22 October 1999

ABA invites applications for two new community radio licences in the Bendigo region, Central Victoria

The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) will readvertise tomorrow, 23 October, the availability of two new community radio broadcasting licences to serve the Bendigo region.

‘The ABA suspended the previous allocation of the two Bendigo community licences after it became necessary to change the technical specifications for one of those licences,’ said ABA Chairman, Professor David Flint.

‘Now that the necessary technical changes have been made to one of the licences, the ABA is reopening the application process to ensure fairness to all interested parties,’ he said.

It is important to note that previous applicants need not reapply. However, they may if they wish, amend their existing applications before the specified closing date.

The Broadcasting Services Act says free-to-air community broadcasting service licences must be allocated on the basis of merit. Under this system, in areas where there is only one applicant for a community broadcasting licence, the ABA need only decide if the applicant merits a licence.

When there is more than one applicant, the ABA may also have to choose on the basis of comparative merit. Alternatively, applicants could combine to present a unified application.

Prospective applicants should obtain a copy of the free application kit, Allocation of Community Broadcasting Licences (Broadcasting Services Bands). The kit also contains the application form, Form ABA 32, Application for the Allocation of a Community Broadcasting Licence (Broadcasting Services Bands). For copies of the kit and information about how to apply for a community broadcasting licence, call the Licensing Section on (02) 9334 7700.

Applications for the licences must be received before 5.00 p.m. on Monday, 8 November 1999.

For media enquiries, contact Anne Hewer, ABA, Media and PR on (02) 9334 7873.

22 October 1999 (Backgrounder attached - 1 page)

Backgrounder

Only non-profit community broadcasting organisations which represent a community interest will be eligible for the allocation of a community broadcasting licence.

The ABA’s allocation system only applies to services using radiofrequency spectrum in the broadcasting services bands, not to community services using cable, satellite or other means of delivery.

Community licences can be allocated only if the ABA makes new community broadcasting services available in an area following its planning process and the release of a licence area plan (LAP).

The procedures the ABA will follow for allocating new licences are:

The ABA will advertise for applications in newspapers in the licence area. Applications must be lodged with the ABA by the date advertised. They must be made on the approved form, Form ABA 32: Application for the Allocation of a Community Broadcasting Licence (Broadcasting Services Bands).

The ABA will usually publicise the details of applications received and advise when these will be available for public comment. In the case of the readvertised Bendigo licences, applications will only be made available for public comment for a period of 14 days if an application is received from any group who had not previously applied for the two advertised Bendigo community licences.

The ABA will assess all applications on merit having regard to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (‘the Act’). The ABA will decide if a licence is to be allocated and in the case of competing applicants, to which applicant.

The ABA is not obliged to allocate a community broadcasting licence to an applicant even though the ABA has advertised for and received applications.

The Act provides that the allocation of broadcasting services bands community broadcasting licences is merit-based: that is, the ABA will allocate these licences on the basis of the merit of applicants and their proposed services and, when necessary, on the comparative merits of competing applications.

In assessing applications the ABA will have regard to matters set out in the Act. These matters include:

whether the applicant is a ‘company’ and represents a community interest;

whether the allocation is subject to any Ministerial ‘priority direction’;

the needs and interests of the community and the extent to which the applicant’s proposed service would meet those needs and interests;

the applicants capacity to provide the proposed service; and

matters related to the control of the licence.

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