Luke & Lucy shared some exciting news last week - LightFM is on the move!!!
General Manager Graham Hasler announced that after a search lasting several years, LightFM will soon move to our new home – at
Hear Graham with Luke and Lucy sharing the news:
{enclose lightfm_theannouncement.mp3}
LightFM outgrew our current building long ago we've been itching to move for some time.
See Luke’s comparison tour of our old AND new buildings ← NEW!
Why haven't you moved before now?
In 2008 LightFM appealed for financial support to help move to new premises and the Management team searched long and hard to find something suitable. To date, we have looked at more than one hundred buildings. However, by the end of that year, the world had changed and the economic outlook was most uncertain.
Given that, and to ensure our sustainability, the LightFM Board believed it best to postpone the relocation until we could plan a move with more certainty. While it was disappointing, we knew it was the right decision.
Those funds from 2008 have been earning interest and are now being used to purchase the broadcast equipment needed in LightFM’s new home. That equipment is the latest digital technology and means we’ll have much better resources to share the Message of Hope.
What happens now?
Anyone who’s moved house knows it’s no small feat. Moving a radio station business is certainly no small feat – and we have to stay on air all the time while the move is underway! We actually have to build a whole new radio station and that requires careful planning as well as the purchase, installation and fit-out of studios, Master Control and offices. There’s a lot to do and we plan to be on air in Mitcham by October. As you can imagine, this comes at no small expense. Thanks to the generous support from listeners previously, we’re some of the way there, but we still need a lot more to get us into our new home. In fact, $500,000!
Why do you need $500,000?
Here is a breakdown of what we are budgeting for:
New Studio Equipment: $200,000
(this has been ordered thanks to funds given previously)
Construction of new Studios & Master Control: $120,000
Office Fit Out: $100,000
Office Equipment: $50,000
Relocation Costs: $20,000
Security Bond: $10,000
Operational Costs: $200,000
TOTAL: $500,000
This may seem like a lot of money – but please understand that we actually have to build a whole new radio station – as we simply can’t go off the air in order to relocate.
How you can help
While we’re excited about this new chapter for LightFM, in the end, this is just a building. LightFM isn’t a building and it’s not about equipment and studios. It isn’t even just about our hard-working people. LightFM is a station that's not focused on making a profit or just making radio programes. LightFM exists to impact all of Melbourne in a positive way with a Message of Hope. Because our current facilities restrict our ability to reach our vision, we have to move to a new building – with new resources that will enable LightFM to achieve 'Greater Things' in
Our current building lease ends in October so we must move by then. As a listener-supported station, we need your help. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to LightFM’s Greater Things appeal – you can find out more here.
Thank you for your continuing support of 89.9 LightFM –