No love in the air
MUSIC festival One Love, held in celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday on Waitangi Day, has been cancelled for the first time in 13 years.
Dave Gibbons, who jokes he’s been station manager at Active for “far too long”, says times are hard for small business.
“I think the recession’s hitting this town more now than ever, we’re definitely feeling it a bit more. People just aren’t spending much at the moment.”
Due to a recent realignment of radio frequencies, Radio Active will move from 89fm to 88.6, its name changing to Radio Active.FM. Gibbons says the cost of associated rebranding means going ahead with the festival is too much of a gamble.
“On average it’s broken even most years, but potentially you can make a $20-30, 000 loss.”
While many mourn the loss of a summer staple, music reviewer Simon Sweetman, posted on his blog last Friday, “I hope we never have another One Love celebration again - I hope the festival dies a death.”
It’s since been rumoured that Sweetman, who hosts a weekly 20-minute segment on the station, may not be allowed back on air.
Gibbons denied the rumour.
“It’s news to me,” he said.
Sweetman says, “I’ve shown a lot of support to the station through an unpaid reviewing segment and whenever Active is promoting music that I can get behind I’ll continue to show my support”.
In place of the festival, Radio Active will host the One Love Special later this month, featuring Nas and Damian Marley.
Dave Gibbons, who jokes he’s been station manager at Active for “far too long”, says times are hard for small business.
“I think the recession’s hitting this town more now than ever, we’re definitely feeling it a bit more. People just aren’t spending much at the moment.”
Due to a recent realignment of radio frequencies, Radio Active will move from 89fm to 88.6, its name changing to Radio Active.FM. Gibbons says the cost of associated rebranding means going ahead with the festival is too much of a gamble.
“On average it’s broken even most years, but potentially you can make a $20-30, 000 loss.”
While many mourn the loss of a summer staple, music reviewer Simon Sweetman, posted on his blog last Friday, “I hope we never have another One Love celebration again - I hope the festival dies a death.”
It’s since been rumoured that Sweetman, who hosts a weekly 20-minute segment on the station, may not be allowed back on air.
Gibbons denied the rumour.
“It’s news to me,” he said.
Sweetman says, “I’ve shown a lot of support to the station through an unpaid reviewing segment and whenever Active is promoting music that I can get behind I’ll continue to show my support”.
In place of the festival, Radio Active will host the One Love Special later this month, featuring Nas and Damian Marley.
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