Community broadcasting up in the air

Community broadcasters fear being permanently switched off alongside the disconnection of the analogue signal if they don’t receive government support to upgrade their technology.

The community broadcasting sector met last week to lobby the major parties, ahead of the Federal election, for more support.

Campaign spokesperson Georgia Webster of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia said the Federal Government’s investment in the sector has effectively decreased in the last fifteen years even though the number of services has swelled.

“There’s been a huge increase in the number of services Australia-wide; they’ve doubled since around 1996,” Ms Webster said.

“What we’re seeking is a core baseline commitment from the Federal Government to ensure that we can remain part of the broadcasting landscape of Australia,” she said.

In Paddington, East Side Radio’s Frederick Malouf, who hosts the station’s Sustainable Synergy program, says the value of community broadcasting can’t be over-stated.

“It’s invaluable; it’s the most independent form of radio anywhere,” he said.

“Our news is not about sensationalism; it’s there to be instructive and informative. It’s not money-driven like the commercial stations.”

Mr Malouf’s 30-minute program provides in-depth insights into the sustainability efforts being made by some influential Australians. Malcolm Turnbull spoke on his show earlier this week, and Cate Blanchett will drop by next month.

“We need funding to upgrade our equipment and to enable us to broadcast digitally,” Mr Malouf said.

“Eventually there won’t be any support for analogue technology, and if the Government won’t provide funding for us to upgrade to digital technology, we won’t be able to provide an alternative voice to the mainstream media.”

Nation-wide the community broadcasting sector boasts around 500 services, a radio audience of over nine million and a television audience of around three-and-a-half million.

Government funding accounts for about 13 per cent of its income, while the rest comes from sponsorship or subscriptions.

Through its campaign, which is the cooperative venture of six national representative community broadcasting bodies, the sector is seeking an additional $195 million over five years to increase community-generated content, upgrade necessary infrastructure, improve coordination, and train volunteers.

Georgia Webster says community broadcasting has a significant social impact, particularly for marginal groups.

“There’s a large discrepancy between the funding that the sector gets compared with the mainstream commercial media.

“For example we have at least 60 per cent of the reach of the ABC, but we receive about three per cent of their funding.

“We just want about six per cent,” she said.

“In relative terms it’s still a small amount; but our audiences could really benefit from that.”

By Tamara Smallhorn