We're Listening

The CBAA could not do the work it does to build stations’ capability and create a healthy community broadcasting environment without one essential ingredient - listening to the needs of Australian community radio stations.

We do this in many ways, and with a focus on collecting evidence to inform our policy and advocacy work. Critical to this approach is our ability to consult effectively when developing ideas, in decision making and when communicating results.

On the largest scale, this includes our annual membership survey (I look forward to sharing results with you soon) and the Station Census, which gives us data on programming, technology and infrastructure, and management and administration (currently under way).

The CBAA is also present at events across the sector and our staff members are there to chat with and assist stations in any way they can. Last year, you might have spotted us at the regional NSW conference at Nambucca, the IRCA Festival or the SCMA, NEMBC or SACBA conferences. Keep an eye out for us at sector conferences this year as well.

Our own conference, which is the largest gathering of Australian community broadcasters each year, is another great opportunity to meet so many of the people we’re working with and for all year round. Our forum and world cafe style sessions are a great chance for stations to share and hear stories from across the sector.

When we’re looking at some issues within the sector, we also form smaller working groups of members and sector leaders. This includes independent interviews and focus groups with a specific purpose, such as reviewing the sector’s research program, or the needs of a particular subset of stations. It also includes the Community Broadcasting Sector Roundtable, through which we get input from other sector organisations.

Finally, one of our great pleasures is getting out to stations around the country. In 2015, we were able to visit over 20 stations and we’re always looking at how we can do this more. At the moment, ahead of the Federal Budget in May, we’re visiting each of the 37 digital radio services around Australia.