Flora won't give up

Flora won't give up

By Sumiyah Hasan

From: The Independent, February 19, 2004

A Brisbane woman, determined to establish a radio station for the sick and recuperating, is seeking assistance to make her dream a reality. Flora Smith, president of Queensland Hospital Radio, has been working for the better part of a decade to get the station up and running.

Ms Smith said Queensland Hospital Radio (QHR) would be a radio station for people who were ill or recuperating in any place - hospitals, nursing homes or their own private home.

"I have already passed one of the major obstacles, I have been granted a community broadcasting licence and will eventually broadcast on 1611 on the AM band," she said.

"But in order to be able to broadcast I need access to lease-free Brisbane premises, and a 400-watt transmitter.

"I have repeatedly tried to get grants to start up, from the local, state and federal governments, but they say that unless I can find premises from which to broadcast I can't get a grant."

Ms Smith is not a newcomer to broadcasting having played a significant role in setting up 4RPH, Brisbane's radio station for vision-impaired listeners. She spent 13 years as an on-air announcer and console operator for the station, producing and presenting a weekly program.

Ms Smith said she wanted to create Hospital Radio because there was a lack of medical programs available to educate and inform patients and their families.

"I'm not trying to compete with the other stations, all I want to do is see someone focus on the lack of information or support ill people get from general media," she said.

"At one stage I had all my presenters lined up. All had past broadcast experience, but since nothing seemed to happen along the lines of premises and the transmitter, I will again have to recruit new volunteers.

"But I'm not going to give up, all 1 need is for someone to be generous enough to let me use a building and donate a transmitter.

"Then I can get new volunteers and have this station become a reality."

Flora Smith can be contacted through PO Box 400 Moorooka Q 4105, by telephoning 3848 4871 or email fsmith@gil.com.au.

Queensland Hospital Radio acknowledges with thanks the Editor of The Independent newspaper for giving permission to reproduce this article.