We are grateful for the vision and dedication of this founding generation of broadcasters.
Today, community broadcasters deliver over 500 AM/FM/DAB+ services and two dedicated TV services that reach over 5.19 million people across Australia each week – almost one-quarter (24%) of Australians. The social and economic impact of community broadcasting is driven by over 17,000 volunteers and almost 1,000 employees who together play an increasingly important role in connecting Australian communities that are underserved by other media.
Community broadcasting services deliver on the vision held in 1974, and we’d like to thank you and your team for providing valued services that enrich and strengthen the social and cultural fabric of Australian society.
From the outset, the formation of CBAA has been driven by and integral to the sector having a unified and strong voice to Government. A few days prior to the formation of the PBAA, the Department of the Media held a conference to consult on the introduction of public broadcasting. Our Association was, in part, motivated by the sector’s desire to influence the outcome of this Government process. Experimental community broadcasting licenses (Australia’s first experimental community radio licenses) were subsequently approved at a Cabinet meeting held on 23 September 1974.
Today, we continue to work closely with our members and the Government to underpin the sustainability and community impact of our sector.
The CBAA, in many ways, retains the hallmarks of the original PBAA, with our purpose to support strong and successful community broadcasters. The diversity of voices, and the creative, unique, specialist and hyperlocal content that broadcasters amplify, remain key. CBAA continues to focus on increasing the capacity and capability of all broadcasters and our sector collectively. As technology continues to evolve, along with audiences, we strive to support all stations with affordable, quality services to make stations accessible to all communities on all platforms.
We look forward to celebrating this birthday at the CBAA Conference on the Gold Coast 17-19 October 2024, 50 years after our original members met in Sydney and put down the building blocks of our sector today.
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