Sector falls short on digital radio

THE community radio sector has missed the deadline to participate in building the transmission infrastructure for digital broadcasting, blaming uncertainty over whether it would be able to meet funding calls. Industry body the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia said it had been left hanging by the federal Government’s refusal to confirm funding commitments made by its predecessor. “We’re now facing a scenario where the commercial and public broadcasters will have an ownership role in the (digital) infrastructure and we’re kind of nowhere,” said Kath Letch, chairwoman of the CBAA’s digital radio consultative group and station manager of Melbourne community station 3RRR. Read the entire item The Australian

Green Guide May 01 2008

Is there such a thing as a great radio advertisement? For this radio junkie, the seemingly endless stream of ads ranges from tedious drivel to excruciating crap. Never great.Many commercial radio listeners must cringe, change stations or blank out when the ads come on.Annoying as they are, their effectiveness cannot be denied — we remember the jingles, don’t we — and commercial stations would not exist without ads. (And while, strictly speaking, the ABC is ad-free, just what do they call those increasingly frequent “interruptions” that spruik content on ABC radio, television and online?) Read the entire article from The Age

Jen to quit 4GY

One half of the Jen and Jay breakfast radio team are moving on from Classic Hits 4GY. Jen Seyderhelm will finish in mid May to move to 4AK/4WK Toowoomba.

Anne Fullwood joins ABC radio

Former Channel 7 and 10 news presenter, Anne Fullwood, has joined ABC newsradio as a presenter and producer. Anne will work across both breakfast and drive shifts.

John Cargher dies four days after final show

Veteran classical music presenter John Cargher has died in Melbourne, aged 89. Cargher, who presented the Singers of Renown program for 42 years on ABC Radio National, died at his home in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon. He had been battling cancer.He is survived by his wife Robyn and daughter. His death comes just four days after presenting his final program and retiring.

ACMA finds BFM Bankstown breached licence conditions

ACMA media release: The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found that Bankstown City Radio Co-operative Ltd, the licensee of Sydney community broadcasting service Radio BFM, breached a condition of its temporary licence by broadcasting advertisements. Community radio stations may broadcast up to five minutes of sponsorship announcements in any hour. Under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, sponsorship announcements on community radio must include an appropriate acknowledgement of financial support (a ‘tag’), otherwise they can be considered advertisements.

ACMA found that Radio BFM broadcast advertisements on 19 October and 23 November 2007 as a number of sponsorship announcements played during the program ‘Dosti’ did not carry ‘tags’.

However, as the program is no longer on air and ACMA is satisfied that the licensee has put in place adequate measures to ensure there are no further breaches of the sponsorship rules, no action is proposed at this time.

ACMA started its investigation after it received two complaints from a complainant in November 2007.

Bankstown City Radio Co-operative Ltd provides community radio service Radio BFM for the general community of Bankstown. The service is provided under a temporary community broadcasting licence.

A copy of Investigation Report 1930 is available on the ACMA website.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager, on (02) 9334 7980.