Broadcaster started in Umina

A community radio station which started in Umina has celebrated its 20th anniversary in the week of Monday, March 18.

The station began broadcasting a few hours a week in a small room above a chemist shop in Umina.

The broadcast only reached several close streets, but after a good response from listeners, the station moved to Gosford in the mid-1990s and broadcast two days per week before advancing to three days per week.

The station obtained a licence to broadcast seven days per week in 1999 and obtained a permanent community broadcasting licence in 2002.

Radio Five-O-Plus 93.3FM president Mr Wayne Flett said the station now broadcasted at 2000 watts, considerably higher than the mere 10 watts that it started with.

"We now have over 100 volunteer staff, including 36 on air presenters.

"We broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a weeks, playing our easy listening music format from our timeline of 1940-1980 to over 60,000 listeners here on the Central Coast.

"We are one of only one or two community stations within Australia that covers such a broad spectrum of music," said Mr Flett.

Media Release, 19 Mar 2013

Wayne Flett, Radio Five-O-Plus 93.3FM