COMMUNITY RADIO NURTURING ’S OPEN SOCIETY STRONG DEMOCRACY VIBRANT CULTURE “There’s something about community broadcasting that’s more genuine, and speaks right to the experience of people ALMOST without doctoring it, without censoring it, 5 MILLION and then celebrates the PEOPLE LISTEN TO COMMUNITY truth of that... it’s great.” RADIO EVERY WEEK

YEN ERIKSEN 2XX “Every single person has their own saga, their own story unfolding, and I love listening to radio because you have the opportunity where you actually get to hear glimpses of these people’s lives, and their stories, and what they’re LISTENERS SPEND 15 HOURS TUNING IN TO COMMUNITY RADIO IN AN AVERAGE WEEK. YOUNGER PEOPLE AGED 15-24 LISTEN THE passionate about.” MOST TO COMMUNITY RADIO, AVERAGING 19 HOURS PER WEEK.

Listeners People People aged 28-39 aged 55+ aged 40-54 tune in for listen for listen for

15.5 14.6 12.3 MASON SMITH HOURS PER WEEK HOURS PER WEEK HOURS PER WEEK 2RRR SYDNEY

26% OF ALL RADIO LISTENERS LISTEN TO COMMUNITY RADIO Community radio stations operating in towns and cities across Australia

95%

41% 34% 25% of community radio listeners find community radio metropolitan regional areas rural areas and its services to the Australian community valuable & suburban

SINCE 2012 THE CONSUMPTION OF DIGITAL RADIO LOCAL INFORMATION AND LOCAL NEWS HAS DOUBLED. THREE IN TEN COMMUNITY RADIO IS THE NUMBER 1 REASON WHY PEOPLE LISTEN LISTENERS OWN A DIGITAL RADIO, COMPARED TO COMMUNITY RADIO WITH TWO IN TEN IN THE GENERAL POPULATION

“I listen to community radio “It’s about hearing local people. because it speaks to me, as It’s about hearing our stories for a community member. I get ourselves, by ourselves... and then something out of it that I don’t sharing them with others, and get from other radio services... sharing them with the world.” I hear real voices, real stories, JOY TAYLOR, 8CCC ALICE SPRINGS and real people.” TESS LAWLEY, SYN MEDIA “We showcase Australian music in a number of ways... the first way is the incorporation of Australian music into our every day playlists.” ON AVERAGE

OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC IS AIRED ON COMMUNITY RADIO EVERY DAY

JACK MILLER FRESH 92.7 Since 2002 the level of Australian ADELAIDE music aired on community radio has increased from 32% to 39%. 22KPEOPLE VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME FOR COMMUNITY RADIO 44% EACH YEAR OF COMMUNITY RADIO VOLUNTEERS ARE FEMALE

of that, 74% work in on-air COMMUNITY or production roles. RADIO STATIONS ACROSS 444

“Community radio... shows the “This is a place where everyone value of just what committed, can feel safe, can have a say, genuinely interested people and that’s democracy.” can achieve.” MARNIE ROUND, BOB RAU, NORTH WEST FM, COMMUNITY RADIO LISTENERS “We meet such a diverse range of people every day, and I think there are those people who sometimes feel like they’re outliers in society, are holding strong to what they % % 56 44 believe in and what they want to pursue out of this world... 17% AGED 15-24 in my eyes the existence of an open society is encouraging 27% AGED 25-39 them to understand that 25% AGED 40-54 community radio is a safe house for these ideologies.” 32% AGED 55+

30% OF PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY SPEAK A EMMA COUCH LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH IN THEIR RADIO SKIDROW HOUSEHOLD LISTEN TO COMMUNITY RADIO SYDNEY DURING A TYPICAL WEEK. THE COMMUNITY BROADCASTING ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA (CBAA) CHAMPIONS COMMUNITY BROADCASTING BY BUILDING STATIONS’ CAPABILITY AND BY CREATING A HEALTHY on average almost ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SECTOR TO THRIVE.

COMMUNITY BROADCASTING IS A VITAL PART OF THE 6500 AUSTRALIAN MEDIA LANDSCAPE. PEOPLE RECEIVE BROADCASTING ACROSS TRAINING EACH YEAR IN AUSTRALIA, 444 COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RADIO RADIO STATIONS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROVIDING A VOICE FOR COMMUNITIES THAT AREN’T ADEQUATELY SERVICED BY

“There’s always someone to throw OTHER BROADCASTING SECTORS. around ideas with and learn from... it’s the energy. You always walk STATISTICS FROM 2015 MCNAIR NATIONAL LISTENER away feeling so excited.” SURVEY; 2013 MCNAIR STATION CENSUS AND CBAA. JESSICA PANTOU, 3MBS MELBOURNE www.cbaa.org.au