Big Buzz at Big River FM in Northland

Radio interns get a buzz out of life in Dargaville

JO BELWORTHY

Kaipara community radio station Big River FM’s latest interns give Dargaville a big thumbs-up.

The interns are fresh out of radio school in Tauranga and will spend the next three to six months keeping Kaipara folk entertained and up with the play on what’s going on in the region.

Amanda Southorn from Rotorua says she loves it here.

“People warned me I was going to hate it, but I love it, it’s completely different.”

Callum Lee, from Tauranga, had never heard of Dargaville before. “It’s beautiful out there, it’s so laid back.”

Amanda and Laura Barnaby from Auckland team up on air every day from 7am to noon, while Callum and co-host Katia Goodwin from Hamilton take the noon to 4pm slot.

The four are already thinking about their future careers.

Amanda has her heart set on the night show on Auckland’s More FM. “It goes nationwide so the whole nation can hear it and I’m a night person,” she says.

Laura wants to be promotions co-ordinator for ZM in Auckland.

“Everyone loves free stuff and I’d love to be that person to give it away,” she says.

Callum enjoys music and talking and wants to join the Rock radio team.

“I like everything they do,” he says.

Katia is also keen on promotions and loves the big radio family.

“There’s a lot of cool people in radio. I’d love to go back to Hamilton and do something like drive the [Edge] Road Runner,” she says.

“There’s a lot of cool people in radio. I’d love to go back to Hamilton and do something like drive the [Edge] Road Runner,” she says.

Amanda says she used to be more nervous getting criticism from friends.

They say they’re getting plenty of help from station manager Anaru Tana, and from former DJs.

“The feedback’s been good,” Callum says.

Big River goes out on 98.6 and 88.2 FM and streams live on bigriverfm.co.nz.

© Fairfax NZ News