Interview with three people involved in FM Kurashiki
The interview is based on the content from the initial coverage conducted in December 2021.
The beginning of FM Kurashiki
What was the trigger for establishing FM Kurashiki?
Okubo
I felt that information was becoming increasingly important, so I wanted to create a base for disseminating information.
Around that time, the system was changing to allow small towns to have radio stations.
I had thought that radio stations were something that could only be created by companies or large capital, but I found it interesting that it could be done in Kurashiki as well.
Additionally, since my hobby was amateur radio, I thought I could engage in the information exchange I had originally planned through a public radio station.
What kind of preparations did you make?
Okubo
A few people who were central to community development in Kurashiki established the FM Kurashiki Launch Preparation Office.
The first meeting was held at the Kurashiki Community Center's Music Library.
There were thousands of LP records and SP records stored there, and I thought it would be a good place to start from a location that symbolizes information and culture.
Photo provided by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd.
In fact, when we launched, we had created a program called Music Library, and we still broadcast a program called Kurashiki Music Street that follows that flow.
When we decided to start a community FM radio station, there were still only a few stations in other regions across the country.
The first community FM radio station in Japan was FM Iruka in Hakodate, established in December 1992, and the second was FM-HANAKO in Moriguchi, Osaka.
The members of the launch preparation office visited these stations, and afterwards, we proceeded with preparations such as fundraising and securing land.
What kind of programs did you broadcast on the first day of broadcasting?
Okubo
At 8 a.m., we held a Shinto ceremony in front of the FM Kurashiki building.
However, I was incredibly nervous, and my memory of how many people participated and what kind of people they were is vague.
After the ceremony, everyone entered the studio and prepared to play the tape we had recorded.
The time we started broadcasting was 8:28 a.m., in line with FM Kurashiki's frequency of 82.8 MHz.
The then mayor of Kurashiki City, Nakada Takeshi, pressed the switch to start the broadcast.
Photo provided by FM Kurashiki Co., Ltd.
After that, at 11 a.m., we held a ceremony and broadcast a program called Christmas with Radio, where we looked around the Christmas trees decorated in Kurashiki City.
Finally, we concluded the broadcast from the location of the Christmas tree displayed at Kuraray Co., Ltd.'s Kurashiki plant in Tamashima at 11 p.m.
The thoughts of FM Kurashiki's personalities
What was the trigger for Maezawa to become a personality at FM Kurashiki?
Maezawa
I originally liked radio, so I was aiming to become an announcer and was job hunting.
However, things did not go as planned, and I ultimately chose to work for a video-related company in my hometown of Yonago.
Most of the work involved producing promotional videos for local governments and companies, but at that time, I couldn't grasp what kind of videos were good or how to edit them.
After a year and a half, I decided to move on and started job hunting again, where I received a positive response from FM Kurashiki, which was looking for personalities.
Since 1998, I have been a personality at FM Kurashiki for 24 years.
As a community FM personality, is there anything you are particular about?
Maezawa
Conveying place names is important.
I believe many listeners feel happy when they hear the name of the place they live on the radio.
In fact, when I moved to Kurashiki as a personality, I struggled to convey place names accurately.
Most of the listeners are locals, and I couldn't be the only one who didn't know.
Since I am speaking through the radio, I need to understand where those place names are and what they have.
I studied by looking at maps to know where things are until I could say them naturally.
Because it is community FM, I hope to convey many familiar place names to the people of Kurashiki to create a sense of closeness.
What was the trigger for Otani to become a personality at FM Kurashiki?
Otani
I have loved radio and have been listening to it since I was in middle school.
The first letter I sent to a radio program was addressed to a project where I confessed to a girl I liked.
I thought no one would find out, but when I went to school the next day, most of my classmates had realized it was my submission.
It was probably a shallow radio name that a middle school student would come up with.
On the other hand, it was also an event where I realized the influence of radio.
After graduating from university, I got a job in the apparel industry, but I had a strong desire to speak on the radio, so I started job hunting.
I sent a tape with my voice to FM Kurashiki, but at that time, I was not hired.
Later, I went to study abroad in the UK for a year, and after returning to Japan, I worked as a personality at FM Kirara in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Upon returning to Kurashiki, I applied for an interview at FM Kurashiki and was hired.
Since 2003, I have been a personality at FM Kurashiki.
As a community FM personality, is there anything you value?
Otani
The distance with the listeners is important.
I am conscious of delivering information in a way that is close and supportive.
When the heavy rain disaster in July 2018 occurred, there were times when I didn't know how to distance myself from the affected areas.
I actually visited the disaster area and witnessed the extensive damage.
In the midst of the chaos, no matter how much I tried to empathize with the victims, I felt frustrated that I couldn't connect with them.
I lost sight of how to engage, whether as a media person, a radio personality, or as a human being.
Because of that experience, now I speak into the microphone with the thought of not leaving anyone behind.
If someone says they don't understand something, I intend to explain it thoroughly.
It is no longer an era where public waves are deified.
Through the dissemination of information on the radio, I aim to be a personality who can walk together with the local people without leaving anyone behind.
The future of FM Kurashiki
What do you want to convey through FM Kurashiki?
Okubo
When we established FM Kurashiki 25 years ago, I believed that the biggest role was to gather and deliver local information.
For example, covering and disseminating information about local shops and events is something only community FM can do.
Now and in the future, our role is to convey information closely related to the community.
Furthermore, I have started to think about whether we can become a place that solves the issues faced by the community.
After 25 years of running a radio station, I have come to see the challenges facing the community.
In order for Kurashiki to grow into a better city, I see us not just as a source of information, but as a base for problem-solving that can provide awareness to the local people.
And to promote the growth of the community, the presence of personalities is important.
I believe that by having personalities deeply involved with the community, we can become a presence that conveys information without leaving anyone behind.
Maezawa
To contribute to solving community issues, I must first ensure that I am not left behind.
Not only about the city of Kurashiki but also about global situations and national politics, if I don't know, I will be left behind by the world.
Regardless of the profession or background of the guests, personalities need the ability to draw out information effectively through dialogue.
For that reason, there are times when I study until I go to bed the night before a broadcast.
For those engaged in the work of disseminating information, continuous learning is a prerequisite.
It is a challenging task, but I want to continue studying constantly so that I am not left behind.
Otani
Of course, studying is important, but to convey information clearly, I must be the ultimate amateur.
For example, in conversations with guests, while keeping in mind what needs to be conveyed, I extract information from the guests through dialogue to inform the listeners.
The perspective of an amateur helps imagine the situation of listeners receiving new information.
And to get people to listen, it is important to empathize with the listeners.
Because community FM is close to the region, we can convey warmth and compassion through the radio.
I believe that radio can inspire and energize people, so as a personality, I want to convey information with heartfelt words.
Listening to the stories of people involved in Kurashiki's community FM
The author lived in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa until the age of 28, but the topics broadcasted by mass media in the metropolitan area often covered a wide range across Japan, and local public information was not a familiar presence.
On the other hand, after moving to Kurashiki, I began to hear familiar place names and local businesses on the radio, and I remember feeling that radio became something close to me.
Events and shops I had attended were being talked about in fluent words by the radio personalities, which made me happy.
One of the new discoveries I made after moving to Kurashiki is that community FM is a warm presence for the local people.
I have also come to feel a sense of closeness to the community FM personalities who convey local information in an easy-to-understand, enjoyable, and warm manner.
The words that come from the radio, which I used to listen to casually, actually have behind them daily studies and technical training to convey information by the personalities.
Hearing the thoughts of those who disseminate local information through community FM has made radio feel even more appealing to me.
I want to listen more closely and receive local information filled with warm feelings.
