Urgent Call for Legislation to Ensure Access to Local Radio
Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has issued a clear message to government: without urgent legislation to guarantee radio prominence, millions of Australians could lose easy access to local radio in cars and on smart speaker devices – threatening the future of Australia’s only 100% locally owned mass medium.
Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA said: “Australia’s relationship with cars and radio is unique. Yet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to access radio in new cars that prioritise global streaming services.”
“We drive long distances, live in dispersed communities, and rely on radio not just for entertainment, but for trusted news, connection, and vital information in times of emergency. Now is the time for urgent legislative action to ensure the medium of radio – with its central place in the driving experience – remains free and easily accessible for all Australians,” added Young.
A seamless fix with wide-reaching impact
CRA recently invested in upgrading the industry’s unified consumer app, RadioApp, which relaunched today with an enhanced user experience.
Moving forward, protecting radio as a priority costs nothing, and the solution is simple. The entire radio sector – commercial, ABC, SBS and community broadcasters – are united in calling for:
- Prominent one-button access to Australian radio – AM, FM, DAB+ receivers and streaming audio – in all cars
- Guaranteed availability and discoverability on smart speakers
- Reliable verbal access to Australian radio services via voice assistants
Radio is a medium that Australians turn to in a crisis
Radio has long been the most reliable form of communication in emergencies. During Cyclone Alfred earlier this year, Australians turned to radio for vital updates, just as they did during the 2019–2020 bushfires, when mobile networks and power grids failed, but radio continued to broadcast life-saving information.
“Radio shouldn’t need mobile data, Wi-Fi, or power to be accessible, it should be easily available when Australians need it most,” said Young. “The government must act now to protect a medium that 15 million Australians[i] rely on every week.”
Source: [i] Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2025, Australians aged 10+, Listened to commercial radio in the past week.