Featured Stories Archive - OAR FM Dunedin

Dunedin Pride On Air

Dunedin Pride is using radio and podcasts to elevate the voices of people in the local rainbow community.

OAR FM show Pride On Air is co-hosted by the volunteer-run organisation’s chairperson Max Wolfgram and committee member Shayla Kara.

Shayla said the goal was for Dunedin Pride to be more present in the community than it has been in the past.

“We’ve got to cover all the bases. We have posters, we have the website, we have Social Media. Now, we’re on air.”

The programme features profiles of Dunedin Pride committee members, promotes local events and initiatives for the queer community, and reports on Pride-related news.

Next month sees a busy programme of events for Dunedin Pride Month, and a collaboration with Dunedin Fringe Festival. From 12 to 26 March, the Community Gallery at 26 Princes St will transform into the Dunedin Pride X Fringe Hub.

Pride Night events are held on the final Friday of each month and a Dunedin Pride Youth Ball is planned for July. An Open Book Group has recently been formed, and several other new clubs are in their planning stages.

Pride On Air is broadcast every second Thursday at 5pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Google podcasts and Apple podcasts.

Travels Inspire Young Podcaster

A new programme and podcast on OAR FM’s Youth Zone is exploring questions of identity through the lens of a young migrant.

Anaya Mundamattam (17) is more widely travelled than most girls her age. With both parents working for non-government agencies in the development sector, she and younger sister Aahana have followed their path from homeland India to Cambodia, Malawi, Bangladesh and now New Zealand.

Anaya talks about one of the key challenges of this cross-cultural lifestyle in the first episode of her podcast, Little Fish in the Big Sea.

“I felt like I had to actively change my personality and self to supposedly fit in, which is apparently a requirement in your pre-teens and teens.

“This whole idea of having multiple selves is not purely a migrant experience but I feel it is especially pronounced in migrants.”

Benefits from her experiences included a developing love for literature and art, a multicultural perspective on life and empathy for those considered different.

Other topics planned for the podcast include dealing with casual racism and the many different ways women experience discrimination, to “plain old gossip”.

Little Fish in the Big Sea is broadcast every second Wednesday at 4pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Spotify, Google podcasts and Apple podcasts.

Book Club Inspires Radio Show

Photo: Respectful conversation: Hugh O’Neill hosts The Glass Half Full on OAR FM.

After-dinner conversation at a Dunedin book club has spawned a new radio show and podcast on OAR FM.

The Glass Half Full is a conversation-based hour, with topics ranging from gardening to travel, home schooling and social issues.

Programme host Hugh O’Neill said the show had its origins in a neighbourhood book club, where discussions would go delightfully off topic.

“We spent more time on interesting tangents than on books. Everyone has a story to tell, and sharing these over a glass always makes for good craic, as the Irish say.

“Our idea then was to share that ambience with a wider audience.”

Mr O’Neill said the programme would not shirk from controversy but would always aim to keep the conversation flowing and respectful.

“We won’t be taking ourselves too seriously, either. Laughter and joy are happily contagious. There is no doubt that the times are a-changin’ but we shall try and get to the heart of the matter, look for solutions, offer support.”

The Glass Half Full airs every Sunday at 8pm

Radio Series on Collective Resilience

Series four of OAR FM programme and podcast Bringing Wellbeing to Life is providing helpful insight into how organisations can help their members to thrive.

Programme coordinator Dr Denise Quinlan is co-founder of the Dunedin-based New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience. Together with fellow founder Dr Lucy Hone, she leads discussion on strategies for navigating some of the biggest obstacles we will all face.

Dr Quinlan said how people are with each other, at work, school or home, shapes their resilience.

“The larger group cultures can support us to thrive or leave us debilitated.

“Collective resilience is the ability of a group or organisation to sustain and support its members through challenging times.”

Drs Quinlan and Hone draw from their own personal and professional experience for the radio show and podcast, and also include conversations with other professionals around the world.

“We’ve seen collective resilience in operation, close-up, and we’ve collected the stories of resilience-builders to share with everyone,” said Dr Quinlan.

Bringing Wellbeing to Life airs every second Thursday at 1.30pm

Neoliberalism Explained on OAR FM

Photo: Testing the Market: Libby Flett hosts Noticing Neoliberalism on OAR FM Dunedin.

The impacts of market-oriented reform policies are under the microscope in a new programme and podcast on OAR FM.

For Libby Flett (20), a student of philosophy, politics and economics at University of Otago, the term “neoliberalism” meant very little until her tertiary studies began.

Comparing and contrasting her University experiences with those of her father, Libby was shocked by the scale of transformation driven by market forces.

Encouraged by her peers at local youth leadership programme Mana Rangatahi, Libby decided to launch her radio show Noticing Neoliberalism as a way of demystifying the ideology that has been driving political and economic policy since the 1980s.

In coming weeks, Libby will explore in plain language how neoliberalism has shaped the world and will ponder its intended and unintended consequences.

Noticing Neoliberalism airs fortnightly Fridays at 4pm.

Young Writers Share Gossip

A group of young writers is sharing insight into their processes and inspirations with listeners to OAR FM programme and podcast “Minor Gossip”.

The Dunedin Youth Writers’ Association is a student-led group that is open to discussion and sharing works, and which aims to create a community that welcomes and expands the thinking of passionate writers from Dunedin high schools.

The group meets every second Wednesday on the fourth floor of Dunedin City Library. Sessions vary from student-led group discussions to silent writing sessions and presentations from guest speakers.

Hosting duties for the radio show are shared between group coordinators Shima Jack (18), Darcy Monteath (18) and Hugo Todd (16).

Ms Jack placed second in the 2022 Charles Brasch Essay competition and, along with Ms Monteath, was recently selected to participate in the 2022 NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme, which aims to nurture, encourage, inspire and develop emerging writers with the support of established authors.

The writers group also publishes monthly magazine “Minor Gospel”, with the assistance of Dunedin Public Libraries. Last month’s first edition featured an anthology of works from group members.

“Minor Gossip” is broadcast every Monday at 4.30pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Google podcasts and Apple podcasts.

OGHS on Air

Otago Girls’ High School media studies students have been behind the mic at OAR FM.

The Year 12 students worked in small groups, preparing and presenting nine live-to-air programmes on a range of themes.

Schools can work with OAR FM to tailor a radio experience to suit their study goals. Station staff will arrange an introductory visit to the school, a short station tour, and guidance on how best to present students’ ideas.

When programmes go to air, students are given training in how to operate the production console, cue music and deliver voice breaks. Content can also be created in the classroom using mobile recording devices.

All programmes are streamed and podcast from the station’s website, enabling students to share their work with friends and family. Links can be posted in newsletters and on school websites.

OGHS Assistant Head of Department, English, Charlotte Hayward said the partnership with OAR provided students with an opportunity to complete a meaningful assessment with real-world applications.

“Students get very excited about their radio shows and it encourages them to step out of their comfort zone and have a great time.”

Schools interested in learning more about radio opportunities can contact Arina Aizal on 471 6161 or email arina@oar.org.nz.

Enriching Language Journey

A native Hindi speaker from Mumbai is inviting OAR FM listeners to take an
enriching journey to connect Hindi speaking communities of New Zealand.

Richa Berde moved to Dunedin in February 2020 to pursue her studies in tourism, soon finding herself confined to hostel accommodation through a nationwide lockdown.

The experience was made especially challenging by her distance from family and
friends, and her sense of disconnection from her homeland.

An invitation to talk about her background, interests and language on OAR FM’s
Connecting Cultures Zone led to a further conversation about hosting a
programme and podcast of her own.

Ms Berde said “Enrich with Richa” was for anyone interested in learning Hindi
along with the cultural aspects of the language.

“Guests will share their experiences of coming to New Zealand, of their life journey
and their relationship with the Hindi language.

“I believe this will foster increased cultural awareness and exchange.”

The series features a mix of English and Hindi, and includes a segment introducing
a common Hindi phrase for those who are new to the language.

“Enrich with Richa” is broadcast every second Thursday at 8.30pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Google podcasts and Apple
podcasts. A full schedule of OAR FM programmes can be found at www.oar.org.nz.

Nursing Network World Tour on Air

A new programme and podcast on OAR FM is bringing together rural, and remote, healthcare communities from around the globe.

The Global Rural Nursing Exchange Network (GRNEN) “World Tour” is hosted by Professor Samuel Mann, from the College of Work-Based Learning at Otago Polytechnic. Each episode finds him talking with a network member based in one of nine rural communities around the world.

GRNEN is an international network of nursing practitioners, educators, researchers and students who share a passion for improving the health of rural communities and an appreciation for the role nurses play in serving these communities.

The network was created with the belief that by providing a forum that encourages global diversity, and invites multiple perspectives, decision making on issues that matter to rural nurses and rural communities around the globe will be improved.

Prof Mann said he hoped the series would be a useful resource for nurses, students and other practitioners in rural health.

“GRNEN is wrapping a pile of product around these stories, to share around their network.”

The Global Rural Nursing Exchange Network “World Tour” is broadcast on the third Sunday of the month at 7pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Google podcasts and Apple podcasts.

Youth Council On Air

Photo: Dedicated to Dunedin: Bram Casey is one of the hosts of Dunedin Youth Council On Air on OAR FM.

Dunedin Youth Council is using its local media platform to share news of the achievements of the city’s younger citizens.

OAR FM programme and podcast Dunedin Youth Council On Air is co-hosted by a team of young councillors, secondary school students elected for a two-year term as representatives for youth in the community.

Dunedin Youth Councillor Bram Casey (15) said the radio show offered the general public insight into what young people were involved with locally.

“Youth council members are able to provide some of that view, but we often call in other young people and interview them about their accomplishments and activities.”

Recent episodes have included features on the Dunedin Youth Writers’ Group, independent record label Strawberry Jam Records, and maintaining wellbeing while studying in times of a pandemic.

Youth council membership for Bram was a deeply personal commitment to his home city.

“I’m in love with every acre of Dunedin,” he said.

“I thought to myself that if I could make a meaningful change or improvement in the city, it would benefit my heart as much as the people I live with, and near.”

Dunedin Youth Council On Air is broadcast on Mondays at 4pm on OAR 105.4FM and 1575AM. Podcasts are available from oar.org.nz, Google podcasts and Apple podcasts.