Community broadcasting sector organisations support Community Broadcasting Foundation reforms

Major players in the community radio and TV sector have today called for unity in the release of a joint statement of support for reforms to the Community Broadcasting Foundation’s (CBF) structure and governance arrangements.

The statement supports the continuation of the CBF as the most appropriate funding distribution body and asks the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council (NEMBC) to consider ending its public campaign in the interests of the sector.

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Chief Executive Officer, Jon Bisset said “The CBAA is supportive of CBF reform and considers the review conducted by the CBF as a constructive step in ensuring that the CBF can deliver on its mission and support the community broadcasting sector well into the future.”

“In January the Community Broadcasting Sector Roundtable expressed its support for the continued management of federal government funding, including ethnic community broadcasting funding, by the Community Broadcasting Foundation.

The Roundtable has also asked the federal government for a quick decision so that the long overdue CBF reforms do not get delayed,” said Bisset.

Vaughn Bennison, Chair of the RPH Australia (Radio Reading Network), which serves the almost 5 million Australians with a print disability nationally, is also supporting the CBF reforms.

"The changes are quite marked and do take a new tack. It is not an easy process, and in our view it is not 'perfect' for everyone including our organisation. No change will be perfect for every party involved. However we are keen to progress, and thus far we have been given confidence to believe that the implementation will be a process in which we can all keep being consulted. It is about keeping communication lines open, and working collaboratively," Bennison said.

Christian Media Australia (CMA) remains of the view that the changes proposed by the CBF are positive, providing timely reform to the mechanisms of assessing and distributing grant funds.

Nathan Brown, CEO of CMA says “CMA applauds the effort of the CBF to facilitate greater transparency and enable greater flexibility through these changes.”

The organisations signing the statement include:

• The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA)
• The Christian Media Australia (CMA)
• RPH Australia (Radio Reading Network serving people with a print disability)
• Southern Community Media Association (SCMA)
• South Australian Community Broadcasters Association (SACBA)
• Community Broadcasting Association of Victoria (CBAV)
• Technorama Inc
• The Australian Community Television Alliance (ACTA)

The CBAA champions community broadcasting by building stations’ capability and creating a healthy environment for the sector to thrive.

Further Information

• Joint Statement on behalf of major players in the community radio and TV sector
• Details on the impacts of CBF Review changes on the Ethnic Broadcasting Sector
• RPH Australia (Radio Reading Network) comments supporting the CBF Review
• CBAA comments supporting the CBF Review
• Information including CBAA Submissions on CBF Review
• Full details of the new structure and governance model for the Community Broadcasting Foundation