todayscountry94one – Central Coast Country Radio Station

The results from the Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth are as follows:

Engineer of the Year – Ted Howard

todayscountry94one has won the People’s Choice Award for Australia’s Favourite Country Music Radio Station in Tamworth.  We were up against 2RRR 88.5 FM (Sydney), Cool Country 2KA (Sydney),”Good Morning Country” and Radio Northern Beaches (Sydney) .

Pretty exciting for our team considering we have only had our long-term broadcast licence since 8 April 2010!

Thank you to all our loyal listeners who voted for us!

todayscountry94one would like to help a budding young country music performer take the first step to becoming a star.  The Central Coast’s only all country music radio station is once again sponsoring a scholarship to enable a performer to free entry into the hugely sought after CMAA Australian Academy of Country Music in Tamworth.  Previous graduates include Brooke & Samantha McClymont and Sara Storer.  The scholarship worth $3,000 will entitle the winner to attend the two week residential music program, which will be held in June/July 2013 (dates to be confirmed).

The successful applicants will take part in the Heats to be held in July 2012 with five (to be confirmed) from each Heat making up the top ten to go through to the Final.  Judges will be leaders in the Australian Country Music recording and entertainment industry and todayscountry94one.

In addition to the $3,000 scholarship, the winner will receive a one song recording at the Music Cellar Studio, produced by Rod McCormack, delivered as a production master ready for  manufacturing, plus an appearance at the todayscountry94one Christmas Party Concert in December 2012, and 12 months support and airplay on todayscountry94one.

The 2012 todayscountry94one Brand New Star Competition promises to be bigger and better than previous events where patrons enjoyed the entertainment provided by the outstanding young country music talent, including our 2011 Winner, Bryce Sainty.  Following the 2010 Competition, Makaylie Foodey, Georgia White and Hannah Smith were signed by Core Music as a direct result of this competition and are currently part of the hot young group “The Apprentices“).

Entry is open to anyone between the ages of 15 and 35 years.  Entries close at 4.00 pm on Thursday, 31 May 2012 and applicants will be notified if they are successful in qualifying for the Heats by 5.00 pm on Tuesday, 12 June 2012.  Each applicant is allowed one accompanist (no bands or backing tracks) and will perform one song.

Email entries to admin@todayscountry94one.com (or post to:  todayscountry94one, PO Box 1042, GOSFORD  NSW  2250).  Entries must be accompanied by an mp3 of one song (or CD in the mail), a minimum one page Bio and photo.  Please make sure you include your full name, date of birth, and full contact details (address, telephone number/s and email address).

The successful applicants will be notified by email or telephone.

Please note, that there will be no entry fee or booking required for people wishing to be a part of the audience (venues/dates/times to be advised, but Heats and Final are proposed to be held in Clubs across the Central Coast in July 2012).

For further information please phone Carmel Pickup, Station Co-ordinator, on (02) 4323 2441.

Once again our loyal listeners supported the todayscountry94one Annual Race Day at Gosford Race Club on Thursday, 29 December 2011.  Along with the seven race meet, patrons were entertained by Adam Harvey, The Toombs Brothers and Chris James.

Thank you to everyone who supported this event – we hope you had a great day!

Thank you also to our wonderful sponsors on the day:

todayscountry94one is delighted to announce that we are Finalists for Most Popular Radio Station and DeanO & Sgt Ron are Finalists for the Most Popular Country Music DJ Award.

Thank you to all our loyal listeners who voted for us!

Here at todayscountry94one we get many people asking us what program they need to ‘listen live’ to our radio station over the internet.

The program we recommend is VLC Media Player.  Go to http://www.download.com and search for VLC and download and install the FREE VLC Media player.

Also you can listen via an iphone or google android smartphone using the FREE “TUNE IN RADIO” app.

For some time todayscountry94one’s listeners have been able to follow us on Facebook.  As of today, you can also follow us on Twitter.

The future of Community Radio on the Central Coast is ensured with the recent formation of the Gosford/Wyong Community Radio Association Incorporated.

A joint initiative of todayscountry94one, Coast FM and Radio Five-O-Plus, GWCRAI has been formed for the purpose of accessing and managing grant funding on behalf of all three member Stations, for essential transmission works at the towers they broadcast from.

In March this year the towers’ owner, Central Coast Radio Pty Ltd, called a meeting of the three Community Stations who lease space on their transmission towers.   Radio Five-O-Plus was advised that they would be required to relocate from the 2GO tower in Somersby to the nearby SEA FM tower, and join todayscountry94one and Coast FM in an antenna sharing arrangement, the cost of which would have to be borne by the Stations themselves.

As this proposal necessitated a co-operative arrangement between the stations to afford the works involved, Carmel Pickup (Station Co-ordinator of todayscountry94one) came up with the idea of applying for grant funding through the Community Broadcasting Foundation on behalf of all three Stations.

“What started out as a simple idea of applying jointly for grant funding turned into an enormous project” she said.  “Not only did we have to write the application, which is no mean feat in itself, but we had to form a whole new Incorporated Association just to be eligible to apply for the funding.”

Whilst co-operative arrangements like this are not unheard of, the Community Broadcasting Foundation has advised GWCRAI that they are extremely uncommon, and in the instances where there are other joint arrangements, they are all in Capital Cities.

Carmel said “Our joint initiative is quite possibly a first for NSW, and an exciting example of what can be achieved when Community Radio Stations put competition aside and work together in a co-operative manner.  We certainly hope others will follow our lead”.

GWCRAI was notified on 23 November 2011 that it’s grant application has been approved with the sum of $25,873.00 awarded to the Association for the proposed works.  The Board of GWCRAI have met and agreed to move forward with the implementation of this project immediately.  The equipment having now been ordered.

NB:  We at todayscountry94one wish to acknowledge the co-operation and commitment of our partners Coast FM963 and Radio Five-O-Plus in this joint initiative.

A very big thank you to everyone who supported todayscountry94one on 12 November 2011 and came to our Christmas Party Concert at Central Coast Leagues Club.  It was a very successful night.

A big thank you also to Troy, who won the double pass to Travis Collins’ Christmas Cruise, and has donated it back to the Station to give to someone in need.

Thank you also to everyone who supported Movember and donated because of Sgt Ron’s creepy mo!

Our sponsors for the night were:

Platinum Sponsor: Central Coast Leagues Club

Platinum Sponsor:  Gosford Race Club

Gold Sponsor: All Sorts Fitness Centre

Gold Sponsor:  Bruce Talbot The Good Guys Erina

Gold Sponsor:  Express Lube

Silver Sponsor:  Coastal Liner

On 18 July 2011 todayscountry94one was once again extremely fortunate to receive grant funding totalling $13,724.70 under the Community Broadcasting Foundation’s Round 2 2010/11 Transmission Equipment Category Grants.  This funding has been provided to purchase our own 2kW solid state transmitter.

The receipt of this grant is another step in todayscountry94one’s strategy to own all our own broadcast equipment.

todayscountry94one wish to publicly thank the Community Broadcasting Foundation for providing us with this wonderful grant funding.

Note:  our new transmitter was installed on Monday, 24 October 2011 and we are now putting out our full 2kW of power.