Matai Smith is Tūranga FM station manager and breakfast host. Photo / Supplied
By Matai Oconnor, Kaupapa Reporter Gisborne Herald
Tūranga FM is frantically working to get back on air after power outages and then internet connectivity issues meant it was not able to broadcast at such a critical time.
Station manager and breakfast host Mātai Smith says after Covid it had some contingency plans in place for its DJs to broadcast remotely.
“However, it’s reliant on internet and power and with both of those things down, our hands are tied.
“It’s the same for our whānau further north at Radio Ngāti Porou who are also off air (but broadcasting locally).
“We’ve ordered a Starlink to hopefully arrive tomorrow morning but until then we’re unable to broadcast to our whānau and we’re so sorry we’ve been put in this uniquely difficult situation — please bear with us whānau.”
Tūranga FM will be broadcasting on 91.7, 95.7 and 98.1FM, and via the Whare Korero and Iheart Radio apps when they are set back up.
Radio Ngāti Porou, based in Ruatoria, is also down but able to broadcast locally.
Station manager Erana Reedy managed to get some cellphone reception via 2degrees and said they were okay. She is at the Ruatorea Fire Station which is the Civil Defence centre.
“We are alive and well — about to get used to living like our tipuna with no power, no gas and, where needed, horses.
“Until fibre is up and running properly we’re only broadcasting locally on 98.5FM. No power now, so we’ve decided to broadcast in blocks, 9-11am, 1-3pm then 7-9pm to conserve the limited petrol we have here in Ruatorea.”