Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner today welcomed changes to the Broadcasting Services Act, which mean regional radio operators will have greater flexibility in managing their stations, as a win for common sense.
Ms Warner said that, aside from exemptions for a small number of racing radio and remote area services, local content requirements for regional commercial radio broadcasters remain the same, but important changes to the definition of trigger events and their consequences have been made.
“The changes to the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Regional Commercial Radio) Bill 2012, passed today in Federal Parliament, will relax the interventionist and draconian provisions of the 2007 Act which froze forever regional station staff levels and facilities if stations changed ownership,” Ms Warner said.
“The industry has worked hard over many years to have these amendments introduced. We appreciate the efforts of our current Minister, Stephen Conroy, and the Liberal and National Parties to reach agreement on these amendments. The changes passed today will provide a measure of relief from the onerous red tape requirements and compliance burden that was placed on 220 commercial regional radio stations in 2007.”
“Commercial regional radio is a vital part of Australia’s regional communities and the broadcasters will now be able to continue to inform and entertain their millions of loyal listeners without unnecessary regulatory intervention in key aspects of the day to day running of their stations,” Ms Warner said.
Ms Warner thanked not only the Minister for Communications but all Members of Parliament and Senators who supported the amendments.
(Source : Commercial Radio Australia)
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