Consultation on the Australian Government’s Community Broadcasting Sustainability Review closed last week. Thanks to all of the community broadcasters that attended consultations sessions, made a submission or opened up their stations to the Department officials throughout the consultations. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA) will now review all verbal and written submissions with the aim of publishing a review document with recommended actions and outcomes. CBAA will continue to work with the Department throughout this process. We hope to achieve a positive outcome for Broadcasters this year.
Our submission builds on the vision of the Roadmap 2033 and the views expressed to us by stations throughout the process. As a priority, the CBAA is seeking an immediate and substantially increased funding allocation for community broadcasters to deliver Roadmap 2033: Community Broadcasting’s plan for greater impact in every Australian Community (Roadmap 2033). We are asking for more funding for station operations, workforce development, specialist content and projects to achieve community outcomes.
Our submission also covers the structure and funding of the Community Broadcasting Program (CBP) and Indigenous Broadcasting and Media Program (IMBP) as well as legislation, regulation, and the activity of the regulator (the ACMA). We are urging the Government to work with the sector on legislative and regulatory reforms which will create a clearer and more consistent framework for broadcasters to reduce administration, increase business certainty, enable operational flexibility and efficiency, expand services and increase opportunities to develop alternative sources of income.
Please contact CBAA Head of Advocacy and Communications Reece Kinnane (reece.kinnane@cbaa.org.au) regarding any issues you’d like to discuss or any help your station can provide to strengthen our advocacy on behalf of the sector.