Volunteer News 7 - 2013
Thanks to all those who volunteered at PBS in the last fortnight, and farewell to Ruby, Claire and Thursday receptionist Le-Anne. Yes! We will sorely miss you but at the same time, good luck with your new opportunities! For those wanting to be involved at PBS, check the current....
Volunteer Opportunities
PBS Reception * Already Filled!!
PBS is seeking a volunteer receptionist to handle the 2pm to 6pm shift on Thursdays. You'll handle the phones, face to face enquiries and email, making referrals. A good phone manner and confidence with using a computer and the internet is highly regarded. Everything else can easily be taught. Can you commit to at least 6 months? That'd be handy! Some announcers during this time slot tend to have a lot of guests so excellent people skills are a must. This all falls during Boss Action, Acid Country and Fang It! Got what it takes? Then apply! Email mara@pbsfm.org.au for a position description.
What PBS receptionist
Day & Date Thursday 11th April
Time 2pm-6pm
Location PBS, 47 Easey Street Collingwood
PBS Radio Festival
The major annual fundraiser - PBS Radio Festival starts in May. Would you like to help out in the phone room? It's fun, and there's lots of great volunteers to meet. Training is provided. Are you handy with a computer? Do you have good data entry skills? Do you have the gift of the gab and some time available for PBS? Volunteer to take memberships over the phone. Fill out this form, and have a pen ready so you can write down your shift times! Confirmations will be sent by Thursday 26th of April.
What Phone room volunteers
Days May 13-26
Times Shift times are between 6:00am- 12 midnight
Location 47 Easey Street Collingwood
Photographer PBS Party
Good with people? Good with a camera in low level light situations? Want to take snaps at a behind the scenes party at PBS? Email mara@pbsfm.org.au to volunteer for this role.
What Photographer
Days May 9
Times 7-9pm
Location 47 Easey Street Collingwood
Spotlight on Claire Stuchberry
Firewater presenter Claire Stuchberry broadcast her last program April 2nd 2013, ending her 17 year stint with PBS. We asked her some questions about volunteering at PBS.How did you initially get involved at PBS?
I called PBS about work experience in 1995. I liked listening to Sunglasses After Dark and Red Stink of Metal and PBS had been the default station for overnights at 3APL where I had presented a breakfast program previously. The reception volunteer told me I could come and volunteer too, so I started turning up every Wednesday after school to laminate membership cards and other such important tasks. Then I stayed. And stayed.
For the record, the result of laminating chewing gum is that the machine will smell minty fresh every time you turn it on from then on...I have learnt a lot from PBS.
What made you stay?
The short answer is the people. Suddenly I was surrounded by people who knew HEAPS about music and I was soaking it up. Then they became family and I became drawn to the bright lights of comp tickets and free CDs. PBS had already been a way to access music I had never heard of through the radio, but being on the inside gave me insight to the broadest music world possible and unlimited knowledge from people as or more passionate about music than I.
Professionally I had access to a number of mentors as a PBS volunteer who taught me a range of media, marketing, sales, production and event management skills. Hanging around gave me the opportunity to roam from department to department over time and learn from some wonderfully talented and dedicated staff and fellow volunteers.
Before you know it PBS became a web of good people and good music, so I’ve never had a reason to leave. I owe a great personal debt to PBS for the solid base it’s given me over the years to learn and develop, which has turned into a business for me with 4PeopleMedia and a partner in my fellow-radio announcing husband. To some extent PBS is with me for good now.
What programs have you done at PBS?
I presented No Frills for 8 years. I started the program with Shirin Witts when Fred E Gostein moved to Brisbane. He left an opening for a new demo show, so I stepped right in. Finally the skip button on my stereo broke, so I took it as a sign that my time with demos was done. I’ve been presenting Firewater since about 2008 (I think!). It still incorporated a lot of Australian music, but allowed me to expand to some of the overseas music I wanted to share too.
What has been your on-air highlight at PBS?
I can’t pinpoint one exactly. There have been lots of nice calls from bands hearing themselves on the radio for the first time, that’s a pretty good feeling. Quite a few first interviews with people who’ve gone on to significant music careers. Personally I’ve always enjoyed the excitement of live music on the radio, some of the Live Music Weeks have been great. Particularly the first time we used Studio 5 with 80 odd bands or something crazy in one week. That was a big deal for Melbourne radio at the time and pretty exciting to be on air for. Similarly, I’ve really loved some of the OBs like the closing of the Tote (more the broadcast than the event) and the Port Phillip Men’s Prison broadcast just for the unusual nature of that OB.
What other volunteer roles have you done at PBS?
I’ve done most roles at PBS at one point or another. Reception, processing memberships, sourcing prizes for Radio Festival, marketing, events, working in the music library, production (I had a weekly job of hand-writing spot schedules and erasing carts for awhile, that’s quite funny now). I’ve spent a lot of time at PBS in the kitchen smoking, or outside smoking, or at PBS events smoking. Since I quit smoking I’ve taken up more serious volunteer roles like Category Rep for the Indie and Rock Category on the Programming Planning Group and more recently Chair of the PPG.
You were on the Board for a couple of years? This is a volunteer spot. What types of things did you do on the Board?
My ‘portfolio’ on the Board was programming. I was the Chair of the PPG and my role was to co-ordinate the Category Reps and the Programming Manager and bring any proposed program changes to the Board for ratification.
I had a standard voting seat, meaning I got an opportunity to express an opinion about more general areas of the station direction too.
What would motivate you to be on the Board?
In all honesty, a lack of other alternatives. Very few people were running for the Board when I stepped up and I represented a (slightly) younger, female position at the table.
I think it’s good to have a balance of people with day to day knowledge of the station, like announcers and volunteers as well as people with industry experience and expertise on the Board. Plus I have some expertise in sponsorship and marketing to contribute to the group.
What’s been the best thing about volunteering at PBS?
The friendships and the music.
Where are you going now?
I’m going to be a Grants Administrator at the Community Broadcast Fund for a little while. They handle government funding for the community radio sector, so it would be a conflict of interest to stay involved at PBS. I’m still in the community radio sector though, so I’ll be seeing you folks around!
Learning Opportunities
DO THE PBS ANNOUNCER COURSE IN 2013PBS is running announcer courses for the following dates:
| Month | Day | Dates | Teacher |
| June | Wednesdays | 5, 12, 19, 27, 3rd July | Jen Crowley * 7 spots left |
| July | Mondays | 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 | Jenny O'Keefe |
| August | Wednesdays | 7, 14, 21, 29, 4th September | Campbell Mc Nolty |
| September | Mondays | 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | Jenny O'Keefe |
| October | Wednesdays | 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | Jen Crowley |
| November | Wednesdays | 6, 13, 20, 27, 4th December | Campbell Mc Nolty |
Course Cost
PBS member fee: Full $270 Concession $180
PBS non member fee: Full $300 Concession $200
If you’re interested do the following:
1. Email hr@pbsfm.org.au to obtain an application form
2. Complete it [specify the month] and send it to hr@pbsfm.org.au
3. Once payment has been processed you’ll be confirmed in the class
4. Turn up to classes and learn a lot!
Other opportunities
Being that PBS is a music station, here’s exciting news for new songwriters looking at some new that came through. Attention songwriters: If you’d like to apply for the next Push Songs workshops. Fill out the easy application herehttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PushSongs2013Round2
APPLICATIONS CLOSE Friday April 19.
Comedy Festival show – free tickets for PBS volunteers
Nominee Best Newcomer & Golden Gibbo Awards 2010 Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Stuck in suburbia with too much to say, Poet Laureate Telia Nevile is doing the only thing left open to a word-obsessed socially inept artiste. She’s broadcasting a radio show from her bedroom and you’re invited over to pump up the volume.
Come turn the amps up to 11 with beautifully crafted tongue-in-cheek poetry backed by music ranging from death metal to bubblegum pop. Don’t miss nu-jazz exposition ‘Because I’m Deep (I’m Deep in Thought)’, the ear-drum shattering mayhem of ‘Grammar Grindcore’, and the swooning saccharine stickiness of ’Love, La-ove, Love, La-ove, La La La La La Love’.
"40 of the funniest, cleverist minutes you’re likely to experience. ★★★★★" Adelaide Theatre Guide
"Unique and hilarious. ★★★★½" Kryztoff RAW
"A brilliant ode to the ostracized. ★★★★" The Age
"One of the top ten comedy stars of tomorrow." Sydney Morning Herald
Poet Laureate Telia Nevile's Live On Air at the 2013 MICF
April 4-12 (no show Wednesday), 9pm (8pm on Sunday)
Northcote Town Hall - 189 High St, Northcote
Info and bookings comedyfestival.com.au
PBS volunteers: to obtain free tickets, please email mara@pbsfm.org.au
Former volunteer update: Simon O’Carrigan
Simon O’Carrigan volunteered at PBS on reception during Wednesdays. But his true calling in life is: he’s an artist. He got in touch with us recently to tell us about his new exhibition:
Opening night Tuesday 16th April, 6–9pm
Exhibition runs 17 April–4 May (Gallery hours: Wed–Sat, 12–6pm)
Rubicon ARI
Level 1/309 Queensberry Street
North Melbourne Victoria 3051
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