How To Run Radio Monash

Running a radio station is no easy feat. Being the station manager at any commercial or community station will always be a crazy adventure, whether that be KISS FM or PBS. However, running RadMon… now that is a challenge.

As the outgoing President of Radio Monash, having been in the role for almost three years and at the station for nearly four, let me break down the ins and outs of running RadMon.

Step 1: The Departments

Radmon is split into 6 areas, with a variety or roles.

1. Radio: Programming all of the shows, doing the licensing, training people on how to use the equipment and uploading music. This all goes into keeping radio alive.

2. Studio: The recording studio and live producing unit of Radmon. It provides students the opportunity to record and rehearse music, gain skills in live music production and so much more.

3. Tech: Radmon doesn’t run without tech. Without our tech people, we don’t exist.

4. Journalism: Radmon also has a journalism department. We focus on music journalism, but we write on almost everything.

5. Marketing: We have a very strong brand identity on how we are and why we are here. Getting posts out and letting the people know what we are all about is super important.

6. Events: Radmon runs so many different types of events it’s crazy. Live music is just as important as music on our airwaves.

Step 2: Know Your Hurdles

To start your understanding of how to run Radmon, you must first know what can take down the station. During my time, there are only three things that can do this:

1. The tech situation: either the radio stream, the MOTU (not even I really know what this is, but it is always breaking), or something administrative like Google Drive, the website, or our emails. Tech is the life blood of any radio station. So as soon as it goes down, panic will ensue. Understand how it works, and always have a backup.

2. The volunteers: RadMon only survives because of loyal diehards who live and breathe music and radio. Without them, the station does not run. The hardest part, aside from attendance, is when the specific knowledge on how to run the station isn’t passed down. If there isn’t any documentation created, it can set the station back years. Information is key when you have so many intricate and critical systems. If this information is lost, it can spell for disaster.

3. Money: It does not matter what you do in the world, most of the time it will always come back to money. Many people believe radio is dying. This false myth leads others to think stations should not be funded. That is outright wrong! Radio Monash has certainly had its fair share of struggles with people not giving us money (cough cough a certain student association), which leads to maintenance issues or difficulties delivering services. Known the station and the people’s worth, and get ready to advocate for it.

Step 3: Understand the Nuts and Bolts of the Station

The nuts and bolts really come down to a few key items:

1. The people are everything. Creating a fun, welcoming, and creative environment is key. Without that, you will lose people and eventually the station itself.

2. If it’s working, leave it alone and do not touch it.

3. Training and OH&S. We have a lot of scary equipment. It is important people know how to use it for their own sake and ours.

4. Vibes. Student radio is where so many cool things start. Without the vibes, the station’s themes and aura will not permeate into student culture.

5. Know the brand. Radmon is DIY student radio. We aren’t professionals. We need to have enough of a visual identity to define who we are, but at our core we are just a bunch of music and media loving students who want to create.

Step 4: Know Your Listeners and Audience

So, you have RadMon running and not falling apart at the MOTU or the BUTT stream. Great! That is huge. Now you need to understand how to get people to engage with it. At RadMon, this is done in three ways:

1. Our audience are music lovers. That is why we target students with live gigs, music, and unique taste. Providing a platform for student artists is highly important and a vital part of who we are. That audience is always a priority.

2. Supporting Monash student artists is practically our brand. It is what we are known for. Every station needs its niche. For Triple R it is education, for PBS it is Australian music, and for Radio Monash it is student artists.

3. Create a community. As cheesy and corny as it sounds, without community there is nothing to engage with. Everything and everyone at the station is connected to someone or something. All creative projects stem from the people, and without those people, there is nothing to engage with.

Final Words to Live By

1. Radio is not dying. Advocate for the station, the artists, and the creatives behind the scenes.

2. Pray to the MOTU gods, and if something stops working, try turning it off and on again.

3. RadMon is more than radio.

This is the very very very short version of how to run Radio Monash. In my almost three years running this place, I have learnt so much that I cannot even put into words. Running this station has been an incredible experience, but it has not been easy. There will be times where you want to give up and leave. Sticking it through those difficult times is ironically enough what builds the community. If you are looking to take up the mantle, treat it with care, and it will reward you immensely.