While listening to New Zealand More FM breakfast presenter Simon Barnett on the Between Two Beers podcast he spoke about being on air during the Christchurch earthquakes. A 12 year old boy rang up who had lost power, the house was shaking and he didn’t know where or how to reach his parents.
He told Simon, “I’m just really scared.”
Simon replied, “It’s ok mate. We’re here.”
Yet, with so many ways to access audio it is becoming increasingly difficult with new technology to simply ‘be here’ at the flick of a switch.
For that reason Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) have today issued a clear message to government: without urgent legislation to guarantee radio prominence, millions of Australians could lose easy access to local radio in cars and on smart speaker devices.
Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA said:
“Australia’s relationship with cars and radio is unique. Yet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to access radio in new cars that prioritise global streaming services.
We drive long distances, live in dispersed communities, and rely on radio not just for entertainment, but for trusted news, connection, and vital information in times of emergency. Now is the time for urgent legislative action to ensure the medium of radio – with its central place in the driving experience – remains free and easily accessible for all Australians.”
The radio sector are calling for:
• Prominent one-button access to Australian radio – AM, FM, DAB+ receivers and streaming audio – in all cars
• Guaranteed availability and discoverability on smart speakers
• Reliable verbal access to Australian radio services via voice assistants
As seen in NZ during the earthquakes, radio has long been the most reliable form of communication in emergencies. During Cyclone Alfred earlier this year, Australians turned to radio for vital information, just as they did during the 2019–2020 bushfires, when mobile networks and power grids failed.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
• AUSTRALIAN CONTENT 100% Australian-owned commercial radio vs global tech platforms prioritising
overseas content
• EMERGENCY ACCESS When internet fails during bushfires and floods, only broadcast radio delivers
critical safety information. According to the Deloitte Access Economics 2023 [i]:
o Commercial radio broadcasts 2,200 hours of emergency services content each year.
o Nearly three in five Australians listened to commercial radio for emergency info.
o 42,000 hours of Australian news was broadcast in 2022.
o 79% of regional and 72% of metro listeners agree radio builds a sense of community through
local news and community announcements.
• CONSUMER CHOICE Australians have chosen commercial radio – 15 million weekly listeners
shouldn’t be ignored
The call for an updated Broadcasting Services Act 1992 which guarantees:
✓ PROMINENT ONE BUTTON ACCESS to Australian radio – AM, FM, DAB+ receivers and streaming
audio – in all cars
✓ GUARANTEED AVAILABILITY AND DISCOVERABILITY on smart speakers
✓ RELIABLE VERBAL ACCESS to Australian radio services via voice assistants
Young added:
“Radio shouldn’t need mobile data, Wi-Fi, or power to be accessible, it should be easily available when Australians need it most. The government must act now to protect a medium that 15 million Australians[ii] rely on every week.”
CRA have also today relaunched an upgraded RadioApp with an enhanced user experience.
[i] Deloitte, Connecting Communities: The Economic and Social Contribution of Commercial Radio & Audio in
Australia, August 2023
[ii] Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2025, Australians aged 10+, Listened to commercial radio in the past week.
Related report:
Joint statement to Senate Inquiry to include radio prominence for smart speakers and connected cars