Kicking off tomorrow Friday 23 August, The Pulse radio station will be hosting a number of events to entice new subscriptions.
94.7 The Pulse has been the beating heart to community radio in Geelong since November 1984. Originally known as 3YYR (You Yangs Radio) swapping to Geelong Radio ’96 and cementing itself as The Pulse in 2001, the station has become a voice for the community through its diverse programming and topic coverage from multicultural shows and current affairs to special interest programs and local events coverage.
The not-for-profit station, consisting of over 150 volunteers, is running its annual subscribe-a-thon to drive up memberships and bring together listeners, subscribers, and the community over ten days of celebration in a shared effort to keep local radio thriving.
The Pulse Subscribe-a-thon Events
- Friday 23 August: Live At The Pulse – Live Performances from 3 Local Musicians, plus drinks and prizes! Free for subscribers.
- Sunday 25 August: Open Day – Studio tours, behind-the-scenes sneak peek and your chance to record a station sweeper.
- Monday 26 August: Outside Broadcast – Rob’s Front Page, Broadcasting live from LARA
- Wednesday 28 August: Pulse Unplugged – Tune in for live local performances each hour.
- Friday 30 August: Meet Us At The Pulse – Geelong Music Network meet up with Pulse Presenters.
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
View this post on Instagram
Kicking off The Pulse subscribe-a-thon on Friday 23 August is an evening of live music at The Pulse. The free concert for subscribers will feature performances from local talents Maddie Jackway, Jared Bailey and Andrea Robertson. Non-subscribers can also join the event for $15, enjoying an evening of diverse music, prizes and drinks.
The station will also be opening their doors on Sunday 25 August for a studio tour, behind the scenes sneak peak into the day to day of a functioning station and attendees will also have the chance to record a station sweeper, which for those who aren’t savvy with broadcasting language is the short pre-recorded segues that are sliced to go in between songs, such as “You’re listening to 94.7 The Pulse”. The following day will see the station head off-site for a live broadcast of Rob’s front page from Lara, and Wednesday 28 more artists will jump into the studio for hourly live local performances.
On Friday 30 August, the station will be teaming up with Geelong Music Network, an initiative by Lucinda Goodwin and Monique Chester who host monthly meet-up. This one will take place at The Pulse where attendees of the music community will get to ask questions about community radio, meet presenters and be given tips for how to get songs played on the station.
These offerings are an effort to better understand the crucial place of community radio in a thriving culture and the place that The Pulse holds in that conversation. Last year The Pulse conducted 1300 interviews with community leaders, business owners and local heroes. The Pulse broadcast in 10 languages to serve our multicultural community across Greater Geelong and surround, extending into Werribee, Surf Coast and Golden Plains.
View this post on Instagram
In addition the station is an anchor for education. The Pulse also provides valuable opportunities for students, offering internships and work placements that totalled 990 hours last year. With over 100 hours of live radio broadcast each week and 140 hours of outside broadcasts yearly, The Pulse brings the community closer together through shared experiences and local content.
To continue this important work, The Pulse needs the community’s support. The Subscribe-a-thon aims to raise $40,000 to increase live music offerings, enhance outside broadcasts, and develop more local content. By subscribing or donating,
listeners help ensure The Pulse remains supporting and showcasing our community. The subscription tier are in no ways going to break the bank, but are crucial for the existence of the station. A $65 General Subscription keeps The Pulse on-air for 1.5 hours, allowing subscribers to enjoy 8,759.5 hours of FREE listening per year. For organisations, a $200 Community Subscription pays for 78 hours of electricity, literally keeping the lights on at the station. A $400 Business Subscription supports five weeks of news bulletins, providing listeners with the latest updates. Donations are also vital, with $100 providing 2.5 hours of supervised support for university interns, and $250 covering one month’s internet access. A $1,000 donation pays for website hosting and upgrades, ensuring listeners always know what’s on and when.
“We know The Pulse is loved out there, we get texts, emails and people telling us they are listening in. We love making quality content for them. Their support is crucial and every dollar counts,” says Loretta Hart, Acting Station Manager of The Pulse.
Whether you’re a longtime listener or a newcomer, now is the perfect time to subscribe, donate, and become a part of The Pulse. Together, we can ensure The Pulse continues to inform, inspire, and connect us all for years to come.
For more information and to subscribe, visit The Pulse’s website here. Head along to their events over the coming days to see the station in action and learn more about the critical work The Pulse do in Geelong.
