Sydney community radio station 2SER has warned it may cease broadcasting as early as July 2026, following the withdrawal of funding from one of its university partners and an ongoing search for financial alternatives.
Founded in 1979, 2SER is a not-for-profit station jointly owned by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Macquarie University, and operates under a community broadcasting licence with an educational focus.
Macquarie University announced last year it would end its financial support, creating a funding shortfall that UTS has indicated it cannot cover alone. The station has since been seeking a new university partner and exploring alternative funding models.
In an email to staff and volunteers, station manager Cheryl Northey said closure remained a possibility if new funding is not secured. She wrote: “Should the station close this year, which could be as early as July, 2SER must do the right thing by our staff.” She added that “a decision to close would not be taken lightly”.
UTS said it is continuing to support efforts to identify a replacement partner, stating it is “hopeful that other universities… may step in”.
The station has approximately 100 volunteers and has historically served as a training ground for media professionals, as well as a platform for music, arts and community programming.
Former presenter Robbie Buck said the station’s potential closure would have broader impacts, stating: “It would be dire loss for the city of Sydney for a cultural icon like 2SER to be closed.”
The funding pressures facing 2SER reflect wider challenges in the community broadcasting sector. Community Broadcasting Association of Australia chief executive Jon Bisset said the “average community radio station last year had an operational cost equal to 103 per cent of station income”.
2SER’s board and management have indicated they will continue to pursue funding solutions and partnerships in the coming months as the station’s future remains uncertain.
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