Radio station tuned out to village

Tauranga's old-time radio station will shift out of the Historic Village if the council fails to return the village to being a visitor attraction.
Village Radio is anxiously awaiting council decisions next month on the future of the village, and will seek alternative premises if the main focus of the village continues to be on housing community social welfare agencies.
A proposed new direction for the village, unveiled at a recent council meeting, was that the village would continue to house community groups, while being supported by an "active trading and visitor experience".
The new focus on rebuilding visitor numbers would see the village provide a "seven-day-a-week character experience for residents and visitors", enhanced by a programme of events and activities.
However the changes must be achieved without threatening the financial sustainability of the village. Core management would remain with the council, assisted by a community group such as the Friends of the Village.
The new emphasis on returning the village to a tourist attraction can't come soon enough for Village Radio, whose station is a favourite with listeners of old-time music.
Village Radio chairman Colin Beere said the trust had not been happy with the direction of the village for a long time, and they were looking to move out within the next 12 months if nothing changed.
"There is not enough emphasis on the historic side of things. In my opinion it is more like a block of commercial flats with an historic look."
 Getting visitors flocking back to the village was pivotal to Village Radio's plans, which rely on the revenue from tourists queuing to see an old-style announcer in action, and to view a collection of radios - currently in storage.
Village Radio broadcasts around the Western Bay of Plenty on the AM band, and on August 1 will also start broadcasting to most areas of Tauranga on the FM frequency 106.7. The AM station was restricted to daylight hours, but the FM licence was for 24 hour transmission.