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Is it radio? Or should that be Radio. Maybe the old looks like it, feels like it, functions like it test should apply - in which case it’s radio and Radio. Or is the question is it good radio? That’s a big question whether it’s community or commercial or national radio and like all qualitative questions subject to taste and values and attitudes. It’s easier to answer the question is it radio or ballroom dancing – definitely radio on that front – it involves the mouth moving in front of a microphone rather than the feet on a floor.
Community radio broadcasting stations are licensed to service communities of interest and local geographical communities. Indigenous, ethnic and multicultural, educational, youth, radio for the print handicapped, religious, senior citizens, and specialist music are some of the primary identified communities of interest, as well as a large number of general community stations servicing local areas with all or some of those community interests reflected in programs, and a very high level of local information and programs across a broad range of cultural interests.
30% of community stations provide the only locally produced radio available in their areas and the vast majority do a pretty good job of reflecting the interests and issues of their local communities. Roughly 70% of the community broadcasting sector are stations operated and managed completely by volunteers and the other 30% have a small core staff and a large number of volunteer broadcasters.
Community radio services add a depth and breadth to local radio services that contributes significantly to the diversity of radio services available to the Australian community, and to local and Australian content. There are tensions and issues in stations at times as there are with most community organisations and sometimes things get messy. That’s the nature of communities because they are communities – full of different ideas, and values , and beliefs, and practices. Communities aren’t a ‘tightly run business’ like some sports clubs might be – and some might not be - they’re a much broader and complex group of people with contesting ideas and values.
We’re fortunate to live in a thriving and messy democracy where those different ideas are debated in structures that can work through tensions and differences. Not perfect of course but that’s the context for community broadcasting licences.
It’s certainly worth all community radio stations remembering that they’re licensed to service a community, and station members are also members of that community, but it’s unrealistic to think they won’t sometimes have issues that are difficult to resolve.
Self-indulgent? Have you watched parliamentary broadcasts lately? A couple of community stations in the news in the last 10 days with difficult issues in their community is a pretty low ratio when there are 350 licensed community radio stations. There might have been a few other brawls in other broadcasting sectors and other communities in the last 10 days too!