22 November 1999

New community radio licence for Taree

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has allocated a new community radio licence for Taree, New South Wales.

The licence was allocated to Mid North Coast Indigenous Broadcasters Incorporated to operate a service on 103.3 MHz on the FM Band, effective from 1 December 1999.

The ABA received two applications for the new community radio licence in Taree. One was from MNCIB representing the indigenous community, the other from Manning Great Lakes Christian Broadcasters Inc. (Rhema) representing the Christian community.

"This was a difficult decision between the two applicants, each of whom had different strengths," said Professor David Flint, ABA Chairman.

"Although the decision will be disappointing for Manning Great Lakes Christian Broadcasters, the ABA made every effort to fully consider the claims of the two applicants."

"The ABA will seek to ensure that programming catering for the needs of those in the Christian community will be provided," said Professor Flint. "The ABA has commenced negotiations with Mid North Coast Indigenous Broadcasters, seeking a binding commitment that it will enable the provision of at least two days a week of programming catering to the needs of the Christian community in Taree on its service."

"One option that the ABA has raised with Mid North Coast Indigenous Broadcasters is an undertaking to grant Manning Great Lakes Christian Broadcasters access to the Mid North Coast Indigenous Broadcasters service to provide this Christian programming."

"The proposed service will add to the range and diversity of services in the Taree region," said Professor David Flint, ABA Chairman. "The applicant satisfied the ABA that it would meet the existing and perceived future needs of the Aboriginal community of the Taree licence area."

The ABA has allocated this licence after a process of consultation with the people of the local community to seek their views on what additional broadcasting services were needed in their area.

The new community radio licence was advertised in The Manning River Times on 6 July 1999.

In a separate decision, the ABA decided today to allocate a community radio broadcasting licence to Mid North Coast Christian Broadcasters (Rhema) in Port Macquarie, NSW. There were two applicants for the Port Macquarie licence; MNCIB and Rhema. Every allocation decision is made on a case by case basis depending on the particular needs of the community to be served and the relative merits of the applicants.

To contact the new licensee, please call Mr Ralph Saunders, Secretary, MNCIB, on (02) 6552 2154 or fax number (02) 6586 4410.

BACKGROUNDER

Taree region

The Taree area is currently served by the ABC and SBS national television services, and three commercial television services, NEN, NBN and NRN. In addition to the ABC radio services 2TR, 2MRR (both regional services), 2ABCRN (Radio National), 2JJJ and 2ABCFM (Fine Music), there are commercial services 2RE and 2MVB and a generalist community radio service 2BOB FM.

An open narrowcasting service providing racing and betting information on 105.7 MHz, was allocated to NSW Race Narrowcasts Pty Ltd in May 1999.

Consultation with the applicants

At a teleconference held with both applicants on 10 September 1999, the ABA sought information from the applicants regarding whether they might be prepared to consider any type of cooperative arrangement. Such an arrangement might include the successful applicant agreeing to increasing the amount of programming to cater to the other group’s community interest, or allowing the other group to provide an agreed number of hours programming on their service.

Rhema advised that they were only willing to broadcast programs that were 100 per cent Christian in their content. However, they stated that they were willing to increase the amount of indigenous programming from two to four hours per week, and would welcome input from the Aboriginal community so long as any indigenous programming met their Christian content requirement.

Rhema stated that they would not enter into a sharing agreement with MNCIB.

MNCIB indicated that they were willing to accommodate Christian programming "over and above what has already been allocated in our religious programming (Sunday 9am-11am and 8pm-9pm)". They also indicated that they would be prepared to share the spectrum with Rhema, committing to up to two full days per week now, and negotiating this figure once they had spoken to their members.

Community licence allocation

Part 6 of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 provides for the allocation of community broadcasting licences.

The ABA uses a merit based allocation process where applicants compete on the basis of merit for the licence. The process includes opportunity for the public to comment on applications received.

The ABA must also have regard to:

(a) the extent to which the proposed service would meet the existing and perceived future needs of the community within the licence area of the proposed service; and

(b) the nature and diversity of the interests of that community; and

(c) the nature and diversity of other broadcasting services (including national broadcasting services) available within that licence area; and

(d) the capacity of the applicant to provide the proposed service; and

(e) the undesirability of one person being in a position to exercise control of more than one community broadcasting licence that is a broadcasting services bands licence in the same licence area; and

(f) the undesirability of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory or a political party being in a position to exercise control of a community broadcasting licence.

The Minister may also give directions to the ABA to give priority to a particular community interest or interests.

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