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 regulator, it has escalated its compliance requirements on the Sunshine Coast older listener targeted community station.
The station is required take action to remedy breaches of two licence conditions found after an ACMA investigation in August 2013. The breaches relate to the requirements to continue to represent the community interest; and encourage participation in the selection of programs.
ACMA says Sunshine FM (4SFM) was “given many opportunities since the breach findings were made to implement agreed measures and it was advised of the consequences of non-compliance, including escalation to formal enforcement action.”
If 4SFM fails to comply with the remedial directions within the specified timeframe the ACMA could suspend or cancel the licence.
The problem for Sunshine FM goes back to a dispute we reported on last year, when Alan Quinn and some other presenters claimed the station was no longer representing the interests of its listeners.
The complaint alleged that “programming had taken on a more ‘commercial’ tone and was not catering to 4SFM’s community interest, namely, the mature-age community interest of the Nambour RA2 licence area.” It also alleged 4SFM was not taking sufficient steps to identify and monitor the needs of its community interest.
The station replied that it used a variety of methods to identify and monitor the needs of the community, “including the use of broadcasting surveys such as the McNair Ingenuity and CBAA Surveys, plus holding focus groups and visits to mature-age groups such as Probus, Rotary and U3A etc. We also monitor feedback we receive via email and our website. In 2012, during our Radiothon, we took the opportunity to ask questions of our respondents regarding music and programming. The focus groups numbered six (6) and each group had between 9 and 14 attendees.”
The ACMA found the station in breach of this issue, saying:
“For example, while 4SFM visited persons in mature-age groups, the licensee did not provide any details on the frequency of these visits or the needs that were expressed by the mature-age persons in those groups. Further, given that mature-age persons comprised close to 45% (108,560 persons) of the licence area population, six focus groups over two years, each comprising between 9 and 14 participants, represent only a small sample and infrequent monitoring of the community’s needs.
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On issues of membership, the complainant was found not to have substantiated his complaints and the station was found not to be in breach on that issue.
The complaint stated that membership was declining, the station was not taking adequate steps to attract and retain financial members, that volunteer numbers were declining dramatically and the station was not taking adequate steps to encourage the community to participate in its operations. But the ACMA found that the complaint about declining membership was not substantiated and affirmed that Sunshine FM was “implementing the relevant provisions in its constitution relating to members who have not paid their membership fees for two months or more.”
On a third matter, the complainant alleged that a small group of people were arbitrarily removing and replacing its most popular programs and the number of presenters was decreasing. The station responded, saying:
“We have endeavoured to include the volunteers and members to be involved in our programming and music… We met regularly until the disenchanted 1-2 members who were on that committee could not get their own way and commenced their destructive and vicious campaign which has kept me busy writing responses to you and you department.”
But the ACMA found it had breached in this area too, with the investigation report commenting:
Sunshine FM was licenced in 2002 and has been serving older listeners on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast since then. The station’s current licence is due to expire on 8 December 2017.
The ACMA now expects the station to remedy the problems “within a specified timeframe.”
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.