Adrian McEniery, Patron, Program Manager & Volunteer
When I first came to the position as program and broadcast manager I had a strong classical music background, and I knew what I was talking about in terms of on-air performance. So, when I went to a presenter and said ‘You could have presented that in a different way’, I had some street cred on my side.
I feel that in my role, everything that goes to air the buck stops with me in terms of quality and content, so I’ve tried to really focus on that.
Some of the things I have focused on are pronunciation and vocal sound quality. If we want people to come on as sponsors and advertise, then we must ensure we have the best sound possible.
We’ve tried to change the perception of the station by recruiting more women and younger people but it’s not always easy. One of the issues we have is many people see 3MBS as old people’s radio and that’s an image that is hard to shake.
One of the things I am most proud of is providing opportunities for people like Joe Gofron. Joe was a dentist and was diagnosed with early-onset dementia so he had to give up his job. I was contacted to say he was interested in sound engineering, was there anything we could do for him? I met with him, and he seemed to know what he was talking about. He produced some interviews and did some syndicated stuff, and he has been doing that since 2017. He has been at the core of the success of the sound engineering department since then and his condition has not worsened in that time.
Another success we have had is with Nelsen Rufatt who is a very accomplished musician who is also blind. Would we be able to get him on air though as a presenter? So, we asked him into the studio to see how he went with the panelling and was fascinating to see how he saw with his fingers. Within five minutes he was using the panel more confidently than many who are sighted.
What I have really enjoyed about 3MBS is the passion for music which all the volunteers have—it really is inspiring to see.
Image credit: Laura Manariti