ACMA toughens up sanctions on Sunshine FM
23 October 2014 · News
Sunshine FM has been issued with “remedial directions” by the ACMA after failing to “implement agreed measures” to fix licence condition breaches.
In what is an unusual move for the regulat...
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Tags: ACMA | Alan Quinn | Sunshine FM
I'll acknowledge up front I am a volunteer announcer at Sunshine FM but I am not on the Management Committee so I am speaking purely from a personal perspective.
One thing the ACMA has neglected to mention is our recent web survey where well over 200 people responded with their thoughts the station. It was a huge endorsement of what is now happening on air. People want a bit more 60s music and more variety within the music of the 50s - 70s but otherwise are overwhelmingly satisfied despite what the ACMA says. This was all publicly aired at the AGM last month to which all members were invited
Direct questions were asked about what types of different music did people want. Did they also want more talk (which the ACMA is insisting)? The answer to the latter was an over whelming NO. Did they want book readings - NO.
I agree with parts of the ACMA report ( we do need to increase our numbers of on air volunteers) but no one from the ACMA has bothered to talk to our listeners. No one from the ACMA has come to the Sunshine Coast to convene a public meeting which, if talking about a formal breach about whether we meet the community of interest need, would have been the right thing to do. One wonders whether there are any executive members of the ACMA who have ever been involved at an executive level in community radio?
I just want to add a couple more things on whether we are meeting the needs of the over 50s. Walk around retirement villages on the coast and Sunshine FM is on.
There are a lot of businesses whose owners are over 50 who have it on in their business. Bus companies specialising in the over 50s tours have it on in their vehicles and I have numerous people over 50 who tell me they listen. My wife works with clients predominantly over 50 and they tell her when they recognise the surname that they listen. If we weren't meeting the needs of the over 50s, our radio station would not be as listened to by the over 50s as it appears to be.
Des
You were a Committee member a few weeks ago, what happened?
David, I didn't stand for re election as I don't have the time to devote to the committee due to increased work commitments in the job that pays my bills. The reason I mentioned not being on the Committee was to make it clear I was posting as an individual and not speaking officially on behalf of the station.