Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
Community radio stations are vital hubs that foster local connections, celebrate diversity, and champion Australian music and artists.
Through providing essential services like access to local news, preservation of culture and language in diverse communities, and promoting community resilience during emergencies, these stations actively contribute to the wellbeing and enrichment of the community.
Community radio stations operate as independent, not-for-profit organisations that actively encourage access and participation by members of their communities in all aspects of broadcast operations. This commitment leads to a wide range of benefits.
The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) is the national peak body for community broadcasting licensees. It represents 304 members, which constitute 90 per cent of all community radio licensees throughout Australia. Recognising the decline in real funding levels for community radio in the last five years, the CBAA submitted a budget proposal to the Federal Government to secure resources for its plan to empower community broadcasters.
SGS partnered with the CBAA to develop a compelling budget proposal. Through our work, we helped demonstrate:
- The real funding reductions experienced and the implications this had on the sector’s financial performance.
- The financial benefit of improved funding by showing how better-resourced stations leveraged additional funding from elsewhere.
- The broader community benefits from improved funding by performing a cost-benefit analysis of increased government funding for community radio.
