3WAY FM stalwart John McInnes has been awarded a Warrnambool City Council Australia Day citizenship award, and Dorin Hart has received a similar award for her work at 2BBB Bellingen. The awards recognise people who have made a significant contribution to their communities.
Quiet achiever John McInnes has been an important part of Victorian Community radio station 3WAY’s growth and is currently vice president of the CBAA board.
McInnes is currently secretary of 3WAY FM, and is responsible for training, programming and technical matters. The former school principal, who also worked as a shearer in his young days, is a quietly spoken yet determined man who is known to get the job done. He was previously president of the station and has been involved with 3WAY for over ten years.
3WAY FM recently had its licence renewed after a submission prepared by McInnes.
McInnes also made a contribution to the ACMA radio industry inquiry, explaining the value of community broadcasting on behalf of his station, saying:
“We believe [community radio] provides a major public benefit, particularly in regional areas… Community radio provides a readily available and accessible entry point for people in country areas to gain the necessary media experience for careers in the media.”
Dorin Hart has been a part of Northern NSW regional community station 2BBB since the mid-1980s in various positions including chairperson, news co-ordinator and trainer.
During the 2009 floods she organised electrical equipment to be moved to a safe height while maintaining contact with the SES and continuing to broadcast flood information to the community. Eventually she was forced to switch off the main console and evacuate the building. She was instrumental in organising the restoration after the floods and keeping the station on air from an OB van.
Her nominees stated: “This small example illustrates the outstanding and mindful contribution Dorin Hart makes on a regular basis to the community.”
The awards were presented at local Australia Day celebrations on Tuesday.