8 December 1999

New community radio licence for Mareeba, Queensland

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has allocated a community radio licence for the Mareeba area of Queensland.

The licence was allocated to Living Waters Community Radio Association Inc and the new service will broadcast on 92.3 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 Mareeba 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 Cairns Post on 18 September 1999 and the one application received was assessed with particular regard to whether the proposed service would meet existing and future community needs.

Living Waters Community Radio Association 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 Christian community.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, Manager, ABA Media and PR, on (02) 9334 7980.

To contact the new licensee, call Mr Wade Harris, Board Member, Management Committee, on (07) 4092 4120.

BACKGROUNDER

Mareeba region

Mareeba is 68km west of Cairns and is linked via the Kennedy Highway. Townsville in the south east is linked via the Bruce Highway.

Mareeba is the Atherton Tableland's largest town, and one of the largest Shires in Queensland, covering over 52,850 sq kms.

The Mareeba district is currently served by national television services ABC and SBS, commercial television services STQ, RTQ and TNQ, the national radio service 4AT and commercial radio service 4AM.

In the radio licence area plan for the Atherton region, released on 27 November 1997, the ABA determined one new community FM radio broadcasting licence be made available for Mareeba.

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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