Noreen Navin, Sydney
After a drawn-out absence from
Community TV Sydney (TVS), Actively Radical TV (ARTV) has
been reinstated to the community station, Channel 31. However, the conditions imposed by TVS management are unnecessarily onerous.
TVS is demanding that every ARTV program be vetted by a lawyer, to be paid for by ARTV. Another needless cost is the defamation insurance that ARTV has had to take out even though TVS has such insurance. ARTV has, however, adhered to these conditions, which have been placed exclusively on the group.
"During our suspension from TVS, from March to June, ARTV appealed for assistance in pushing TVS's managers to reinstate ARTV's programs", John Reynolds told Green Left Weekly. "Given the conservative political climate and decreasing access to alternative media, we had a lot of support." Support letters from individuals, campaign organisers, trade unionists and grassroots activists urged the return of ARTV's programs. ARTV's suspension was also covered by independent
and community media — print and radio — with interest shown by the ABC's 7.30 Report and Media Watch, as well as interstate independent media, such as Channel 31 Melbourne.
"We are aware that our purpose as a community media organisation is to provide a vehicle through which the voices and messages of the dispossessed and marginalised, the unfairly dismissed, Indigenous, refugees and the environmentalists can be disseminated", said Reynolds. He thanked all those who contacted TVS demanding the return of ARTV.
"To a degree, our campaign has been successful. We have been re-instated but at the most inopportune timeslots of 2.30pm Saturday afternoon, with a repeat at 11.30pm Sunday evening. We have registered our dissatisfaction with these time
slots. Considering we have conformed to TVS's conditions we ought to be allocated a time slot that suits our audience."
"We are not in the business of entertaining", continued Reynolds. "Our mission is to inform, educate, promote debate and move ideas. No other community television provider in Sydney does this with the community organisations and networks who have no other means at their disposal."
Reynolds is also disappointed that TVS is broadcasting content from Melbourne and Perth at prime times in preference to locally produced content. "We have requested that our programs be aired between 8.30pm and 10pm on Sunday evenings. Given ARTV's 11 years of broadcasting, this is not an unreasonable request."
[ARTV is asking supporters to write to TVS managers Laurie Patton and Henry Di Gorta at <programs@tvs.org.au> or Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797 or phone them on (02) 9582 5000 or fax them on (02) 9852 5050 and tell them you want to see ARTV programs at convenient times. Please send a copy of your correspondence to ARTV at <info@artresistance.com.au>.]
From Green Left Weekly, July 19, 2006.
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