This is a deceptively outstanding bit of news. For many years now, since the awful Orissa hurricane of 1998 in fact, we have been attempting to make the government understand (not ministers, they know perfectly well, but it is a different matter to get policy framed in for such a purpose) that one very vital purpose that community radio serves is to build a loyal audience. Once this is done, using a radio service for emergency broadcasting becomes very practical. It enables, at almost no extra cost, for the local community to be informed of life-threatening situations in good enough time to significantly increase the possibility of survival.
Sadly, our government works in denial mode, coming up with such ridiculous suggestions as a dedicated emergency broadcasting service (seriously: do they really think that over one billion people have nothing better to do than keep radio sets tuned to a fixed frequency just in case - being an emergency after all, not a daily matter - some critical information needs to be conveyed. In effect, this is how AIR (now PB) threw away its brand equity, destroying motivated listenership in region after region, with programming that is unsuited for the local audience. Even when it is the only radio station within tuning distance, people are forced to search for entertainment and information alternatives. A side-effect of mindless programming is the imparting of a conviction that life is better in 'the cities'*, which are desperately growing apace - to the detriment of their residents. *being the places where apparently all izzz well, if one can believe it Vickram http://communicall.wordpress.com http://vvcrishna.wordpress.com ----- Forwarded Message ---- > From: Shane G Elson <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected] > Sent: Sat, 24 April, 2010 18:33:32 > Subject: [Asiapacific-general] [Fwd: History was made today] > > ---------------------------- Original Message > ---------------------------- Subject: History was made today From: > "Ray Hazen - CEO S.C.M.A" < > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]> Date: Fri, > April 23, 2010 22:52 To: "Ray Hazen - CEO S.C.M.A" < > ymailto="mailto:[email protected]"; > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greetings > one and all, Today history was made when Member Station UG FM > became the first Community Broadcaster in Australia to be officially > recognised as an Emergency Broadcaster. Please see the media > release attached and below for further information. Kindest > Regards Ray Hazen CEO Southern > Community Media Association Representing This great Southern > Land Vibrant, Vocal and Vital P: 0409 533 > 891 E: > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] W: > www.scma1.com SCMA Member becomes the first Community > Broadcaster to sign Emergency Broadcasting Memorandum of > Understanding Member Station UG FM Alexandra has become the first > Community Broadcaster in Australia to sign a Memorandum of Understanding > (MOU) in regard to Emergency Broadcasting. UGFM and the Victorian Office of > Emergency Services Commissioner formalized the MOU in at studio complex of > UGFM in Alexandra. UG FM played a vital role in Emergency Broadcasting during > the Black Saturday fires and continues to broadcast recovery information to > its area. Community Radio has always been involved in emergency > broadcasting in as much as when there is an emergency community broadcaster's > do all they can to assist. The President of the Southern > Community Media Association, Mrs. Helen Bath said "It is gratifying to see > all the work of the past five years come to fruition. The SCMA has had an > ongoing commitment to the formalization of community broadcasters role in > Emergency Broadcasting for a long time now and we have done all we could to > support our members to achieve Emergency Broadcasting Status" CEO of > the SCMA Ray Hazen congratulated the team at UG FM and in particular Peter > Weeks on this achievement. Today is a proud day for all > community broadcasters" Peter has been part of the SCMA's emergency > broadcasting committee that has worked hard to ensure that community > broadcasters role in Emergency Broadcasting was formalized. UG > FM has made history by becoming the first community broadcaster to > gain recognition as an emergency broadcaster in Australia. There are > more stations in the system who will be accredited in the coming weeks as > part of a push to ensure that people are better informed in times of > emergency. Bruce Esplin, Emergency Services Commissioner said > "It's a fantastic outcome to have community broadcasters now being officially > recognised by the State as official emergency broadcasters." He went > on to say "Community broadcasters can play a vital role in that they can > target messages direct to local communities and reach some areas of Victoria > where there is no access to commercial or other radio > broadcasts" Emergency Broadcasting and community radio really go > hand in hand as Community broadcasters have a real commitment to their local > community. They are local vibrant and vital and a valuable part of the fibre > of communities all over Australia. There is no doubt that the > addition of community broadcaster's to the Emergency Broadcasting MOU can > only be beneficial to all in times of emergency and > recovery. The Southern Community Media Association remains > committed to emergency broadcasting and supporting stations throughout > Australia to achieve recognition for the emergency and recovery work they do. > The president of the SCMA said "it is vital that we as an organisation remain > at the ready to assist all community broadcasters in times of emergency. It > isn't about ego it is about getting the message out in a quick and concise > manner and ensuring that listeners are as well informed as possible about the > situation at hand. There is no doubt that this is a great > achievement not only for the team at UG FM or the SCMA but also for the > community broadcasting sector in > general. Ends For more information or > comment on this release please contact the President of the SCMA on > 0407770209 or via email > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] For more > information on the SCMA visit www.scma1.com < > target=_blank >http://www.scma1.com/> > _____ I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter < > href="http://www.spamfighter.com/len"; target=_blank > >http://www.spamfighter.com/len> . We are a community of 7 million > users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 3043 of my spam emails to > date. The Professional version does not have this message. -- > Shane Elson PO Box 687 Cowes VIC 3922 AUST 61-3-5952 > 5780 61-4-1359 7828 > href="mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected] Shane is > the Australian Producer and Distributor of Alternative Radio. Check out the > AR website at www.araustralia.org Join the Community Radio Forum. For membership details, please go to www.crforum.in
