FM 94.7 in Geelong will remain as a community radio frequency after a decision by ACMA this week not to make it available for ABC News Radio. The frequency, which was handed back to ACMA in 2004 after the former community radio co-op surrendered the licence, is currently used by The Pulse under a temporary community broadcasting licence. The community radio sector lobbied hard to retain the frequency for community use, with ACMA receiving a large number of objections to the proposal to give the frequency to the ABC.
The original user of the licence, Geelong Community Radio Cooperative Ltd operating as 3YYR, surrendered its licence in June 2004 due to financial difficulties and the Geelong Ethnic Communities Council applied to use the frequency under a TCBL, operating it as The Pulse.
When it came time to consider the long term allocation of the frequency, ACMA had to make a choice between leaving the 94.7 MHz frequency available for long-term community broadcasting or to make it available for the introduction of a new ABC Radio service, which the national broadcaster was seeking.
This was not a popular option with local citizens and politicians.
ACMA received “a large number of submissions opposing the draft proposal” to allocate the frequency to the ABC. Objections came from Pulse supporters, other community organisations, broadcasting industry groups and local and state members of Parliament.
ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman explains the decision:
“After taking into account all the information before it, including the level of community opposition to the draft proposal to make 94.7 MHz available for the ABC Local Radio service, the proposed programming of the ABC service in the Geelong region and the possible alternative frequencies available, the ACMA has decided to leave the frequency 94.7 MHz available for long-term community radio broadcasting in Geelong.”
There are potentially two other frequencies which could be made available for the ABC local radio service which would provide coverage of Geelong city. One is an AM frequency, on 711 kHz and the other is an FM frequency on 91.9 MHz.
ACMA will be advertising for applications for the long-term community broadcasting licence in Geelong shortly.
Meanwhile, ACMA has found a suitable frequency for NewsRadio in nearby Bendigo, on FM 89.5.
This will be the first time the NewsRadio service has been made available in Bendigo and is a continuation of the Government’s policy of rolling out spectrum to extend the coverage of ABC NewsRadio services to regional areas with populations of more than 10,000 people.
Spectrum has also been made available for a medium power community radio service and two low power community radio services for Bendigo City. The ACMA will advertise for applications for long-term community broadcasting licences to use these frequencies shortly. Until these allocations are made, it is expected that temporary community broadcasting licensees can continue to use their current frequencies.
The FM frequency 89.5 MHz for NewsRadio, has a maximum effective radiated power (max ERP) of 10kW. The following frequencies have been made available for community radio services:
* 101.5 MHz (1kW max ERP)
* 105.1 MHz (150 W max ERP); and
* 106.7 MHz (150 W max ERP).
The Bendigo LAP variation planning was less contentious than Geelong, but ACMA did received seven submissions opposing the revised draft variation from two of the affected temporary community broadcasting licensees, the commercial radio broadcasting licensee (3EL) in the Maryborough RA1 licence area (which overlaps Bendigo population 98.15 per cent), interested community members and the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia.
The regulator appears to have juggled the frequencies in both centres the best way it can to accommodate as many interests as possible with the scarce spectrum available.