At the 2002 Community Radio Conference, held in Canberra last weekend, Communications Minister Richard Alston told the conference, in a wide-ranging prerecorded address, about funding issues, future planning, community TV and licence allocation plans.

In his speech he said:

I notice from your program that you are tackling some of the biggest issues facing community broadcasting—training, copyright, the building of partnerships, and how to make the sector appealing to the young Australians who will become the next generation of community broadcasters…

THE COMMUNITY RADIO SECTOR

Community broadcasting shows what is best about Australian society – our diversity, our willingness to work together and our capacity for innovation. Community broadcasting steps in where commercial broadcasting cannot go. It reaches deep into the community, to serve niche interests…

Driving this vibrant sector are the 25,000 or so volunteers who run the stations and produce and present the programs. They make community broadcasting – and they make it unique.

TRAINING

The sector also plays a vital role in training. Some of the big names of Australian radio received their start in community broadcasting, and the CBAA and the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasting Council—both of which are Registered Training Organisations—equip up to 5000 people with broadcast skills every year.

FUNDING

The Commonwealth Government has worked hard over the past six years to support the sector and make it more sustainable. We have significantly increased funding.

In 1995-96, funding to the sector was $3.5 million in real terms. This year the Government allocated $5.2 million to the Community Broadcasting Sector—an increase of nearly 50 per cent.

The introduction of the Infrastructure/Multicultural Funding in 1996 was a great boost to the sector. This was renewed in 1999 and again for another four years in the 2002-03 Budget.

Since 1996, special-purpose Commonwealth funding has helped build satellite infrastructure, install Internet connections and develop programs aimed at newly arrived migrants. The sector has also received $1.5 million under the Contemporary Music Initiative.

We have also opened up access to other funding programs. For example the Regional Solutions program is providing funding for a growing number of stations.

I know that the community broadcasting sector has made a case for increased funding in the next Federal Budget. I can assure you that it will be seriously evaluated. The Government is proud of the community broadcasting sector and mindful of the crucial role it plays in building a rich and cohesive culture in our communities.

MORE STATIONS

I appreciate that this considerable boost in Commonwealth funding has coincided with a massive increase in the number of stations over the same period—from 120 five years ago to more than 240 permanent and 62 temporary community broadcasters now.

I understand that even though the funding pie is bigger, it is being shared between a greater number of beneficiaries.

And, as we all know, the sector is still growing. As the Australian Broadcasting Authority allocates the remaining community broadcasting licences over the next two years, we are likely to see close to 300 permanent community broadcasters.

Of course, funding is only one of the challenges facing community broadcasting. Another, of which you would all be acutely aware, is the finite nature of spectrum.

There will always be far more applicants for spectrum than can be accommodated.

The ABA does its best under the Broadcasting Services Act to ensure that aspirants are judged fairly and that community needs are understood and met. It has a tough job, and I think it does it well. It is important to have an arms-length, independent arbiter.

But inevitably—as some of you know from painful experience—good applicants, and even some temporary broadcasters, miss out.

COMMUNITY TV

I have spoken so far about only one aspect of community broadcasting—radio. Community television is an issue that will command much closer attention in years to come.

The trial of community television has shown that the medium has struggled somewhat in the current environment and under the current regulatory framework. But the trial also suggests that community television does have a future.

I was delighted that the legislation to support a permanent licensing framework for the sector was introduced to Parliament just a few days ago.

Community television is all about community access to the airwaves. The Government does not want to see commercial companies making money from the sector.

However, the Government is also mindful that the capacity to raise revenue will improve the sector’s chances of long-term viability. It therefore proposes that allowable sponsorship time be increased from five minutes in any hour to seven minutes in any hour—in the periods between programs or during natural program breaks.

Similarly, rules will apply to the sale of airtime to businesses that provide genuine community programming. Community television should not be allowed to turn into quasi-commercial broadcasting.

A licensee will not be able to sell more than two hours of airtime a day to a commercial enterprise unless it assists education or learning…

The Bill will allow the spectrum currently used for CTV broadcasting services to continue to be used for analog CTV transmission until 31 December 2006—when the moratorium on the allocation of new commercial licences ends.

Arrangements for the digital carriage of CTV will be reconsidered before that time…

The Government hopes the community broadcasting sector will support the Bill, so that community television can carve out a position for itself on the media landscape…

Community broadcasting shows Australians at their best.

I hope that you will emerge from the next few days with your passion for your task reignited, and with new ideas to try back in your own communities.