In a great example of radio industry cooperation, ABC and Commercial stations in Queensland united this month to make sure listeners could get emergency services information even if one of the stations went off air.

When floodwaters were threatening the Queensland town of St George in early March, ABC Local Radio became concerned that it’s transmitter, several kilometres out of town, might be inundated. Determined to fulfil its role as Emergency Broadcaster, the ABC approached local commercial operators Hot Country, Zinc ZR and HOT FM about putting the ABC’s signal on their masts to maintain the flow of emergency information to the community.

The commercial operators Smart Media and Southern Cross Media agreed to the plan and ABC Local Radio’s emergency broadcast, containing warnings, updates and interviews aimed at keeping the community safe, was simulcast on all 4 stations for 8 hours as the Balonne River reached its peak.

As it turned out the river peaked 50cm short of what was expected and the ABC transmitter was not flooded. However the cooperation was an important example of cooperation between ABC and commercial stations in a time of crisis.