NEMBC EB Autumn 2003
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Autumn 2003 Edition National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council Embracing Training, Empowering the Broadcaster Community Inside: Ethnic AERTP: Celebrating a Unique Training Program Innovative Young Broadcasters 2002 Manicaros Award Winners The First Casualty of War: Wartime Reporting New Faces at the NEMBC The PRESIDENT’S PEN Contents The 2002 NEMBC Conference, held in Adelaide in November, focused on 3 AERTP: A Unique Program Under Threat improving participation in ethnic broadcasting amongst youth and 4 Funding the community broadcasting emerging communities. Another focus sector was the continuation of the Australian 5 AERTP: A Unique Training Program Ethnic Radio Training Project (AERTP). These issues are shaping the NEMBC’s course in the 6 In Their Own Words immediate future. 7 Tips for Better Broadcasting As reported elsewhere in this issue of The Ethnic Broadcaster, the highlight of the conference was the 8 Adelaide Hosts the 2002 NEMBC presence, (the greatest ever at an NEMBC conference), Conference and active participation of young people and delegates 9 Promoting and Celebrating Ethnic from new and emerging communities. That fifty percent Community Broadcasting of the delegates were women is an encouraging sign of change. The issue of increased youth involvement in 11 Access and Generational Change ethnic community broadcasting has now largely passed 14 Building a Successful Multicultural Society the stage of discussion and debate and has entered the stage of practical implementation and the allocation of 16 NEMBC Women’s Committee NEMBC and station resources to ensure tangible outcomes. 17 New Faces at the NEMBC The next NEMBC Executive meeting will be held on 5 – 18 Radio and Emerging Communities 6 April. The Executive will discuss and act upon 2002 19 Innovative Young Broadcasters – 2002 Conference proposals especially those regarding Manicaros Winners increased youth involvement. The Conference proposal to ensure greater involvement and representation by 20 In the Spotlight ethnic broadcasters in remote communities must also 21 No More Pauline Hanson Stories receive early consideration. 23 News YOU Can Use! The Ethnic News Work has begun on the Emerging and Refugee Communities Project, an 18-month project funded by Digest the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and 24 $$$$$ MONEY $$$$$ Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). Indira Narayan, an experienced trainer and broadcaster, is developing and 26 Station News implementing the project. 30 Message to Ethnic and Multicultural On the critical question of increased funding to the Broadcasters sector, the NEMBC continues to be active, within ethnic 31 We Respond to the Minister communities and in meetings with politicians and Government Ministers. Additional funding is essential to 32 The First Casualty of War: Wartime keep pace with ever escalating costs and sector Reporting expansion and is particularly required for the continuation of the Australian Ethnic Radio Training Project. In this difficult and ethnically and racially divisive time it On the 17th February we met with the Minister for is imperative that ethnic community broadcasters be Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, provided with more resources to maintain their moral Senator Alston, to explain our position and press our and social support for the policy of multiculturalism and case on funding issues. Although the Minister for harmonious relations between peoples and nations. expressed interest in our position, he stressed that the George Zangalis Government’s priorities in this year’s budget are NEMBC President defence and security. Cover photo: Current AERTP 3ZZZ trainees L-R: Tony Chan; Elina Polkane; Karen Wong Kar Hang; Kevin Garcia; Larissa Romensky (AERTP trainer). Photo by Ponch Hawkes AERTP: A Unique Program Under Threat L-R: Tamil Ramesh (Kurdish Program) and current AERTP 3ZZZ trainees Jack (Chi Wah) Tai, Kevin Garcia, Karen Wong Kar Hang, Haidy Eskander, Elina Polkane, Tony Chan, Larissa Romensky (AERTP trainer). Photo by Ponch Hawkes Over the last ten years the English speaking broadcasters in of the AERTP continued funding is Australian Ethnic Radio the commercial or national still in doubt. Training Project (AERTP) has broadcasting sectors. Volunteers are the heart and soul of trained over 3000 ethnic AERTP courses are fully accredited community broadcasting, They community broadcasters in and aligned to the national training come from a wide variety of radio skills. 23,000 modules of package and yet they are incredibly backgrounds. Most have had no training have been delivered to participants from 82 different language groups. “Promoting harmony and understanding is not simply a matter of Community groups as diverse multiculturalism – it is also a matter of security. A narrow focus on as Tamil and Turkish, Hmong the military, the police and intelligence underestimates our real and Hungarian, Cantonese security needs.” and Croatian have benefited from the high level training their broadcasters have cost-effective. The Australian previous experience in received. National Training Authority’s Annual broadcasting. The training offered The AERTP is a unique program Report states that “in 2000, the by the AERTP has been a critical developed from scratch to average national cost of providing factor in the ever-increasing quality specifically cater to the training one hour of training was $12.70”. and consistency of the work of needs of ethnic community The average hourly cost of AERTP volunteer presenters in our sector. broadcasters. Continually refined training is half of that, at $6.50 per It has been suggested that the over a decade, the AERTP is not a hour, or $250,000 a year. Despite AERTP should move to a user pays rehash of training developed for the success and cost-effectiveness The Ethnic Broadcaster, Autumn 2003 - 3 basis – that volunteers who already Multicultural Affairs, Mr. Hardgrave, on the military, the police and donate their time and energy to the and the Minister for intelligence underestimates our real service of their community should Communications, Information security needs. pay for the privilege. This would be Technology and the Arts, Senator As George Zangalis points out in a huge backwards step for ethnic Alston. To date however neither has his letter to the Minister for community broadcasting. It would been prepared to commit funds to Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, seriously affect the ability of the AERTP. the AERTP has played a major role broadcasters from new and The response has been that in breaking down racial prejudice in emerging communities, as well as funding is not assured and that the media. At this critical time there young people and women, to get on defence and security are high is no logic in cutting short this air and raise their broadcasting priorities on the funding agenda. successful program. skills. We understand that, but suggest At a recent strategy meeting of the While the Federal Government that perhaps the government’s National Ethnic Radio Training acknowledges the value of the concept of security is too narrow. Taskforce (NERTT) strong support AERTP it has not yet agreed to Multiculturalism has been very was expressed for the continued continue funding the service. We successful in Australia – ours has funding of the AERTP. Chaired by have had courteous hearings from been a peaceful and comparatively Professor Mary Kalantzis, Dean of the Minister for Citizenship and tolerant society in recent years. Education at RMIT University, and Ethnic community broadcasting has including representatives from the been a powerful force in promoting SBS, the ABC and the training “After immensely enjoying the understanding and harmony sector, the NERTT has reaffirmed AERTP training, I applied to between different communities. its support for the AERTP. NERTT become a trainer and was With the threat of war in Iraq and members will work with the NEMBC accepted. I love the whole concept with the reality of terrorist attacks in over the coming months to ensure of skills sharing, especially when New York and Bali, tensions are that the AERTP continues to skill working with people from diverse rising. Promoting harmony and and empower the next generation of cultural backgrounds” understanding is not simply a ethnic community broadcasters. Josine Wepter, ethnic broadcaster matter of multiculturalism – it is also and AERTP trainer. a matter of security. A narrow focus Funding the community broadcasting sector In February a delegation from the community In this meeting the NEMBC was represented by the broadcasting sector travelled to Canberra to President, George Zangalis. support the sector’s funding submission in the In early March the group again traveled to Canberra context of the next Federal Budget. Executive where they met Gary Hardgrave, Minister for Officer Darce Cassidy represented the NEMBC. Citizenship & Multicultural Affairs; Laurie Ferguson, The group met with senior advisers to members of the Shadow Minister for Citizenship & Multicultural Affairs; Expenditure Review Committee. They included advisers Bob McMullen, Shadow Minister for the Arts; Andrew to the Prime Minister, the Minister for Communications, Bartlett, Leader of the Democrats; and Lindsay Tanner, Information Technology and the Arts, the Minister for Shadow Minister for Communications. Finance, the Minister for Environment and Heritage and The NEMBC will keep working hard on this issue with the Assistant Treasurer. other organisations in the community