Community radio stations across Australia are facing lean and uncertain times in the wake of news that $1.4 million per annum in Federal Budget funding is being withdrawn.
For local broadcasters like 4zzz in Brisbane, the shortfall casts serious doubt over the viability of their digital distribution platforms which rely on Government funds in addition to loyal subscriber support.
Programming Development Co-Ordinator for 4zzz and Zed Digital, Nathan Kearney says it's a dire situation which affects community broadcasters on a national scale. “It's spread across the entire country,” he says, “we're all in the same boat in terms of the community radio sector.
“It's funding that's being withdrawn from every single state, and it's mainly the funding that's going toward digital stations in each major capital city, with the exception of Canberra and the Northern Territory.
Image © Facebook“It's a huge problem because it means we possibly won't have the infrastructure costs to pay for the digital channel as we have it now. Zed Digital is also a platform that could be used in the future, the same way digital TV has taken over to be the common form in Australia.”
Citing the example set by European countries, Nathan also states Australia runs a severe risk of being left behind in terms of digital distribution if the current need is not met. “There's many European countries that have switched over to, or are about to switch over to, a digital spectrum as the sole source of radio, and Australia isn't at the stage yet largely because of regional areas not being covered; we will be behind the times in that sense,” he says.
In response to the funding crisis, 4zzz, alongside commercial broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, are taking part in a national day of action on Friday 3 June. The Keep Community Radio campaign is aimed at ensuring whichever party wins the July election is committed to addressing the budget shortfall.
While Nathan says the withdrawal of funding doesn't necessarily mean the end of 4zzz and stations like it, their capacity to deliver high-quality programming through digital streams will almost certainly suffer. “It's not so much a question of surviving, it's about how we cold survive,” he says.
“We have the community support, so the best way is for the community to sign this petition and show the government this funding is necessary because community radio thrives on listener subscribers to survive, but we also need that small amount.
“It's $1 million out of a budget of billions of dollars; it's a small amount just to keep our infrastructure alive so we can provide so many opportunities to young people, and for people to learn new skills.”
Nathan and his team are urging listeners to stand behind them and show their support for community radio, not just in Brisbane but nationwide. “They can tune into 4zzz 102.1 FM, our analogue station, on the day from 11am until 4pm and we'll be playing all the digital programmes, best-of segments and some stories about what Zed Digital is,” he says.
“Later in the day we've got some interviews with some people who actually make the content for Zed Digital and why they feel the programme is relevant. Apart from that the best thing people can do, and what we'll be pushing for them to do all of Friday, is to get onto the website and sign the petition.”
The Keep Community Radio national day of action takes place on 3 June.
