A Hobart radio station that has been spreading messages of hope across southern Tasmania for 46 years is racing to raise $160,000 before the end of the financial year to stay on the air.
Ultra106five is a not-for-profit, listener-supported station that costs about $500,000 a year to run.
It first went to air as 7HFC, short for Hope Foundation Communicators, in 1980 from a makeshift studio inside a New Town home.
Today, the station broadcasts as Ultra106five to thousands of families across the state’s south each day.
General manager David Wood, who has spent 42 years in radio, said the station was approaching the halfway mark of its ‘On Air On Purpose’ appeal with four days remaining.
“Generally speaking, we’re going to double what we’ve got going into the last four days, so we’re pretty confident,” Wood told Pulse.
He said the station filled a critical role at a time when many people were struggling to find optimism in a world filled with negativity.
“The thing I find particularly at the moment is there’s a lot of a lack of hope,” he said.
“When they tune into us, they can find that message of hope and positivity.”
Wood said the station does not have the same revenue as commercial broadcasters and operates on a shoestring budget, generating roughly half its income from listeners and half from sponsors.
“Every dollar that comes in from listeners allows us to continue to provide that message of hope for Hobart,” he said.
He said one listener recently described the station as “the ultimate seatbelt” – something you might not know you need until an emergency hits.
Announcer Euan Burns, who also works as a counsellor, said the station reaches people at their most vulnerable moments.
“You don’t realise how desperate people are for a message of hope and you don’t realise how difficult people’s lives are,” Burns said.
“That’s what’s so cool about the station, it meets people in such an honest place so often in their car by themselves where they get to reflect.”
Appeal leader Jo Chapman said the fundraising target relies on contributions of all sizes.
“Rather than being owned by one person [or] one big donation, it’s, ‘hey, I can see myself in that station because that’s my $50’ or ‘I can see myself inspiring others because I gave that thousand,” she said.
“I love the inspiration we can give to one another.”
Chapman said donations over $2 are fully tax deductible and can be made at ultra106five.com or by calling 6231 1065 during business hours.
