ABA Update

IN THE NEWS

After consultation with the people of the local communities to seek their views on what additional broadcasting the ABA to consider a sub- services were needed in their area, the mission from a licensee that ABA has allocated new community radio the community interest it rep- licences to community groups in resents has evolved since the Gosford, Fremantle, South Hobart, the licence was allocated Tasman peninsula and Christmas Island. • allows codes of practice to be developed by industry rep- resentative of community li- censees whose service targets remote Indigenous commu- nities • to amend the definition of New community ‘sponsorship announcement’ to include an acknowledge- ment of financial support of a radio licences program provided on the li- censee’s service. This will solve the technical legal prob- lem for community radio sta- tions which broadcast syndicated programs carried Gosford, NSW The Gosford area is currently 2002 decision to allocate the by the Community Radio Sat- served by five national radio licence to Gosford Christian ellite service which include The successful applicant, services, 2BL, 2RN, 2ABC, Broadcasters. The hearing was sponsorship announcements Gosford Christian Broadcasters 2PNN, 2JJJ and two commercial held on Tuesday, 28 January in the source programs. Ltd (Rhema FM ) for the new radio services, 2GGO and 2CFM. 2003. community radio licence for The ABA recently allocated a The ABA is currently consid- the Gosford licence area will third commercial radio licence ering a way forward. provide a service on 94.9 MHz for Gosford to DMG Radio Aus- New pay TV licences on the FM band. The perma- tralia Pty Ltd. This service is yet Fremantle, WA allocated nent licence will commence on to commence. The Gosford area 1 February 2003. is also served by three commu- The ABA has allocated a new The ABA has recently allocated The ABA received five appli- nity radio services, 2CCC, 2CCH community radio licence for the following subscription tel- cations for three new perma- and 2SNR. The Gosford area is Fremantle in evision (pay TV) licences un- nent community radio licences served by national television to the Portuguese Cultural and der section 96(1) of the for Gosford. On 24 October services ABN46 and SBS58, and Recreational Centre WA Inc. Broadcasting Services Act: 2002, the ABA allocated two of commercial television services (PCRC). • 6 June 2002: 140 subscription these licences to Five-O-Plus NBN40, NEN43, NRN61, ATN49, The service will broadcast on television broadcasting li- Public Radio Association Inc. TCN52, TEN55. 91.3 MHz on the FM band. PCRC cences to Telstra Pay TV Pty and Central Coast Broadcasters The ABA released a licence is currently broadcasting on that Ltd. (Licence Identification Ltd, and reached a preliminary area plan for Gosford radio in frequency under a temporary Nos. 1851–1990) view not to allocate the third August 2000. Three community community broadcasting li- • 26 June 2002: 11 subscription licence and to allow the appli- radio services were made avail- cence that expires on 31 Janu- television broadcasting li- cants for this licence a further able in Gosford. ary 2003. The permanent cences to Television & Radio opportunity to provide addi- community radio broadcasting Broadcasting Services Aus- tional information. Federal Court appeal licence will commence on 1 tralia Pty Limited. (Licence The other applicants for the On 31 January 2003, the Fed- February 2003. Identification Nos. 1991– third licence were: Gosford eral Court handed down a deci- PCRC was the only applicant 2001) Christian Broadcasters Ltd sion setting aside the ABA’s for the licence. Its application • 20 November 2002: 50 sub- (Christian); Radio Yesteryear allocation of this licence to was assessed with particular scription television broadcast- Inc. (general community inter- Gosford Christian Broadcasters regard to whether the proposed ing licences to TransACT ested in music from 1930s to Ltd. service would meet existing and Broadcasting Pty Limited. 1960s); and Wyong Gosford Wyong Gosford Progressive perceived future community (Licence Identification Nos. Progressive Community Radio Community Radio Inc. had ap- needs. 2002–2051). Inc. (minority groups). pealed the ABA’s 19 December

10 IN THE NEWS

The proposed service will pro- and Cadence FM (general com- permanent community radio broadcasting on those frequen- vide programming targeted to munity). broadcasting licence will com- cies under a temporary com- meet the needs of the Portu- ‘TUB Inc is proposing to pro- mence on 2 February 2003. munity broadcasting licence that guese speaking community in vide a comprehensive service Tasman FM was the only ap- expires on 28 February 2003. the Fremantle licence area. to meet the needs of youth plicant for the licence. Its appli- The permanent community ra- This area is currently served aged between 15 to 30 years in cation was assessed with dio broadcasting licence will by six national radio services: the South Hobart licence area. particular regard to whether commence on 1 March 2003. 6SBSFM, 6RN, 6WF, 6PB, 6JJJ This new service will provide the proposed service would VLU2-FM was the only appli- and 6ABCFM, five commercial young people with an opportu- meet existing and perceived cant for the licence. Its applica- radio services: 6PR, 6IX, 6PPM, nity to actively participate in future community needs. tion was assessed with particular 6MIX and 6NOW, and seven the development and delivery Tasman FM’s current tempo- regard to whether the proposed community radio services: of the service,’ said Professor rary service operates 24 hours a service would meet existing and 6RPH, 6AR, 6EBA, 6SON, 6RTR, Flint. day, seven days a week. The perceived future community 6NR and 6CCR. The ABA has The South Hobart area is cur- proposed service will provide needs. recently allocated a new com- rently served by six national programs that will cover a wide VLU2-FM’s service currently munity radio licence to serve radio services, 7ZR, 7RN,7ABC, range of local issues, news, operates 17 hours a day on which represents youth, 7PB, 7SBS, 7JJJ, three commer- information and music that ap- weekdays, six hours a day on which has yet to commence. cial radio services, 7TTT, 7HHO peals to the many different com- Saturday, and 16 hours a day The Fremantle area is also and 7XXX and three commu- munity groups across the on Sunday. The proposed serv- served by national national tel- nity radio services, 7THE, 7RPH, Tasman Peninsula licence area. ice will provide programs that evision services: ABC and SBS, 7HFC. The South Hobart area is This area is currently served will cover a wide range of local commercial television services: also served by national televi- by six national radio services, issues, in addition to news, in- TVW, STW, NEW, and commu- sion services ABT2 and SBS28, (7RN, 7PB, 7ZR, 7JJJ, 7ABCFM, formation and entertainment nity television service: CTV31. and commercial television serv- 7SBS), three commercial serv- that appeals to the different On 11 October 2001 the ABA ices TVT6 and TNT31. ices (7TTT, 7HHO, 7XXX) and community groups throughout finalised the radio licence area The ABA released a licence three community radio services the Christmas Island licence plan for the Perth area in WA. It area plan for Hobart radio in (7HFC, 7RPH and 7THE). area, providing programming determined that five new com- December 2001. Two new com- On 13 December 2001 the in Mandarin, Cantonese, Bahasa munity radio licences be made munity radio services were ABA finalised the radio licence Malay and English. available, one to serve each of made available for South Ho- area plan for the Hobart area in Christmas Island is currently the following areas: Perth, Fre- bart and Tasman Peninsula. The Tasmania. The ABA determined served by three national radio mantle, Armadale, Kalamunda ABA allocated the community that two new community broad- services; ABC (WA Regional), and Wanneroo. licence for Tasman Peninsula casting licences be made avail- JJJ and Radio Australia and one on 29 November 2002. able, one to serve the Tasman commercial radio service; WA- South Hobart, Tas Peninsula, including Nubeena, FM. It is also served by national Tasman peninsula, the other to serve South Ho- television services ABC and SBS, The successful applicant for the Tas bart. and commercial television serv- new community radio licence ices WAW (Golden West Net- for the South Hobart licence The new community radio li- Christmas Island work) and WOW (WIN-TV). area. Tasmanian University censee for the Tasman Penin- In August 1996, the ABA final- Broadcasters Inc (TUB Inc), is sula, Tasmania, Tasman The new community radio li- ised the Remote Western Aus- providing a service on 99.3 MHz Community Broadcasters Asso- cence for the external Territory tralia radio licence area plan, on the FM band. The perma- ciation Inc. (Tasman FM) will of Christmas Island has been which includes the Christmas nent licence commenced on 23 broadcast on 97.7 MHz on the allocated to Radio VLU2-FM Island licence area. It deter- December 2002. FM band. Announcers Association Inc. mined that one new commu- The ABA received two appli- Tasman FM is currently broad- (VLU2-FM). nity radio broadcasting licence cations for the new permanent casting on that frequency un- The service will broadcast on be made available for Christ- community radio licence for der a temporary community 102.1 MHz (Drumsite) and 105.3 mas Island. South Hobart: TUB Inc. (youth) broadcasting licence that will MHz (Rocky Point) on the FM expire on 1 February 2003. The band. VLU2-FM is currently

FEBRUARY 2003 11