2016 Conference Program

The 2016 CBAA Conference took place from 10 - 13 November 2016 at the Pullman Hotel, Albert Park, in Melbourne, Victoria, with a program including keynote, plenary, panel and workshop sessions, as well as a full social program.

The Conference Program is available to review below and  download here.pdf. Scroll down for further information on individual sessions. 

Conference MC: Sista Zai Zanda

Sista Zai Zanda is a storyteller, educator and radio producer – and this year’s conference MC! She currently curates and hosts a monthly spoken word event called The Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe, where she provides an exclusive platform for Afrikan and Sovereign peoples voices to speak their truth to a diverse audience. As host of Hip Sista Hop radio show on 3CR Community Radio (Sundays, 4-5pm), Zai promotes the perspectives and self-determined presence of women of colour and Sovereign peoples through music and the arts. She recently returned from a workshop and performance tour of Denmark, profiling her latest self-published work, God Is A Black Womban. You will catch Sista Zai Zanda at Thursday's Welcome BBQ and on the main stage between sessions Friday and Saturday, helping to facilitate your conference experience.

Session Details

FRIDAY

Welcome

Featuring: Welcome to Country by Wurundjeri Tribe elder, Ron Jones, CBAA Welcome by Phillip Randall, President and Welcome by Fiona Nash, Minister for Regional Communications.

"In my role as Minister for Regional Communications, I'm passionate about ensuring that communities in regional, rural and remote areas receive the investment and services they deserve. This includes supporting the community media services in these areas, which are often the only source of locally produced news, information and stories. I look forward to meeting some of the incredible people behind these stations and the broader sector, whose efforts promote the identities of local communities and provide opportunities for people of all walks of life to participate in free-to-air public broadcasting."

Fiona Nash, Minister for Regional Communications.

Keynote Address: The Joy & Power of Community Radio with Brian Nankervis

Australian radio, theater, television and comedy stalwart Brian Nankervis will be joining us to deliver the keynote address. Nankervis fell in love with radio as a young lad, listening in front of the kerosene heater on a rainy day. He began presenting shows on Melbourne's Triple R in 1979 and currently co hosts The Friday Revue on 774 ABC. Brian will celebrate his deep love affair with radio, particularly the joy and power of community radio.

Change is not a dirty word 

Change is not a dirty word. But it scares a lot of people. It doesn’t have to be that way. What does positive change look like and how can it be led successfully? Who is holding back change in your station and who is driving it forward? This year’s CBAA Conference will see Holly Ransom take the stage to explore the state of flux we find ourselves in and the challenges that change poses to us as community broadcasters, as not for profit organisations and as a sector that plays such a huge role in nurturing Australia’s open society, strong democracy and vibrant culture. Holly will draw on her wealth of experience as the CEO of Emergent, one of the AFR’s 100 Most Influential Australian Women, Young Western Australian of the Year and Young Volunteer of the Year, the Chairperson of the G20 Youth Summit, Co-Chair of the UN's Global Coalition of Young Women Entrepreneurs and the youngest ever female Director of an Australian Football League (AFL) Club (Port Adelaide Football Club).

Networking Session: Create a space for change

Dig into your community radio-themed daydreams and realise opportunities for positive change at your station in this networking session. Guided by facilitator Nick Ingram, take this opportunity to meet with your sector peers, discuss ideas and build skills to help you drive change.

Women’s Forum

This forum provides an opportunity for discussion issues facing women in community broadcasting at a station and sector wide-level and ideas to overcome them. Where relevant, ideas discussed in this forum will be presented to the CBAA Board via the CBAA Board Women’s Representative Bethany Atkinson-Quinton. Join in this session to have your say on women in community radio, share your experiences and network. Lunch will be provided.

Workshop: Volunteer Management: What makes volunteers tick?

More than 20,000 people volunteer their time for community radio each year. They undeniably constitute the backbone of Australia’s community broadcasting sector. But attracting and retaining volunteers is not always easy, and can be the root of a number of conflicts within a station. In this session, we will delve into the psychology behind volunteering. We will explore what inspires volunteers to donate their time, what encourages them to continue this commitment, and what volunteer management systems can be adopted to aid this to be a harmonious and sustainable process.

Presented by: Meghan Hopper (Volunteering Victoria), Jemma Toohey (Albury Wodonga Volunteer Resource Bureau) and Ken Thompson (3GCR). Facilitated by: Lana Wilson (SYN).

Workshop: Introducing New CBF Grants

From 2017, there will be a new way to apply for funding through the Community Broadcasting Foundation.  If you are involved in applying for grants at your station, join the CBF Grants Administrators in this essential and very practical workshop to learn about how to apply for funding support through the new Content grants and Development & Operations grants.  We'll walk you through the grant guidelines and application forms, and share some tips for how to make the most of the new grant opportunities.​

Presented by: Jo Curtin (Community Broadcasting Foundation).

Workshop: Should your station register as a charity?

All community broadcasting associations are eligible to register with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) to receive a range of benefits, tax exemptions or concessions. This workshop will introduce delegates to the role and function of the ACNC as the independent national regulator of charities, the criteria for registration and a charity's ongoing obligations once registered. Governance standards, and not for profit versus charity will also be considered. As part of this workshop, the CBAA will also present on best practice governance within community radio stations.

Presented by: Sallyann Stonier (Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission) and Jon Bisset (CBAA).

Making community radio history: Celebrating 40 years

Your community radio station is a vibrant media outlet that has a rich history and many stories to tell. You might be locally-focussed, but your station’s content contributes to the making of wider narratives and is an important part of Australia’s media history. That said, celebrating important historical milestones at your station can be an overwhelming task. So what are you doing with all that great history? You’ve got old tapes, posters, newsletters, t-shirts, cassettes - what now? Come along to hear about some recent experiences of station's marking the big forty. From delving into the archives, to making books and radio documentaries, or hosting open days and creating exhibitions - we'll let you know what works and why, and set you thinking on how you can celebrate your station's history in the future. There’ll be archiving, preserving and conserving tips, and plenty of time to discuss and workshop ideas. 

Presented by: Michelle Brown (4ZZZ Radio), Maryanne Doyle (National Film and Sound Archive), Juliet Fox (3CR), Dave Houchin (Triple R) and Rachel Kirby (3CR).

CBAA Annual General Meeting and Open Forum

Please note that nominations for the CBAA Board have now closed. The CBAA AGM will be followed by an open forum where members will have an opportunity to discuss matters of interest to community broadcasters. 

McNair Ingenuity Research Meetings

McNair Ingenuity Research is the CBAA’s research partner for the National Listener Survey and Station Census. Book in to these sessions to find out more about how research can help your station grow, and get details on what research options are available to your station.

Please note that these meetings require pre-registration.

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SATURDAY

The Future of Content

Convergence, or the interlinking of online and media content, platforms and services is now a feature of all established media. Digitisation of content, as well as standards and technologies for the conveying of digital content, are blurring the traditional distinctions between broadcasting and other media for content generation, aggregation, distribution and audiences. How can we leverage community radio’s strengths in local, diverse and specialised content and programming to grow as stations and as a sector? Community broadcasting has built its reputation on being at the forefront of new broadcasting technologies. Our panel will look at how we as a sector maintain our position as innovators, tastemakers and curators of content in the new media environment.

Featuring: Nicola Joseph (CMTO), James Cridland (Radio Futurologist), Bec Petratis (ex SYN) and Wayne Quilliam (Wayne Quilliam Photography). Facilitated by: Sista Zai Zanda (3CR).

Workshop: Deep Dive

A three-hour intensive workshop designed especially for General Managers from stations with ten or more full time staff and/or with turnovers greater than ~$700,000/annum. The Deep Dive provides participants with an opportunity to share best practice, network with their peers and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities they face. This session has limited capacity and advanced booking is essential. To secure your place, please email Emma Couch no later than 30 September.

Workshop: The Community Radio Network - a cosmology of content exchange & national programming

The CBAA’s Community Radio Network service helps stations supplement local content with a range of nationally-relevant regular programs and segments, special series and one-off specials, including live festival broadcasts. As CRN’s delivery capacity expands it’s a good time to reflect on how the service can best support stations. This session will focus on where technology and programming intersect, and will ask delegates to contribute feedback and ideas to inform CRN planning and development.

Presented by: Martin Walters, CRN Manager. 

Workshop: Grow your station on air and online with Amrap

Stations are harnessing services from The Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) to grow their on air and online audience, develop relationships with the music industry and attract support and revenue. Discover how stations, small and large, are engaging with Australian music in innovative ways to forge their station’s place in the competitive new media landscape, and the hearts and minds of the Australian music scene.

Presented by: the Amrap team.

Workshop: What is citizen journalism and how does it fit with journalism in community broadcasting? 

The rise of citizen journalism is in many ways linked to the disruption of traditional media. The role of community broadcasting is also strengthening in the face of this overhaul of the media. This panel session will explore the emergence of citizen journalism, compare it with the practice of journalism in the community broadcasting sector, and promote discussion about how the two can support independent media together. 

Presented by: Margaret Simons (Centre for Advancing Journalism, journalist and freelanch author), William Martin (Citizen Journalism project at 99.9 Bay FM) and Kween G (Radio Skid Row). Facilitated by: Melanie Withnall (2SER & CBAA Board).

Workshop: Strategic community engagement

How does your station engage its community of interest? Is it something you do proactively, or only when a problem arises? As well as ticking the box on your station’s licensing requirements, structured and meaningful community engagement can improve your programming and operations, and strengthen your volunteer base. In this session, hear from licensing regulator, the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) and from three community broadcasters exemplifying the benefits of positive community engagement within their stations. The CBAA will also present a new research option available to stations to assist with community engagement.

Presented by: Phyllis Fong (ACMA), Maddy Macfarlane (PBS 106.7 FM) Jess Lukjanow (SYN Media) and Nick Brown (Alpine Radio). Facilitated by: Namila Benson (Triple R).

Workshop: Future-proofing your broadcast technologists

In the world of broadcasting technology, your people are your most valuable asset. No matter how much technology your station houses, it’s your people who are the cogs that make the machine work. What can you do to prevent your machine from grinding to a halt? How do you attract and keep the people you need to support the technology side of your station? Hear different perspectives on effective management of volunteer broadcast technologies, succession planning and how you can future proof this important role in a community radio station.

Presented by: Bernadette Young (612 ABC), John Maizels (Technorama Inc) and Sharon E Eccles (3MBS). Facilitated by: Emma Couch (CBAA).

Workshop: Small Station Innovation

Small stations know intimately the struggles of running a station on a small budget. Sometimes improving your station’s capabilities can seem impossible in the face of financial realities. This workshop will look at how several small community stations have made improvements to their stations with limited resources and how they have raised funds in innovative ways. We know that having a webpage is invaluable, but do you know how to make money on the web, whilst simultaneously adding value to your wider community? How do you set up an OB on a limited budget? What about renovating and redeveloping? 

Presented by: Adrian Lodders (Sunbury Radio), Bob Rau (98.9 Northwest FM), Jean Rau (98.9 Northwest FM and Rob Stewart (GOVE FM).

Youth Forum

This forum welcomes conference delegates under 26 years of age, to meet and discuss the role that young people play in community broadcasting, and any issues young people are facing at a station or sector-wide level. Where relevant, ideas discussed in this forum will be presented to the CBAA Board via the CBAA Board's Youth Representative, Tess Lawley. Lunch will be provided.

Workshop: 32.5 ways to win sponsorship revenue

Many community broadcasters struggle with the concept of securing revenue from sponsors. In this session, hear from someone who says it’s really not all that hard to find, keep and grow the right mix of sponsorships provided that an effective sponsorship plan is in place. Bring an open mind and a notebook to this fast-paced interactive workshop, which will be jam packed with 32.5 useable real world ideas that can be immediately implemented. Find out how to open the door to sponsorship revenue, when to talk and when to listen, why prospecting is important, how to find the right business for your station, how much to charge, what questions sell and more.

Presented by: Stephen Pead (Your Sales Solutions).

Workshop: Making the most of your content

Broadcasters work so hard to create incredible content that is too often “gone” once it goes to air. This session will get you thinking about content differently and give you the tools to help you make the most of what’s created at your station. Learn how to develop strategies, build online teams, work out “which content goes where?” and join the dots between on-air and online content to attract a wider audience. Find out about radio apps to convert on-air interviews to online content, phone editors to make short video reports for your social media and the CBAA’s station website service RWS Premium.

Presented by: CTMO, the CBAA’s Radio Website Services team and special station guests.

Workshop: Building the involvement of people with disabilities in community radio 

Community radio was founded on principles of social inclusion.  However, despite 1in 5 Australians having a disability (ABS 2008), there are still few programs for or by people with disabilities on generalist stations.  What does it take to make community radio work for people with a disability? How can we better support people who may have different needs to participate?  In this workshop, hear the stories of people with a disability who have been successfully involved in community radio and develop an action plan to facilitate more involvement of people with disabilities in the sector.  The session will include in-person, virtual and pre-recorded messages to the group to help include people with disabilities who are unable to come to the conference.

Presented by: Kim Stewart (Ability Radio Project & 4ZZZ), Bernadette Young (612 ABC Brisbane), Caroline Savransky (Making Airwaves) and Helen Gwilliam (3CR).

Workshop: Digital radio developments: regional and metro

Digital radio listening now averages over 26% of radio listening in mainland state capital cities. This discussion forum and information exchange will focus on developments in digital radio over the past 12 months including content development, funding and policy issues and planning for regional development under the industry-wide Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia.

Presented by: David Sice (CBAA) and Philip Shine (DRP). Facilitated by: Kath Letch.

Radio Listening Party: A showcase of some of community broadcasting's best content

This year’s conference program will include a celebration of some of the outstanding content from the community broadcasting sector and we will be presenting in the way we know best - as a radio program in front of a live audience. Recorded in front of an audience, the program will feature a musical performance and interview from APRA AMCOS Ambassador Benny Walker (pictured above) and will showcase some of the best work from the 2016 National Features and Documentary Series. The program will be presented by Michael Polh, winner of the 2015 Best New Radio Program - Music CBAA Community Radio Award and host of JOY 94.9's Babble Pop! program.

CBF Grants & Fundraising Clinic Meetings

Book in to a one-to-one clinic to provide tailored advice to your station about fundraising, grant-writing and grant-planning. Workshop your ideas about fundraising events, bequests and donor acquisition & retention with CBF Fundraising Executive, Anita van Rooyen.  CBF Grants Administrators Barbara Baxter, Claire Stuchbery and Jon King will share some practical steps to effectively plan your station’s grant applications, resources to find new grant opportunities, and will work with you to best leverage grant success and make the most of your time when applying.  Bring a copy of a recent grant application to talk it through and take your grant writing to the next level.  These consultations are designed to workshop ideas and get concepts flowing and to answer questions on a case by case basis.  

Please note that these sessions require pre-registration.

APRA and PPCA Meetings

Book in to meet one-on-one with the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA). Representatives from each copyright agency will be on hand to work with stations to clarify licensing requirements, better understand how copyright fees are distributed and discuss any copyright issues of relevance to community broadcasters.

Please note that these sessions require pre-registration.

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Medialab

Popular radio programs don’t necessarily translate into popular online content just by putting your audio online. This year’s Medialab will run across Friday and Saturday and is all about learning the skills you need to make audio content stand out online.

Think “visualising audio” to tell your story online. Whether it’s a short interview with photos or a micro-video quickly edited on your phone to promote your podcast - you find it at one of the tables in the Medialab. Join small groups for one of the handson workshops which will be running throughout the conference.

The following Medialab workshops will run in each session of the conference, giving you ample opportunity to check out each across two days:

• Making graphics and gifs
• Making easy microvideos with your phone
• Easy ways to mix photos and audio
• Audio editing with Hindenburg – the only editing software made for radio producers

Please note that these sessions require pre-registration.

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SUNDAY

Networking Breakfast

Catch up with conference delegates over a hot breakfast in the Pullman Melbourne Albert Park’s Windows Restaurant to finish off the conference.
Cost: $35.00 (unless you're staying at the Pullman Melbourne Albert Park on Saturday, 12 November - then breakfast is included with your room).