Sonshine FM returns to Katanning radio stations after three-year hiatus

Perth-based Christian radio station Sonshine FM has returned to Katanning’s airwaves for the first time since 2020.

After a three-year hiatus, rhythmic hymns were broadcast on 97.3FM to Katanning radios on August 11.

The station’s broadcasting equipment became faulty in 2020, concurrently with the COVID-19 outbreak, and could no longer reliably transmit the station.

Katanning Baptist Church pastor Jesse Dixon liaised with Sonshine FM CEO Bevan Jones and broadcast technician Daniel Munns to transmit the station from the Katanning church.

“Since 2021 I have been regularly hassling them to get it up and running again,” Mr Dixon said.

“We are excited to announce it’s back on and being broadcast from the Katanning Baptist Church.

“I like the station’s mission, which is to provide a family-friendly alternative to some other stations.”

Sonshine marketing manager Sam Vigus said the task to broadcast the station again had been in the pipeline for three years.

“We have been in the process of trying to get it up and running since it went down in 2020 but it was made increasingly difficult during COVID,” she said

“Over the last 12 months, we have really put in a concerted effort to get the right gear and fix it.”

Mr Jones said mental health awareness was at the forefront of the station’s priorities, and providing regional WA with a family-friendly radio station was important to promote it.

“With localised and positive media being stripped from regional towns, we’re so aware of climbing isolation and mental health issues in towns just like Katanning,” he said.