilla said on the 30th Apr, 2009

It would be a huge shame to see FBi leave Sydney’s airways, I find myself struggling to listen to other stations.
Would be awesome to see some artists put their hands up and belt out some songs to help FBi.

Thanks for bring new and loved Sydney music to our ears FBi.

The Fool

The Fool said on the 30th Apr, 2009

Goodbye and good riddance

dream_brother

dream_brother said on the 30th Apr, 2009

yeah, agreed. fuck off and die. fbi = the general pants of radio stations.

Dexter Ramone

Dexter Ramone said on the 30th Apr, 2009

I'm all for community radio, but besides a late night program that used to be really good and got axed, I can't remember his name, James or something. The rest of the music is usually pretty shit.

dream_brother

dream_brother said on the 30th Apr, 2009



yeah i heard something about that guy too. wonder what he's up to these days...

MegX

MegX said on the 30th Apr, 2009

How the hell did they blow $1 million? Community stations struggle to receive $10,000 let alone be in a position to spend $1 million.

clashpalace

clashpalace said on the 30th Apr, 2009

I love how the dreadlocked nimbin crowd were all like FUCK JJJ, fbi is the bomb.... and then next you know FBi has advertising for products and bands are paying to be on the radio.

It's just the way life is, you can't run a business off charity. IE the incessant doner pledge drives on the station itself. I actually didn't mind the advertising for beer and stuff... well thought-out advertising.

And it was great when it started, playing local bands and stuff (and still are) But how is it a winning formula to have bands 'become members' of the station by PAYING for it..... eg. basically PAYING to be on the radio? It's ok in theory, but its endgame = fail because you'll just have;

SonyBMG or somebunch of fucks come in and 'donate' something to play their shithouse music on the station..

I only listen to FBi and JJJ (who are lucky and don't have to worry about funding so no advertising) but honestly... FBi you just need to re-think your entire business plan. How old is the station? a few years old? How many years in a row did I hear about donations 'for upgrades'.... how many times do you have to upgrade things? It was every-year.

They should scale back expenses and quit trying to grow. Perhaps approach the government or local colleges for some type of program where they exchange experience to youth in radio media for funding to stay alive.

Mixed with keeping membership and advertising and airplay local and not caving to corporate wankery might be a good idea. Though I understand its a juggling act.

200,000 listeners... that is surprising. I have noticed a shift to electronica of sorts in the past year or so. I seem to be flicking off it a lot lately.

JJJ and FBi are the only radio worth listening to. Tho they both have their badpoints... you cant please everyone.

brittles

brittles said on the 30th Apr, 2009

This is where its at when it comes to community radio bitches....

http://4zzzfm.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/zedbloglogo1.jpg

Dexter Ramone

Dexter Ramone said on the 30th Apr, 2009

meh I just flick until I find a song if I ever listen to it. I'm not all that interested in hearing people talk shit. (although I'll catch shortfastloud on JJJ if I'm in the car)

mickel

mickel said on the 1st May, 2009

In response to Wolf, I was under the impression the Golbal Financial Crisis had affected FBi, leading to a downturn in advertising, as opposed to the $1 million 'black hole' as created by poor management of the station.

dream_brother

dream_brother said on the 1st May, 2009

mickel = someone at fbi

Demosthenes

Demosthenes said on the 1st May, 2009

This is where its at when it comes to community radio bitches....

http://4zzzfm.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/zedbloglogo1.jpg

^^^^ This. And they web-stream now. It is a thing of beauty.

brownie-ll

brownie-ll said on the 1st May, 2009



They tried to sue No Age and lost.

jack sh1t

jack sh1t said on the 5th May, 2009

i have worked for fbi for a decade. like all our volunteers, i pay out of my own pocket to support the station each year.

does that mean that the carping, apathetic, haters dribbling onto this thread will disregard what i say? quelle horreur!!

if they're going to parlay the loss of one show years ago (that i loved too) into such malicious cynicism that they'd tar a whole station's musical output with the same brush, then they deserve to continue missing out on the diversity that so many others continue to enjoy and explore. what is not ok, however, is for such wilfully uninformed cynicism to potentially deprive current and future programs - and the music that makes them - of a forum at all.

i lived through the banal vacuum of sydney in the period between jjj as a local station and the advent of fbi and it was a bitter and dead time culturally - people really fell into a self-perpetuating malaise as venues closed and opportunities to be heard constricted. fbi changed all that and i, for one, do not wish to go back. hence, i'll address my comments here to everyone beyond - particularly those that may give a shit.

1) the only 'upgrade' fbi has been attempting is to finish building (with volunteer labour) a second studio - to train more volunteers, enable more live music and allow for news and current affairs production beyond our one current live-to-air studio. aside from that, currently on-hold project, we have simply had to replace the equipment from the on-air studio as it inevitably suffers due to 24-hour-a-day wear and tear.

2) no band or individual pays for play on the station. campaigns do not influence music selection at all - we are not the mother-fucking street press! If we were you could join the dots between (corporate or bedroom) bands advertising and inevitable daily play. you cannot.

3) sponsorship has contracted substantially due to the g.f.c. (which has also impacted on membership) in a manner that could not have been foreseen by anyone within the station, just as it was not foreseen globally.

4) our costs are astronomically higher than other stations due to both the greater reach and intent of our operation and also to the absence of funding from major educational institutions and the like. the million dollar sum aims to pay off some of the debt associated with unavoidable start-up costs as well as to overcome the short-term deficit due to conditions. simultaneous to this every avenue of cost-pruning is being looked at despite the tight-ship we've run successfully for 5 years now. in this way a long-term future can be assured.

individual tastes differ - that i have no problem with, in fact i celebrate it - i listen to all sorts of radio for that reason. regardless of what yr bias may be, it boggles the mind that anyone who purports to enjoy music would wish ill on a station that enables untold amounts of active, creative people to get their gear out there and share.

thousands of enthusiastic volunteers give their hours and hard-earned cash to enable an unrivalled commitment to local fare - 50% australian music and half of that from sydney - that may never be otherwise heard.

fbi will survive, and thrive, if even a portion of that dedication and passion - so manifest in the streets, pubs, clubs, theatres, cafes, galleries and homes of Sydney - is returned in kind.

win or lose, i'd sooner bet on that than snipe from the sidelines as the world contracts.

some things are what you make of them - as a station mandated to energise and enable emerging arts in a maligned metropolis, this is one.

dogmongler

dogmongler said on the 5th May, 2009

pretty sure everyone in here just got destroyed

i'd donate if i had the spare cash, talk to me when i get back from france

dkos

dkos said on the 5th May, 2009

http://www.andrerieutranslations.com/images/violin123.jpg

This is me playing the worlds tiniest violin for FBI radio.

icutmyownhair

icutmyownhair said on the 6th May, 2009

too long, didn't read. please provide an abstract. less than 50 words.

Braveheart81

Braveheart81 said on the 6th May, 2009

http://www.andrerieutranslations.com/images/violin123.jpg

This is me playing the worlds tiniest violin for FBI radio.

Well you won't be hearing that on FBI soon.

gumbuoy

gumbuoy said on the 6th May, 2009

Dew Process just announced on their twitter :

"One of our bands is doing a secret show at the Hoey in Sydney tonight, with all benefits going to FBi. Who is it?"

mooney88

mooney88 said on the 6th May, 2009

wtf?

dream_brother

dream_brother said on the 6th May, 2009

kids that want to be trendy listen to it.

the only ppl that i've ever had a discussion about that radio station with are the ones still frothing off justice and daft punk touring.

i have given that station many a chance. each time has been really shit music.

i'm more against the image it gives off though. wanky kids who think that they're somehow more in the know because they happen to listen to a slightly non-shitter radio station than all the other crap out there.