6 October 1999

New community radio licence for Emerald, Queensland

The ABA has allocated a community radio licence for Emerald, Queensland.

The licence was allocated to Emerald Community Broadcasters Association Inc. The new service will broadcast on 96.3 MHz on the FM band.

"The proposed service will add to the range and diversity of services in the Emerald 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 the Emerald region."

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.

Applications for the new community radio licence were invited in February 1999 and the application received was assessed with particular regard to whether the proposed service would meet existing and perceived future community needs.

The Emerald Community Broadcasters Association Inc.’s proposed radio service will broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service will provide programs that will cover a wide range of topics and music that will appeal to many different people in the Emerald community.

To contact the new licensee, call Mr Vic Cominos, CEO, on (07) 4982 4852.

BACKGROUNDER

Emerald region

Emerald is located 263 kms west of Rockhampton on the Capricorn Highway.

The Emerald area is currently served by three commercial television services and ABC television. Radio services include the ABC services 4ABCRN and 4QD and commercial radio services 4HI and 4HIT. There is one open narrowcast service in the Emerald area, Radio Emerald.

In the radio licence area plan for the Emerald region, released in March 1998, the ABA determined that one new community FM radio broadcasting service be made available in Emerald.

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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