Labor and the Greens have released detailed policies, and just hours before the final poll the Liberals have ruled out cutting ABC funding.
Policies directly affecting the radio industry announced this election cover transmission, AMRAP, digital radio, community radio funding, ABC funding, and content innovcation.
The Labor Party’s response to the CBAA campaign, ‘Community Broadcasting Association of Australia’, is the most extensive in terms of outlining community radio funding.
It begins with a statement of general intent: “The Rudd Labor Government appreciates how important it is that local communities are able to access news that is targeted their community.”
In regards to the ABC, Labor’s pledge is: “Federal Labor is providing $2.5 billion to the ABC over the next triennium funding period and in the 2013-14 Budget provided an additional $99.4 million over four years so they can continue to provide high quality programming and services for Australian audiences.”
Turning to community radio, Labor has promised a total of $18.3 million in funding. This includes:
- $4.6 million in core funding to support general community radio and television broadcasting.
- $2.1 million for targeted funding for ethnic community broadcasting, information technology initiatives and satellite services.
- $0.7 million for the National Training Fund to provide accredited training, particularly in regional, rural and remote Australia.
- $2.2 million to assist community radio stations, including Radio for the Print Handicapped with the costs associated with access to transmission infrastructure and operational costs.
- $5.0 million for community digital radio.
- $3.1 million for content production in the specialist areas of Ethnic, Indigenous and Radio for the Print Handicapped, and for a Community Radio Content Development fund established in 2011-12;
- $0.6 million to ensure that Australian musicians and community broadcasters can continue to access AMRAP services
In regards to digital radio, the Labor government’s policy seems to be more of a commitment to consultation, with no estimated costs given. The document says: “The Rudd Labor Government is aware of the interest of the radio sector in commencing rollout of digital radio in regional Australia. There are a number of complex policy and planning issues associated with a regional rollout.
“In July 2010, the Federal Labor Government directed the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to consider reserving 14 megahertz of spectrum to allow for the provision of digital radio services when planning the use of broadcasting spectrum in metropolitan licence areas. The ACMA has reserved this amount of spectrum in all licence areas for the potential future introduction of digital radio services. A re-elected Rudd Labor Government will continue its dialogue with industry on these issues.”
In response to request from the CBAA for an additional $900,000 to fund radio transmission, the party has at this stage declined, saying: “The Rudd Labor Government understands that community radio stations are facing financial pressures. This is why in the 2013-14 Budget, the Rudd Federal Labor Government committed $2.2 million to assist community radio stations, including Radio for the Print Handicapped with the costs associated with access to transmission infrastructure and operational costs.”
In the Greens’ ‘Supporting Community Media’ statement, they also undertake concrete commitments. They begin with a broad statement of philosophy, saying: “22,000 Australians volunteer each year at their community radio or TV station. Investing in their training provides transferable skills in Australia’s digital economy in broadcasting technology, spoken and written communication, leadership and governance.”
The Greens pledge an addition $1.4 million to digital radio: “37 community digital radio stations are on-air in Australia’s major cities. The Greens support continued levels of funding now in place to ensure community access to free-to-air digital is affordable. An additional 1.4m per year will support the sector’s involvement in trials and as digital radio services grow and extend, including outside the metropolitan areas and into the regions. The Greens support a thorough planning process and community sector inclusion as digital services extend.”
They also pledge $600,000 from AMRAP: “AMRAP distributes and promotes Australia’s local music industry to 1500 broadcasters and 300 community radio stations. It helps get Australian music, including live recordings, onto the airwaves by forging agreements with over 3,000 Australian musicians, including unsigned artists, and over 100 record labels. AMRAP has experienced ongoing funding uncertainty which risks listeners missing out on 90,000 music files and 70,000 CDs sent to stations to keep Australian music on the air.”
They also pledge a heavily funded ‘content creation fund’, which will be given $7 million for both TV and radio projects: “The Convergence Review recognised that digital TV and radio offered new opportunities for transmitting content but also recognised the risk for a reduction in Australian content given the high expense of creating drama, documentaries and children’s television. This Fund will invest in innovative Australian content and its distribution, increasing the community sectors capacity to generate high quality radio and TV programming for the new digital platforms.”
Finally, the Greens pledge $2 million for a Community Broadcaster’s Training Fund: “This training fund will invest in transferable skills in ICT, broadcast technology, spoken and written communication, as well as leadership and governance training to support stable and well-managed stations. There is high demand for training, which can open the digital economy to younger people and provide the first chance to learn computer, radio and TV skills for older people. The Fund will also help to increase the training that can be provided online as well as in languages other than English.”
In a recent interview with The Sydney Morning the Coalition declined to comment when quizzed on television and radio policy policy. Further, they referred the Guardian to a speech by Shadow Arts Minister George Brandis at the Western Sydney Arts Forum on 20th August when asked similar questions about arts and the media. The speech makes no mention of radio. He did however seem to indicate a scepticism of the level of funding for contemporary music. This may have some negative impacts for community radio, but whether this will be the case is unclear.
The Liberal Party have, however, made a last minute ruling-out of ABC cuts. Radioinfo has more detail here.