By BRIDGET SCOTT
AFTER nearly five years on air one of Casey Radio’s features will cease from 21 December.
The Casey Arts Hour will no longer exist, however City of Casey councillor Wayne Smith, Bob Halsall, Bryce Eishold and 12-year-old Oliver Thomson who made up the team, will now focus on being the station’s specialist outdoor-broadcast team.
Councillor Smith said the team had enjoyed its four and half years on air but said it was time for a change.
“We’ve been very proud to provide a platform for local performers and visual artists to perform and promote their recordings and gigs,” he said.
Councillor Smith said the outdoor broadcasts will still provide a chance for local artists to showcase their work.
“We will still give them a chance, but it will just be via a different platform,” he said.
“We don’t want them to miss out – there will be other opportunities for them.”
The Casey arts advocate said that the station intend to do more outdoor broadcasts following on from previous success.
“We have really enjoyed them,” he said.
“We think our time might be better spent doing that.”
He said the new show format would be better suited for potential performers after they found that it was difficult to get artists to feature on their Sunday afternoon show.
“If we do outside broadcasts these will be more flexible for performers,” he said.
All past guests and listeners are invited to come to Casey Radio’s Cranbourne studio on Sunday 14 December when the second last Casey Arts Hour will go to air live from 5-6pm and the last show, which is to be aired on Sunday 21 December, will be pre-recorded from 6-7pm.
Casey Radio can be heard on 97.7fm or via the internet on www.caseyradio.com.au.