Lake FM owner Jesse Archer near the site of his new broadcast antenna overlooking

It’s back to the future for a local radio station in Taupō with a new face at the helm of Lake FM and Timeless Taupō.

By Dan Hutchinson

In his mid-30’s Jesse is already something of a veteran in the radio industry having started announcing for Whakatane’s 1XX in 2008.

One year ago, he bought Lake FM and Timeless Taupō from local identity Peter Bradnock, who has retired after many years in the business.

Jesse moved his family over from Tauranga to run the venture, making Lake FM the focus, with broad coverage around the district, thanks to a new mast up above Acacia Bay.

He continues with some familiar voices like Dougal Morison (Doog) who has been on the radio in Taupō for 35 years and Ray Mankelow who was hosting the afternoon show.

Jesse says he has always had a passion for radio and as soon as he could he did a short, six-month broadcasting course and then got straight into it.

Having fun on the airwaves are (from left) Jesse Archer, Andrew McCullough, Dougal Morison, Victor Borok and Steve Giles. Photo: Dan Hutchinson

“I was just frothing to get into it, um, and did some promotions and kind of hung around like a bad smell as a 17-year-old. And then I got my first job at 17, as the nighttime announcer and production assistant in Whakatāne with 1XX.”

He has seen many local radio stations gutted by their corporate owners and wants to reverse that trend and connect with local communities.

In contrast to many other provincial centres, in Taupō, he is up against locally produced content from More FM, owned by Mediaworks. More FM has a local studio and popular, established talent like Andrew Leiataua, who ticked over 20 years of local broadcasting recently.

Jesse says he is leaning into the 1980’s, 90’s and 2000’s music, targeting those in the 35-64 year-old age group.

He has also bought Peak FM to service the Ruapehu region and areas north of Taihape.

Doog hosts the 10am-3pm weekday show and it is the continuation of a journey for him that started in the summer of 1989-90, when he was 15.

“I had a career advisor at Tauhara College who came into my class one day and said, anyone want to help the local radio station … So I put my hand up.

“I was only 15 at the time. I'd ride my bike up this hill. Believe that if you can.”

There was a huge radio mast at Rangatira Park back then, by the lookout.

Eventually the station moved and later the building burned down.

He has worked with other radio stations in Taupō including Kiss FM and MoreFM.

“I love music, love the interaction. You certainly don't do it for the money.

“It's like a runner goes running because they get that buzz of running. To me, it gets in you.”

Another familiar voice from Lakland Radio days is Ray, who has been hosting the 3pm-7pm show during the week.

Victor Borok has been with Lake FM for about two years doing a show on Saturday and now has the new afternoon gig.

And they are leaning into weekend sport with Steve Giles and local rugby identity Andrew McCullough (Chainsaw) providing updates throughout the weekend on the Good Sports show.

Jesse says Peter left the business in great shape, after running it for about 15 years. It had been “paying its bills” and had a well-established audience, particularly for the 60-plus group with Timeless.

Timeless is mainly a music-only station these days but it has an international following, via digital broadcasting, all over the world with music from the 50’s and 60’s.

Jesse says the goal is to allow community involvement on the radio and music targeted at locals.

“Some stations are designed for that Auckland traffic commute where people are jumping in the car at different times - 6, 7, 8am so on they're in there for 45 minutes. The Auckland radio station wants to play that big Taylor Swift song at 6, 7, 8 so that as people jump in the car they hear it.

“But we're a five-minute commute here in Taupō, so it's a different type of listening. You are lucky to get one song, aren't you?”

They are more of an at-work radio station.