Bowral community radio station 2WKT 107.1 has breached its licence conditions by not keeping audio logs. The station also breached the community radio codes of practice with comments about Indigenous people and by not responding quickly enough to a complaint.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority investigated a complaint from a member of the community and found that the licensee, Highland Media Co-operative Ltd, had not kept a copy of the offending broadcast. Because the station’s logging computer had not been changed over for daylight saving, the hour in question had been overwritten by another file.

ACMA also found that the licensee breached the codes by broadcasting inappropriate terms when referring to Indigenous people, as outlined in two areas of the complaint:

_{The first complaint relates to the choice of introduction music by Rolf Harris ‘Brindabella Morning’ to an allegedly Indigenous segment. Rolf Harris is well known for his vilification of Aboriginal peoples.The choice of music was derogatory and offensive…}

_{The studio guest did not represent himself as having any Aboriginal cultural competence using derogatory vilifying terms like half caste and quarter caste. His use of the terms ‘no man’s land’ ‘natives and tribes’ reflect his journey he [willingly] disclosed was ‘stolen twice’ so his knowledge of Aboriginal cultural matters is through a book and not handed down from parentage… His narrative is that of an assimilated Australian.}

The station also failed to respond to the complaint within 60 days.

In responding to the breach findings, 2WKT has rectified the problem with its recording equipment, apologised to the complainant, and put in place measures to ensure that complaints are registered on the day that they are received.

The ACMA considers these actions demonstrate 2WKT’s commitment to meeting its obligations under the licence conditions and codes, and will take no further action at this time.

The station also received complaints about broadcasting advertisements and plagiarism, but these were not found to be breaches.

The full investigation report is at the link below.