A LOCAL radio DJ is celebrating the sixth anniversary of his increasingly popular Asian music program on Derwent Valley community station Tyga-FM – as well as receiving a nod from the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA). Andrew Clarke, better known to listeners as DJ Andy, hosts his Asian Pop show from 10pm on Mondays and 7pm on Fridays.
He also hosts an easy listening program on Sunday mornings and various other timeslots as required, but is most passionate about introducing listeners to a wide range of pop music from across Asia – from world-famous South Korean “K-Pop” acts like BTS and Black Pink through to more obscure performers from as far afield as Mongolia and Kazakhstan.
“I’ve found my niche,” Andrew said. “It is part of who I am now. It becomes more than a hobby but the important thing is doing it for the people who want to listen.” The Asian Pop program has a growing online following, and Andrew says interacting with listeners in far-flung locations like Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines is the best part of the job.
He even enlists locals in other countries to help him translate and explain song lyrics to his English-speaking audience. “They are rapt that I’m promoting the bands they love,” he said. “The help of the online community has made a big difference and made the show what it is today.”
The program has recently been named a finalist in the “best music program” category in the 2026 Community Broadcasting Awards, which will be announced on the final day of the CBAA annual conference in Geelong, Victoria, next month.
Andrew has been broadcasting since the mid-1980s and has now been on Tyga-FM for nearly a decade, and credits the station with being “one big family” that allows presenters to be themselves.
“It’s a very encouraging environment, even on your worst days,” he said. “We’re real – we make mistakes and bumble along. But we’re authentic. Who I am on-air is the same person I am off-air.”
You can tune into Tyga FM at 98.9FM. For more details go to www.tygafm.org.au or see our guide in each New Norfolk and Derwent Valley News print edition.
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