Barriers to Broadcasting

Summer/Autumn 2002 Edition National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council Broadcaster Barriers to Inside: Ethnic Reporting on Refugees Broadcasting New & Emerging Communities Hip Hop: a way of life 2001 Conference Reports The Identity, Language & Broadcasting PRESIDENT’S PEN PLANNING AHEAD – THE PRIORITIES Contents The March meeting of the NEMBC Executive was held in Adelaide March 3 The Election and Ethnic Community 9th–10th. Having reviewed the situation Broadcasters in our broadcasting sector and considered the tasks and priorities for the next two years, the Executive 4 Reporting on Refugees resolved that: 1. Greater recognition by government for the invaluable 5 New and Emerging Communities: New role and services provided by ethnic community Broadcasters broadcasters becomes an even more pressing priority. The last increase in funding occurred six years ago in 6 Barriers to Broadcasting 1996 and since then ethnic community broadcasting has increased by 50% Current funding for the 8 Beyond Tolerance: the National Australian Ethnic Radio Training Project runs out next Conference on Racism year and the government’s decision not to fund the project in this year’s budget, is a serious [even fatal] 9 Youth Funding Changes blow to a scheme that has trained over 2500 broadcasters. It is therefore important that the Easy to Digest government’s decision is changed. 2. The previously identified areas of concern and 10 Music for Your [Listeners’] Ears growth, the greater involvement of young people and new/emerging communities, will be given top priority. 11 Routes of Rhythm 3. NEMBC resources will be directed more towards further strengthening and consolidating the sector’s 12 Local Macedonian Music absolutely primary asset: ethnic broadcasters and their communities. 13 Working with Interpreters The Executive noted that communicating and working with broadcasters, their stations and communities, 14 Station News listening and responding to grass roots needs, and evaluating programs and projects would require a 14 Station News considerable degree of refocussing and reorganising of the NEMBC’s work. Whilst policy development should 18 The Satellite Gets Closer never cease, the Executive felt that implementation and monitoring of the excellent policies we have recently 20 2001 Ethnic Broadcasters’ Conference developed would be given greater attention. The Executive also confirmed that the next NEMBC 24 Identity, Language and Broadcasting Conference would be held in Adelaide in November. It looks like we are going to have a busy time ahead of 27 Hip Hop: A Way of Life us, with some barriers becoming harder to overcome. 28 Human Rights and Racism However I believe we can face the future with confidence in our collective capacity to survive and 31 CD Launch: Migrant Women in the progress. Workforce George Zangalis NEMBC President Cover photo of the Woomera Detention Centre is courtesy of HREOC’s National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention Reproduced from website www.humanrights.gov.au The Election Ethnic Community& Broadcasters It now seems like a long time community broadcasting since the federal election but and particularly in ethnic the election does have community broadcasting. important implications for all For ethnic community ethnic community broadcasters however broadcasters. The NEMBC the commitment to along side all the other maintaining current levels sectors in community of funding means that no broadcasting ran a spirited funding has been campaign to try and get an earmarked for the increase in funding not just Australian Ethnic Radio for ethnic community Training Project (AERTP). The NEMBC with the support of all broadcasters but for all other sector bodies in community Australian Ethnic Radio Training community broadcasters. broadcasting and with the support Project was funded with a one off of the ethnic sector will continue to The governor general’s attitudes to endowment in 1992. With prudent argue the case for the refunding of sexual abuse, the children expenditure the initial grant of $1.4 AERTP. While there is currently overboard affair and the fraudulent million has been made to last for 10 enough funding left for the 2002-3 accusations about High Court years. The project has trained 2500 financial year it is important that we Justice Michael Kirby, (not to ethnic community broadcasters at get a commitment from government mention the morals of AFL half the average cost of other to refund the project as soon as footballers) have been dominating workplace training. possible. the news headlines. However the The head of the policy advice election means that ethnic Community broadcasting, like many committee for the Australian Ethnic community broadcasting must other issues got lost in the ‘refugee Radio Training Project, Professor operate with the same level of election’. However it is things like Mary Kalantzis said, “It just doesn’t funding as prior to the election as ethnic community broadcasting that make any sense that a highly we were unable to get a actually make a difference to people successful and cost-effective commitment to new funding from on the ground and we need to be training scheme does not get either the government or the ALP. making this point over and over refunded. Surely it is the role of again to politicians at all levels and What this means is that neither government to support the efforts of from all parties. party was prepared to recognise a volunteer broadcasters with training need for increased funding to match so that their work is as effective as the growth that has taken place in possible”. The Ethnic Broadcaster, Summer/Autumn 2001 - 3 Reporting on Refugees While the recent so-called assumptions concerning truth and “children overboard affair” reliability on the issue. It is no longer has done much to expose the safe for them to unquestioningly role politicians (and senior accept statements from the public servants) play in government, however it may take manipulating public opinion, it longer for them to see refugees and has done little to question the their supporters as credible sources. mainstream media’s coverage As community broadcasters it is of the refugee issue. important for us to remain cautious Of course, many journalists would despite the fact that it was possible about relying on the mainstream claim that it was their persistence to make contact by phone with media for information on these issues. There are many sources of that led to the uncovering of the people inside. truth about the photos of refugees information including some of the Refugee advocates and the websites and email addresses listed in the sea. To a certain extent this refugees themselves have had a on page 7. It is also possible to is right, but has the media’s role hard time getting their message record interviews with people in been as squeaky clean as they across to the public. Certainly detention centres over the phone would have us believe? refugee advocates who were former and to visit them to hear their Certainly in the early days of refugees themselves were not seen stories for yourself. coverage of the arrival of boats from as credible sources of information. Nicola Joseph Indonesia, terms such as “illegal During the recent disturbances in Radio Skid Row boat people” and “queue jumpers” the Woomera Detention Centre, the were commonly used by all of the Refugee Action Collective program mainstream media including the at Radio Skid Row Sydney ABC and SBS. The federal broadcast long phone interviews government’s press releases telling with people protesting inside. At the us that we were about to be same time the mainstream media inundated by a ‘flood’ of people who was outside the detention centre, were not like us were being moved further away by unquestioningly reprinted and retold police. Eventually, the ABC started by all the major media outlets. to run short snippets of comments There were very few stories about from detainees, the rest of the media did not follow suit. the inability of most of the people arriving here by boat to join a Of course, now the children queue which did not exist in their overboard affair has raised own country. Strangely, there were questions about the credibility of almost no stories from the government statements, the media detention centres themselves, has become more cautious about its Cartoon by a former asylum seeker 4 - The Ethnic Broadcaster, Summer/Autumn 2002 New and Emerging Communities: In recent years Australia has accepted migrants and refugees from a wider range of countries New than ever before. When they settle in Australia they face a number of barriers, from Broadcasters discrimination and uncertainty in the housing market, to difficulty having their overseas skills and work experience which exist for these groups in multiethnic or one-off productions. recognised. community broadcasting, as well as At the same time, partnerships with At the same time, given their small developing ways of offering support local migrant resource centres and numbers and short length of to groups when they are getting other settlement services can residence in Australia, they do not started. create the support the groups need to produce radio. This gives them have the support of an established An advisory committee of an opportunity to have a “taste” of community of people from their own settlement workers and radio before committing themselves ethnic background. Most of these broadcasters has already come up to a “full meal” so to speak. new communities have no media in with some proposals for changes to their own language. funding for new and emerging The NEMBC research project, It is important that the community communities. This funding would which has been funded by the Myer broadcasting sector recognises the include an initial one-off grant to Foundation, will produce a need to address the changing help new broadcasters establish handbook for community radio population of Australia, as well as their programs.

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