The ABA has imposed strict licence conditions on Perth youth community station Groove 101.7FM.

The licence conditions are intended to ensure that Groove FM “provides a range of programming that caters for the interests of the broader Perth youth community, and that it encourages members of the youth community to participate in the service.”

The licence conditions begin on 1 January next year and are the result of various investigations into the station over the past 12 months and an earlier investigation report (see previous radioinfo stories).

Acting ABA Chair Lyn Maddock says: “Youth Media Society of Western Australia was allocated a licence to provide a service for all the youth of Perth, not just for those interested in urban and dance music…

“The conditions will ensure that YMS provides a diverse range of music and talk programming, that it continues to play a high level of local and Australian music, and that it actively invites Perth youth to participate in the service – not just as volunteers, but as members of YMS who can be involved in decision making about the future and direction of both Groove FM and the licensee association.”

Other conditions will address “significant deficiencies in the corporate governance of YMS.” The station will now be required to improve its financial and administrative procedures “so that YMS is run in accordance with basic standards of accountability, transparency and openness.”

Youth Media Society of Western Australia Inc (YMS) was registered in June 2001 and began test broadcasts using the name Groove FM under a temporary community broadcasting licence on 2 July 2002.

YMS was allocated Perth’s new permanent community licence in October 2002 and began full time operation in March 2003.

On 30 June 2003, DMG Radio Australia (DMG) made a complaint to the ABA about Groove FM. After considering DMG’s submission and monitoring sample broadcast periods on Groove FM, the ABA began an investigation on 31 July 2003, which has resulted in the licence conditions.