Celebrating Plains FM

Tell us about Plains FM and your mahi.

Plains FM is Canterbury’s only community access media entity, operating as a charitable organisation and governed by the Canterbury Communications Trust.  We have provided professional and accessible media-making facilities and expertise to support the expression and development of our culturally diverse and multi-faceted local communities since 1988. That’s 36 years! (Nicki has herself recently celebrated being at the station for 35 years – congratulations Nicki!)

Everyday people from across Ōtautahi and the environs generate over 2600 hours of content with us every year with the support of a small team of three full time and three part time staff. Content made is by, for and about our community: currently 110 programmes in 15 languages.

We are distinct from “commercial” radio who serve mainstream audiences; we operate as a community development NGO giving a voice to those not well-represented in mainstream media.

Plains FM is partially funded by NZ On Air for our core services, but we’re required to raise the additional operating funding and any specific project funding from the community and philanthropy. We have way more ideas than time or money to achieve what we’d like to! We really, really, really appreciate the support of local funding bodies towards our operational costs.

(pictured above the Plains FM team – Kate, Charlie, Sinclair, Pia and Nicki)

Tell us about the station’s kaupapa and the impact of what you do.

People really are at the centre of what we do and staff provide the infrastructure and support needed as mentors and trainers but do not impose editorial control on their programmes. Presenters are often community leaders, movers and shakers within their own interest niche, or they might be part of an organisation or group. They are engaged, representative and reflect  many cultures as well as some of our most colourful individuals and interests in our region.

We have often heard over the years that making content and being involved with Plains FM can be transformational and open up other opportunities. We have also had listener feedback saying our content has been inspirational and even life-saving. That’s pretty wonderful stuff.

And what about the collaboration with Leadership Lab? 

Leadership Lab’s Rourou Conversations has been a brilliant series – thought-provoking and brave. Their kaupapa perfectly aligns with ours – to facilitate positive change, amplify local concerns, interests and stories; and build human connection.  Fi and the team have been so courageous in how they tackle big subjects with empathy and nuance. Throughout, Fi has really captured the zeitgeist on many topics, in particular Becoming Tangata Tiriti (with Gwyn John), which built a really amazing and eager listenership. We also observed the connections that were made with incredible thought leaders, practitioners and activists working across so many diverse communities who were featured.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Manaakitanga, maintaining a welcoming and inclusive culture where anyone can feel at home in our station or involved in the activities we organise is important to us. There are 12 independent community access media entities around Aotearoa New Zealand like us, all with their own regional flavour and basically facilitating the development of participatory civic broadcasting and democracy in action. We love that and are excited about what’s to come for us in 2025.

We have plans afoot so watch this space – and of course – tune in!!

A final note from Fi Deehan (Leadership Lab)

It’s clear from what Nicki has shared that this collaboration has been perfectly aligned….considering Leadership Lab’s vision ‘to foster collective responses to complex issues’ and Rourou project’s vision ‘to amplify marginalised voices and provoke systems change’. Personally, working with Plains FM gave me the confidence to dip my toe into the field of broadcasting. They removed barriers by looking after the technical aspects of the project and made this a medium that was more accessible to me and in turn, make these kōrero more accessible to many, many more people. Plains FM and their amazing team are leading change through the work they do every day. Thank you

You can access all 6 series on the podcast platform of your choice here.

Here is the full list of series included in the podcast:

1. Gender Health Justice with Fi Deehan

2. People of Puāwai with Cooper Sides

3. Digital Divide with Fi Deehan

4. Becoming Tangata Tiriti with Fi Deehan and Gwyn John

5. Conscious Catalysts with Fi Deehan

6. The Future of Feminism? with Fi Deehan

This piece was written by Nicki Reece, Plains FM Station Manager, curated by Fi Deehan.

You can read more stories of impact as well as thought-provoking pieces from across our Leadership Lab ecosystem by signing up for this monthly pānui (see bottom of www.leadershiplab.co.nz) or by connecting with us on our Leadership Lab LinkedIn and Facebook . Thanks heaps for your interest.