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I am curious as to how it is possible for a company to merge or amalgamate
Community radio stations from not only different cities but different states!
I was of the understanding that Community radio
Stations had to be run by local autonomous incorporated bodies that
Represented a local community of interest.
Since when has these conditions been changed or relaxed?
According to the acma website on community
Licences the following criteria must be observed
In particular I'm curious about section (e)
the undesirability of one person being in a position to exercise control of more than one community broadcasting licence that is a
broadcasting services bands licence in the same licence area;
In this case the CEO of Vision Australia.
Here is the extract from the acma site.
Eligibility
An applicant for a community radio broadcasting licence must be a company that:
• is formed in Australia or in an external Territory; and
• represent a community interest.
Applications should contain sufficient relevant information to enable the ACMA to assess the merit of applications against the criteria in section 84(2) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992:
In deciding whether to allocate a community broadcasting licence that is a broadcasting services bands licence to an applicant or to one of a group of applicants, the ACMA is to have regard to:
(a) the extent to which the proposed service or services would meet the existing and perceived future needs of the community within
the licence area of the proposed licence; and
(b) the nature and diversity of the interests of that community; and
(c) the nature and diversity of other broadcasting services (including national broadcasting services) available within that licence
area; and
(d) the capacity of the applicant to provide the proposed service or services; and
(e) the undesirability of one person being in a position to exercise control of more than one community broadcasting licence that is a
broadcasting services bands licence in the same licence area; and
(f) the undesirability of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory or a political party being in a position to exercise control of a
community broadcasting licence.
The ACMA is not required to allocate the licence to any applicant (section 85 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992). Community broadcasting services
Community broadcasting services are defined in section 15 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 as broadcasting services that:
(a) are provided for community purposes; and
(b) are not operated for profit or as part of a profit-making enterprise; and
(c) that provide programs that:
(i) are able to be received by commonly available equipment; and
(ii) are made available free to the general public; and
(d) comply with any determinations or clarifications under section 19 in relation to community broadcasting services.
Community broadcasting licences remain in force for five years.
Commencement date of community radio broadcasting service
A community radio broadcasting licensee must commence to broadcast within one year of being allocated the licence (clause 9(1)(h) of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992).
Compliance requirements
Community radio broadcasting licensees are required to comply with the licence conditions set out in Parts1, 2 and 5 of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, as well as the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice.