The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and FBi Radio have attended the NSW parliamentary inquiry into the music and arts economy in New South Wales.
 
The inquiry, which began in November last year, has taken submissions from over 400 organisations and individuals, including the CBAA, CRA, APRA AMCOS and ARIA, and is looking to find out how to better support a diverse and vibrant music and arts culture across NSW.
 
In his opening statement to the inquiry CBAA CEO Jon Bisset said: “Community radio performs an important role in Australia’s radio-scape by supporting local music and the music industry…(and) not only fills gaps that the national broadcasters and commercials cannot but also actively champions local music and contributes to the health and vitality of local music scenes.”
 
The inquiry also heard that 20 years ago the CBAA created the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP) a service that involves the CBAA distributing and promoting contemporary Australian music to community radio stations nationwide.
 
Manager of AMRAP, Andrew Khedoori, told the inquiry that AMRAP is able to “get Australian music out as a distribution hub to radio stations in (regional and remote) areas and the artists themselves can check where their music is being picked up and they can follow through…and actually create a schedule for touring around when that airplay is coming”.
 
The CBAA’s full submission is here.
 
The inquiry will be conducting two more hearings, the next to be in Tamworth on the 13^th September.