Dear JOYsters!I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and sane through these unprecedented times. If you’ve been listening to JOY to keep you company at home you’ll have noticed a change in our regular broadcasting. I’m so proud of our broadcasting team. All of our presenters have gone above and beyond during the pandemic by broadcasting from their own homes! We’ve seen more houseplants, empty dishes, pets, kids and housemates emerging from bathrooms in towels than I ever thought possible! For some presenters this has been a massive leap outside of their comfort zones and I’m sure you’ll all join me in giving them a round of virtual applause for their positivity and professionalism in these times. Our aim at JOY (always) is to keep our listeners updated, informed and empowered and we have regular COVID-19 updates relevant to our community playing hourly. I wanted to let you know that JOY’s annual fundraiser ‘Radiothon’ is around the corner and will be taking place between 22 April and 2nd May this year. Our theme is We Are You - Keep Independent Voices On Air. Now, more than ever, our station reflects our listeners. From our presenters, podcasters, newsreaders, producers and everyone in between we represent you because We Are You. We’re all in isolation, all stuck at home, worried about loved ones, jobs, toilet paper :-) and trying to remain calm through the many stresses this pandemic is throwing at all of us. For me, personally, listening to our presenters being silly, inspirational and positive makes me feel connected and like I’m not alone. To stay on air we need your helpSome of you may notice Radiothon is happening earlier than usual this year and yes, the timing is less than ideal but... to be perfectly frank we have to go ahead with our campaign during this time if we have any hope of staying on-air and afloat during these uncertain times. We know our listeners- (same as many of our presenters and staff) are doing it tough right now and we honestly appreciate your support. I found out the other day that less than 1% of our 589,000 listeners support us financially .. and if every listener donated the price of a cup of coffee during Radiothon we’d be able to keep the station running for 2 years!To tap into our broader listenership for assistance, we are now introducing a brand new way to support us this year. Alongside our regular JOY memberships we will be offering a monthly subscription model. Subscriptions are aimed at listeners interstate, overseas or for those who simply want to support JOY and the work we do without being involved in the organisational operations of the station (in the same way that members are). We will always need passionate listeners to become and remain members of JOY, giving their voice to the direction of our station and it is our hope that this additional model will complement memberships and help support JOY throughout the year, providing a much needed monthly income source. We will have some incredible daily and major prizes up for grabs (for both members and subscribers) too, thanks to our incredible sponsors. Support JOY Radiothon 2020We have prepared a great campaign for Radiothon this year! Not only on air but also on social media. I know that despite the circumstances, this will be a great Radiothon for us all! Head to JOY.ORG.AU from Wednesday 22 of April to Saturday 2nd of May and be part of JOY RADIOTHON 2020 - We Are You! Thanks for listening and keeping us going through these crazy times. We are here for you and we thank you for being here for us. Stay safe and well. Warmest wishes, Ange Barry |