Kang GURU English Language Interactive
Radio Presenters Network

Presenters Newsletter No. 5 January 2007

A Letter from KGRE Project Manager:

Hello to all of our … presenters. How's it going mate? I know that all of you are very busy with your lives AND with your radio programs. I hope you are having fun with those radio programs. Are you? Maybe we can help you or you can help each other? I hope so.

In this fifth newsletter we have reports and ideas from several of our members and I am sure you'll find them interesting reading. For example, Inah from Bima talks about the possibility of having a meeting of all members some time soon. That is a great idea but we are not sure it is possible at the moment anyway. However we would like some ideas from you about what we type of training you would like to do at such a meeting. So come on, get those ideas into us as soon as possible please.

For our sixth newsletter (April 2007) we would like more reports from members, okay? The reports do not have to be long BUT they should be written to be interesting for fellow members. Helping each other is important and thanks to Ririn, Jack and Nada, Bowo and Donna, Jojo and Fadhli for their helpful comments in this newsletter.

Oh yeah, KGRE hopes that the ‘goodies’ included with this newsletter are helpful to you. Please tell us about how successfully you used them with your program. We like to know, you know!

Tip of the Month — From Ririn Pudya in Kediri

And I have some tips for my presenter friends. I hope they help you.

1. If you want your program to be positioned as the best English Interactive Radio program in your town or city, make sure that you have interesting and lively guests. If their English is very good then that is terrific too. Don't forget, many of your listeners are very smart just like you.
2. Always use English and present different topics every week.
3. Give the listeners some time to speak English and to share their opinions about topics being discussed.
4. Give them a sign when they make a call to the studio to let them know they are connected and on air — for example on my show, ‘This is the Bonansa English Show, Good Evening’.
5. Encourage your listeners to listen to every show.

KGRE Note: Ririn is busy helping KGRE, especially in East Java. Ririn visits radio stations to help presenters with their programs. She has lots of ideas. Thanks Ririn.

Email from members:

A Report from Mataram

Here is a little story for the next Presenter's Newsletter…

Jack and Nada are happy to be back in Indonesia after traveling to America to deliver their first baby. Jae is a healthy baby boy who weighed 3.2 kilos when he was born. He is now 6 months old and weighs almost 8.5 kilos. We are so glad to be back in Lombok and our listeners are glad too. One caller knew exactly how many months we had been gone! Jack is now hosting the show by himself because Nada puts Jae to bed right at showtime — 7 o'clock. One time, Nada brought the baby to the show but he was really fussy and could not understand the callers. Jack feels lonely without Nada on the show, so he has been inviting lots of different guests, some native speakers and some English language learners. One time he hosted the show with a Kang GURU Connection English Club leader, Fadhil. Each show has a special topic. Recent topics include: the world cup, inventions (penemuan) and cultural celebrations. If you want to be a guest on Pro2 Talk to Me, just call Jack during the show Fridays at 7pm!

One thing that Kang GURU could do to help is provide short recorded segments, like quizzes. It helps to have a different voice on the show when I am hosting by myself. Also, we would love to have someone come to Lombok for a listener's meeting! Let us know when you'll be in town…

Yours, Zach

KGRE Note: Jae certainly is a healthy young chap. Kevin met him at RRI Mataram in late November 2006 at a Listener's Meeting.

From Ririn Pudya in Kediri

Hi everybody,

Since I became one of Presenter Network's members, I always try to be brave to make some new ideas in my English interactive programs, especially how to make my listeners more enthusiastic to join in ‘on air’.

The most important things here is that the listeners never get bored with my English Interactive program. Of course it contains lots of talking in English, discussions but WITHOUT ANY SONGS. Pure talk in English for an hour. For the first time I had problem with that but I realized that I have to force myself to be more creative to make it always an interesting program. Fortunately, I have more and more listeners now. I really feel happy now they know more about KGRE and are brave enough to write a letter too. It runs so well. I'm lucky because I have Mark Avery (AVI and ISELP from Australia) and Bu Dyani (Head Master of English Department for IKIP PGRI Kediri ) as our advisers here.

After 75 editions of my program, I've learn how to make an interesting interactive show.

1. Even if I have permanent guests on The Bonansa English Show, I also invite some English teachers from senior high schools, junior high schools, universities and private schools in the Kediri area. It makes it more interesting for listeners. And of course, I can promote my program to them and their students, and KGRE too.
2. Give listeners some interesting TOPICS to think about and discuss such as Human Interests News, the latest news of local Kediri issues, popular artists, cross cultural understanding (especially if we have a guest who is a foreigner) we can talk about something happen in Indonesia compared with the same actions from their countries (RUU APP, Independent Day, Education day, etc.)
3. Make some quizzes for them and million thanks for KGRE for giving me lots of prizes. It makes my listeners very proud if they win something.
4. Choose one lucky caller at the end of your program. It will surprise them and of course will make them very happy and they will join again in your program for the next week. Sometimes they ask their friends to listen to our English Interactive program and they are even brave enough to give us a call.
5. As Kevin always says at the end of KGRE's Radio Program, don't worry if your English is not perfect. I always give listeners motivation to join us because I'm still learning also.
6. We have BONEFO (Bonansa English Forum Club) with members from BES listeners. In every club meeting (once in two weeks), always give them information which is connected with my Interactive English program.
7. Sometimes we discuss about KGRE's topics from Different Pond Different Fish. (My Bonansa English Show starts with 20 minutes of KGRE's regular radio program and continues with the Interactive program from 7.30 until 9 pm every Tuesday).

Without KGRE's support, I can't make it, guys! So, a million and more thanks about it. To all of KGRE.

Best Regards,

Ririn Pudya
Bonansa FM Kediri

A Report from Banyuwangi

It is great to hear that members of KGRE's English Language Interactive Radio Presenters network continues to grow. Hope it really makes a significant contribution to the improvement of the fabulous programs everyone has in their own place.

My interactive show is running so well. Factors causing the successful program is not only my continuous efforts but also students motivation and interest to enjoy learning English as listening comprehension has been tested in the final examination (UNAS) for SMA/SMK students and also it will be planned to be tested for all SMP/MTs students next year. Maybe they think that my weekly program provides high quality English language resources.

The topic on my show is very typical for example last June, it was about The World Cup. The listeners prefer quizzes to other topics, so I often give them a wonderful quiz taken from the KGRE Teacher Package for SMP, the Odd One Out. At least ten enthusiastic listeners enjoy the interactive show by predicting some answers and giving some brief reasons, the lucky callers will get a nice souvenir from KGRE.

An SMS competition I set up is not running so well as I hoped because of the impact of the radio's mobile phone number. It has been changed four times because of the different sponsorships but I always keep trying to encourage listeners to send SMS and remind them about the radio's mobile phone number.

In the Banyuwangi area there are two radio stations broadcasting KGRE and it is planned there will be one more radio station again to broadcast KGRE. John Rollings, an ISELP teacher trainer in Pondok Pesantren Bustanul Makmur Genteng, who often helps me try to find the radio station, which is willing to help broadcast KGRE there. So, it is a golden opportunity for us to share our ideas or opinion related to the improvement of the interactive show. As I always say ‘never stop making myself better presenting on KGRE’.

Love from
Bowo Pranoto

KGRE Note: Great work Bowo and did you know that you are one of KGRE's longest serving presenters? You are indeed. I believe Sue from KGRE is dropping in to see you on January 26th on her way back from Genteng. Have fun, okay?

Report (Part 1) from Donna — Romansa FM in Ponorogo

In February 2004, when it was broadcast for the very first time, I had 90 minutes for my English Program, It continued to run until November 2005. I used to have 1 to 4 or 5 callers in 90 minutes. But, despite the fact that I was always well prepared for the show, I often got none. I always prepared a script very well before the show, I always tried hard to pick out a good topic that I thought my listeners could relate to the topic easily, but I sometimes got no callers at all still.

For almost two years I broadcast alone most of the time. It was not easy. As a single English presenter, I had to prepare the script by myself, select the songs by myself, and handle the equipment including picking up the phone while running the show by myself. But I kept moving. I was just really willing to make English language more popular in this small town. I wanted more and more youngsters to love English even how hard I had to run the program.

Luckily, broadcasting was not something new for me (In 1999, I was invited to be a guest announcer on the English program of RRI Madiun, that program was connected with KGRE as well), being on air is not something scary. That was the thing that made it easier for me to present the program. To me, everytime I am "on air", I am definitely having fun, I love broadcasting, and I love English. (And I was quite fortunate to be able to live in and travel to a couple of Asian countries due to my deep love towards English. People say, "Better English, more opportunities"). This is really the additional point, an awesome experience that enriches my knowledge in order to be a good English presenter.

In December 2005, I started broadcasting KGRE. Therefore, we have to allocate 20 minutes of the duration of our program for KGRE. So now we have 70 minutes only for our interactive English show each time, 1 hour and 10 minutes. The first months KGRE broadcast on our station, the number of callers was increased significantly. I got even 7 callers in 1 hour and 10 minutes though I had to present 4 to 5 songs plus a couple of ads of our sponsors. Well, busy hours! KGRE and its prizes are really good incentives for our listeners.

Effective from January 2006, I recruited a new English presenter, Babe. It was absolutely necessary for me to train her first to make her well adjusted to the show and now she is really my great partner. Perhaps for some other English presenters, as I read on the record of the August meeting of Radio Presenters at IALF Bali, recruiting new English presenters is a problem and the problem are finding dedicated people willing to commit to a program whose level of English is high enough. Lucky me, it was not so difficult for me to recruit a new presenter, Babe used to be my loyal listener. Among my listeners, she was the keenest one, as keen as mustard (smile). Or, I can simply say that she is a true lover of English just like me. We have a lot of things in common, she likes broadcasting and used to work as a radio announcer, more importantly, she loves English and really committed to the program. Before my show with her for the very first time, we had been preparing ourselves with a weekly meeting and English conversation for a year. So when we appear to be a couple on our show, we are absolutely ready for that because we have been "melted" with each other. We can work together as a solid team. Well, it takes two to Tango.

Presenting an English program alone is far different than presenting it with a partner. It is much easier to present my show with a partner. Frankly speaking, now I never prepare a special script before the show. Since we are together on the show, we can just talk to each other about the topic that we are discussing, and it sounds like a casual conversation that makes our listeners feel ‘OK’ to join us, because it's just a chat!

I do not want my program to sound like a ‘Teaching-Learning Process’, it would sound so technical. I want a funky English Program but still the listeners can learn something from our program, especially knowledge about English. Moreover our callers range from brave SMP students to SMA/University students, from teachers/lecturers of English to workers of other fields, even to housewives! With this range of callers, picking out a topic is actually difficult, but it is not for us. We always try to create casual conversations with jokes, this kind of conversation seems interesting and can make the listeners feel OK to call in, as they do not need to think so hard and be so formal. And we do not need to think so hard and be so formal either, since it's just a chat! The good thing is that it does not require hard work. (It does not mean that we do not want to work hard). What we need is how to always maintain a happy positive frame of mind during the show, because when on air, we are not only English presenters but also entertainers. Our moods influence the output of our program. If we have fun, so do the listeners! For us, English for fun sounds easier to the listeners, and the show is a joy, not a burden.

With full support from KGRE, I can say that we quite succeed, we always get callers, sometimes many, sometimes few, at least we never get none now. (Unless some technical problems occur). But of course we have to present various topics. Due to the range of our listeners, we sometimes present light and funky topics which aim to get the younger callers, and we sometimes present hard and serious actual topics for the adult listeners. But the listeners who call in are somehow unpredictable. When we present a funky topic in order that the younger listeners will be interested in joining us, we get the adult callers, and the opposite. For instance, on May 28th 2006 we presented a serious topic ‘Tears Drop in Jogja’, we talked a lot about the earthquake that happened in Jogjakarta on May 27th, we also talked about the refugees of volcano eruption of Merapi (including Mbah Marijan, Ratu Kidul, and their myths), we hoped to get more ;adult callers, but in fact, we got a couple of SMA students and one adult only!

So, the topic does not matter, I guess, as long as it is not about racism (SARA-bahasa), how we deliver it is much more important. One thing for sure, the prizes of KGRE, besides my sexy voice (smile), are the things that motivate our listeners to call in. Thank you for these fabulous prizes, KGRE. You are right, you have helped us a lot!

— to be continued —

Best Regards,

Donna-Romansa FM Ponorogo
HP 081 259 948 77
Studio 0352-489193
Home 0352-571097

KGRE Note: That is a wonderful report Donna — well done. It is terrific to hear about everything that you do and I am sure listeners appreciate your hard work. What you say about variety is important as listeners can be different ages and backgrounds so activities and discussions need to be suitable. Some easy, some fun, some more serious. Keep trying new things too and I wish you all the best.

An email from Jojo

Dear Kevin,
I am in Bogor at the moment visiting my wife who studies here for 2 years – this is just her first year at IPB Magister Science Program. I celebrate Idul fitri here — I'll be staying for 2 weeks.

During Ramadhan month some regular programs in pro2 fm are pending and English programs as well. The program will be scheduled automatically as Ramadhan finishes which is only few days ahead. Thanks for the package anyway. For everyone in Kang GURU and members of Interactive program presenter who celebrate ‘Lebaran’ I wish Happy Idulfitri 1 Syawal 1427 H.Maaf Lahir Batin.

For future plan starting in October this year I also cooperate with Telkomsel Grapari Palu to support English program. There will be sms relly competition. The lucky sms will get special merchandise from Telkomsel. The listeners should send their opinion relates to the topic discussed in English Chat. Thanks to Bowo for his Mystery Sounds. It's inspired me to do the same thing using Indonesia artists interviews from Kang GURU's CD materials. The quiz is namely ‘Who Am I’. Before playing the voice of artist I give some clue to the listeners and it starts fifteen minutes before ending the program.

Jojo Jumba

PS, Ooops, Sorry for being absent on last report!
Welcome to all new members of Interactive program presenter

KGRE Note: Great to hear those ‘KGRE Interviews’ CDs have been so helpful Jojo. We are busy making a second edition now including people such as Anggun, Letto, Joy Tobing and Nicholas Saputra. It should be ready in a few weeks. Would you like one?

Update from Fadhly in Selayar

Hi Bro. and Sist…
KGRE is running well here, and interactive English show as well. Moreover now there is a student from first grade of SMU that offer his self to accompany me on the show every week. His English is good enough, so it's quite help me to present the topic to talk about. Also his present has motivated the listeners to call in, especially students from the same school.
That's all for now folks.

My best regards,

Fadhli – Contrend FM

KGRE Note: Always good to hear from you in Selayar and as I have said often, KGRE would love to visit you soon. How can we do this?

Presenter's Network KGRE Workshop?

Many of you have asked KGRE for two things. One is a sort of Guidelines for Presenters and the second is a KGRE Presenter's Workshop. Both of these ideas are terrific. However we really need YOU to provide solid details about –

• some of the areas that you would like to receive training or assistance in.
• what are the areas of greatest concern to you?
• how can KGRE help you to make your show more successful and interesting?
• how could such training help you?

KGRE Note: Please send your responses to KGRE before the end of February, 2007. We cannot promise anything but your ideas and needs may help us to come up with something to help you. Why not contact each other and discuss what you need. If you DON'T tell us then we don't know!

Response from Inah in Bima

In our opinion presenter's workshop is very essential event either for the presenters or for the KGRE, and we think it needs to be held for some following reasons:

1. Firstly, by holding the event it would be able to unite all presenters. Hopefully it could develop the relationship among the presenters and it would be easier and more effective to accommodate what ever the presenters' need.
2. Although we already have Presenters' News letters which are great but a meeting of all of us would be better sometimes too.
3. The other advantages that we could get by carrying out the program, possible we could set the discussion among the presenters completely live, interesting, and full fresh idea.
4. I met Sophie Fanumbi (KGRE's Presenter from Jaya Pura) a few months ago when I visited Jaya Pura. I met her just in an hour but in that short time I could feel a really different atmosphere that could give me a new motivation.
5. The most important that should be considered is, KGRE Presenters are a symbol of the existence of KGRE in some area. Meanwhile, English club, English Day, Teachers Work shops and the other programs are one-off programs but the radio program is a prolonged program — it continues every week. So it's necessary to hold a work shop special for the presenters in order to improve their ability, professionalism and to keep their motivation as well.
6. Still related to the above opinions, with such program it could give different image and would leave a special impression on the presenters. So that the activity as a presenter will not just be a routine activity for us.
7. And for the last point, we assert once more again all the presenters need a special event that could give a new spirit to run their radio program. Special meetings among the presenters would give a beautiful and an unforgettable memory, after all.

Best wishes,

Inah

KGRE is happy to send all members the following items/materials for use on their programs

• An IALF Planner for 2007 and an IALF Calendar for you to use.

• KGRE Compilation of Special segments taken from Bali's Casanova KGRE Radio Program. Many of these segments will be completely new to you! Listen to them and maybe play some of them on your program for discussion or just for information about Bali.

• 50 new transparent KGRE stickers and 50 regular yellow KGRE stickers

• A compilation CD of the latest music from Australia (11 songs to play on your programs — most of them are NEW Aussie songs)

• a CD copy of ‘The Best of Radio Series 51 and 52’ together with tapescripts.

• The latest KGRE ‘Listening and Reading Class Set’ for December 2006 — a prize for teachers.

• 10 Joeys pins for SMP students ONLY — you will need to have special competition activities for SMP students on your programs.

KGRE Note: Good to have Manado covered by James and Joyce. It was nice to meet you earlier this year and I am very happy to hear that things are going well there on your radio program. Keep up the good work and in your next report please tell us more about your ‘on air’ activities, suggestions and ideas AND even any problems. Maybe KGRE can help or perhaps another presenter can help you too?

A Newcomer! A young Aussie, Danielle, has been placed at SURGA FM by Australian Volunteers International (AVI). She has replaced Caroline Milford, also an AVI, who had been at SURGA FM for several years. Danielle is new to Indonesia and to Jombang. I am sure she would love to hear from you all so why not give her a call sometime. I know Danielle will be reading these newsletters carefully to see what the Presenters' Network has been doing over the past few months.