Jack Girling may be only in Year 12, but he sounds like an old hand – a real jock – on air.

The Taupōnui-a-Tia College student admitted radio announcing had been a pathway since Year 9.

Now, as part of an enterprise studies project, he and classmates Charlie Simmons and John Liddy have their own station to manage and announce on.

Girling had a strong influence on the choice of project, having been an unpaid announcer on Fun Tower Radio, an independent American online station, since year 10, and now also getting work experience with MediaWorks.

But setting up the station involved a fair amount of talk and graft as well as some good luck.

“Contact Energy gave us $2,800, basically a sponsorship deal, to start it up, so we’re supporting them. We have a Contact logo on our social media posts, and mentions with the likes of our weather announcements and show promos.”

And lest the power company thinks it’s not reaching any paying consumers, Girling added with no sense of irony: “for $2,800 it’s a pretty good deal.”

Fees of around $1200 – to Apra Licensing and NZ Recorded Music and their internet server provider – plus a microphone or two soon ate that up.

The other windfall was equipment from MediaWorks.

“They had an old van that they used for outside broadcasts that was getting refurbished, so they gave us this desk, which is worth probably $6,000, these microphones – those are expensive, all those racks, headphone amplifiers, speakers...”

The station is on air before school, during interval and lunchtime every weekday with student announcers running a variety of shows.

“We’ve got about 18 or 19 people on air and quite a few people behind the scenes,” said Girling.

“We’re all booked up at the moment.”

NuiFM.live, is streamed live online, through the Rova app.

“And of course on our website, so you can listen from anywhere in the world.”

Next year the station would like to be able to broadcast – if it can secure extra funding.

“FM costs way too much, about $30,000... the thing is no one’s going to give us $30,000.”

Low power FM, which was free, was looking the most likely expansion option, said Girling.

It might get the signal out to a radius of about 1km.

“The school has a low power FM licence... all we’d have to pay is for the installation which would probably be a couple of grand for a transmitter, and then we’d get an extender – because with low power… the higher it is, the more coverage.”

Girling knows the technical stuff but also enjoys being on air “maintaining the station, controlling what gets played.

“I love music, I play the guitar, do a bit of singing, but I’m not that good any more since puberty hit.”

Selling ads might also be an option next year – off limits at the moment.

“No one wants to hear ads on the radio, especially on a school station. If we do have ads they are the likes of Starlight Cinema because they have given us some movie tickets to give away… and obviously we do the canteen notices.”

You get paid with free food?

“All the time,” Girling said, patting his stomach.

Then it’s all on. Girling, Simmons and Liddy begin their show by announcing a teaser for the day’s giveaway prize – a box of lollies past their use by date.

Credit: Stuff.co.nz