Kiss FM is calling on their community to throw support behind them as they fight to stay on the air.
Kiss FM Dance Music Australia in Brunswick, Melbourne needs urgent community support to survive.
The local station should be celebrating its 20th anniversary on air, but instead has been forced to reach out for support.
The low-powered FM station, operating out of Brunswick, faces potential licence loss after transmitter thefts and equipment upgrade issues. Broadcasting authorities require all equipment to remain operational or stations forfeit their licences. Kiss FM has suffered six transmitter thefts over recent years.
Station owners Timmy Byrne and Kate Wignell operate on a limited budget. Delays in accessing transmitter sites have complicated compliance efforts. The broadcasting authority has increased pressure for immediate action.
Kiss FM – Brunswick
- Requires $85,000 to modernise transmitters, antennas and computers
- GoFundMe campaign launched to save station, donate here
- 20 years of broadcasting underground electronic dance music
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Kiss FM in Brunswick reaches significant audiences across multiple platforms. The station attracts 99,000 weekly FM listeners in Melbourne. Online streaming delivers 30,000 daily listeners from 150 countries worldwide. Survey data suggests actual listenership doubles when accounting for shared listening.
Technical challenges compound the station’s difficulties. Changes in broadcasting technologies have deteriorated listener experience. Adjacent broadcast transmissions create interference problems. The station must consolidate and update equipment to maintain clean signal quality.
The station serves diverse communities through specialised programming. Broadcast schedules feature 98 different electronic music genres weekly. Local content includes 87 DJs and presenters performing live shows.
Financial pressures threaten operational sustainability. The station receives no government funding, unlike community broadcasters. Byrne and Wignell manage operations typically requiring eight to 12 staff members. Rising rental costs affect both studio and transmitter sites.
The station recently gained aspirant membership with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia. However, no community radio frequencies remain available in Melbourne. Kiss FM Dance Music Australia must continue broadcasting via low-powered frequencies and online streaming.
Fundraising efforts target equipment modernisation and operational improvements. The $85,000 campaign aims to restore 2024 signal quality standards. Additional funds will update membership systems and modernise website functionality. Mobile app improvements also require financial investment.
Station management emphasises community support importance. Twenty years of dedicated broadcasting has established international recognition. The underground electronic music scene relies on independent platforms like Kiss FM Dance Music Australia for artist development and audience growth.
For more information, head here.
