Cuts to ethnic broadcasting
By Geoff Spencer
MELBOURNE — More than 400 people attended a public meeting on August 16 organised by radio stations 3ZZZ, 3CR and 3YYR. The meeting, at Trades Hall, was called to condemn a 25% cut in federal government funding for ethnic public radio broadcasting.
Ethnic public broadcasting provides 85% of all ethnic broadcasting in Australia via five full-time stations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne (3ZZZ), Perth (6EBA) and Sydney and through 60 other public stations such as 3CR and 3YYR (Geelong community radio).
Ethnic public broadcasting increased by 300 hours last year to just over 1000 hours per week. But while broadcasting hours have increased, the government subsidy of $1.2 million has remained the same.
On the other hand, the government network of SBS radio — 3EA in Melbourne and 2EA in Sydney — broadcast 240 hours per week and receive $13 million annually from the budget.
Just before the last elections, the federal government promised to expand ethnic broadcasting. SBS is bidding to be the sole beneficiary of this increased funding — it has asked for an extra $13 million. If the promised expansion goes to the government network, it could cause the demise of public ethnic media in Australia.
The meeting resolved to request the federal government to review its ethnic broadcasting funding policy to ensure an immediate increase for public ethnic broadcasting, and a more comprehensive and integrated ethnic broadcasting policy with equitable distribution of funds.
The meeting also called for an ongoing campaign to defend ethnic public broadcasting. Included in this call was for ethnic public broadcasters and SBS radio to develop policies and cooperative arrangements for the involvement of both sectors in the expansion of ethnic broadcasting.
As George Zangalis, president of the Ethnic Public Broadcasting Association of Victoria, said in a statement prior to the public meeting, "At a time when the need for information and debate ... has never been greater, such a cut cannot be accepted". Those wishing to help the campaign can do so by contacting Kostas Karamarkos at 3ZZZ on (03) 415 1930 or their local public ethnic station.