Digital delay for community stations

by Angus Thompson
Stricken by funding delays, Sydney’s community radio stations cannot match their commercial counterparts in meeting the national launch date of digital radio, set for May 1 this year.

Despite being included in the first stage of the digital radio roll-out, the community stations will not be able to cover required infrastructure costs before funding from this year’s Federal budget is delivered, leaving each station unsure about the date of their digital launch.

‘Community stations throughout the country are not in a position to meet the costs without government funding. Community broadcasters are waiting on the confirmation of that funding,’ said Philip Shine, managing director of 2SER in Ultimo.

‘All I can say is that 2SER will be going digital but there are a number of issues that are yet to be resolved. Until then I can’t put a firm date on anything.’

Katherine Letch, spokesperson for the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia agrees. ‘I think the only thing that can be said with any certainty is that there’s a lot of ifs and buts.’

Community Broadcasting Foundation CEO Ian Stanistreet confirmed the community sector could not participate in the expected May 1 start-up date as funding had been delayed by a year.

‘We don’t have the funding that would allow us to pay for the transmission facilities, and to construct the necessary content contribution network that would be required to transport the content from our stations to the new digital multiplex transmitters,’ he said.

‘We would be pressing very heavily for the funds to be available as soon as possible in the new financial year.’

The government has committed $11.2 million for the first stage of the digital radio rollout in the community sector in a number of capital cities, including Sydney, $6.9 million of which will be available this year.

While Mr Letch is confident the amount is sufficient for community radio’s participation in the early stages, Mr Shine says there is potential for a shortfall, meaning undernourished stations may have to pick up the costs.

2SER can be heard at 107.3fm.

Digital vs analogue

The launch of digital radio in Australia offers a multimedia experience including pictures and scrolling text; the ability to pause live radio; improved sound quality, and stations being able to broadcast several channels at once.

To listen to digital radio, consumers must buy new receivers being made available during the lead-up to the national launch in May. However, AM and FM services will continue to broadcast for some time.