24 November 1999

New community radio licence for Borroloola

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has allocated a community radio licence for the Borroloola area of the Northern Territory.

The licence was allocated to Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Association Inc and the new service will broadcast on 102.9 MHz on the FM band.

The licensee has 12 months to get the new service up and running.

"The proposed service will add to the range and diversity of services in the Borroloola region" said Professor David Flint, ABA Chairman. "The applicant satisfied the ABA it would meet the existing and perceived future needs of the general community in that 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 Borroloola News on 19 August 1999 and the one application received was assessed with particular regard to whether the proposed service would meet existing and future community needs.

Borroloola Community Radio Inc currently operates a full time service under a temporary community broadcasting licence. The service features a wide range of programming which is intended to appeal to the general community.

To contact the new licensee, call Mr David Sidey, Manager, on (08) 8975 8743.

BACKGROUNDER

Borroloola region

Borroloola is located on the Macarthur River in the Northern Territory, 954 km south east of Darwin and 380km from the Stuart Highway, the main highway linking Katherine and Darwin to Queensland and the southern states of Australia. It is also 54 km inland south of the coastal community of Bing Bong on the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Borroloola district is currently served by national television stations (ABC), and commercial television stations (QQQ10 and IMP8), as well as national radio stations (8ABCRN and 8ABCRR). Borroloola has no permanent commercial or community radio services.

In the radio licence area plan for the Borroloola region, released on 14 October 1996, the ABA determined one new community FM radio broadcasting licence be made available for Borroloola.

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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