The federal government’s delayed 2020/21 budget, released tonight, is a high spending stimulus plan that hopes to maintain economic activity long enough for Australia to come out of its covid pandemic slump.

radioinfo examines how will it affect broadcasters and associated industries.

Speaking at the Senate Finance and Administration Committee hearing into the bushfires this week, Braidwood FM station manager Gordon Waters praised the work of his station's volunteers and asked for more recognition of the role community radio plays in emergencies.

"For listeners in our area we were the only source of information from the ground," said Waters.

The Community Broadcasting Fund is making emergency COVID-19 funding available to community broadcasters who are struggling in the current pandemic.

The acoustics were perfect at the Mosman Art Gallery, a former church, for a range of music performances to celebrate fine music and thank supporters of Sydney classical music community station Fine Music 102.5.
 
The high vaulted ceiling delivered just the right amount or reverb for each of the different styles of music played during the evening, which is one of Fine Music's annual fund raising events.

The evening was hosted by jazz music presenter Christopher Waterhouse (pictured below).

In a week of survey results, major community stations have also received their latest listenership figures.

As part of its Music Policy, the NSW Labor party has included a pledge to fund music and youth projects on community radio.

A number of aggressive community radio stations are certainly skating on thin ice at the moment.

In a media environment where public and commercial newsrooms are having their funding continuously squeezed, the community broaadcasting sector is well positioned to do more local news, Ahern Media and Training CEO Steve Ahern told the CBAA conference last week.