18/05/2026
It's time to have a talk about Community Radio, the sector that is run by volunteers, the presenters do this out of the generosity of their hearts who want to give back to the community, with stations that are only able to continue to be on air through sponsorship agreements with your local supermarket, hardware store, pizza joint, fish and chips joint, pub, local sports complex, local car dealership or even a well known franchise
We've seen some worrying signs around Australia, let's have a look across the nation
In NSW, Sydney suburb of Penrith - WOW FM 100.7 (sub-metro community station) has shut down, as of September 2025 due to financial issues
Currently, as I speak, 2SER 107.3, a Sydney wide station is looking at the same fate, since it's funding from a Macquarie University was pulled and a new funding model was rejected, a new plan has been requested with a time limit of just 9 days
Over in Perth, 6EBA 95.3 - a city wide community station that focused on multicultural languages (82 in total), similar to what Triple Z on 92.3 does in Melbourne - But in Perth, they shut down in August 2024 leaving the frequency still vacant to this day
We've recently learnt that Vision Australia Radio will shut off their AM transmitters in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth due to the cost of keeping AM transmissions going, which has been an issue for broadcasters over the years, but an essential service shouldn't be left to fend for itself and basically only accessible via Digital Radio and online when their main listener base would be an elderly audience
Back on the 16th of January 2020, Stereo 974 (3WRB) ceased broadcasting, suggestions in the local newspaper indicated that a lack of funding was at the source of it's closure as they needed to relocate to a new premises, which they simply couldn't afford, the frequency still remains vacant today
Over in Bacchus Marsh, Apple FM 98.5 have announced that they'll be shutting down on the 5th of July, in their press releases they've been very vague about their position, but again, it's the cost issue and seemingly lack of volunteers. A history of nearly 40 years is about to end. They have cited a tough economic climate as being the official reason
Is community radio in trouble? How many more stations need to go off air before someone at the ACMA steps in to assist with some sort of package?
Unfortunately, for the stations that have left the building, we can't be of assistance on the following theories, but we can certainly put our thinking caps on for the future
Let's look at Vision Australia Radio, as mentioned, we class this as an essential service, as much as it's classed as Community Radio, by the official broadcast regulators, it deserves to be on terrestrial radio in the major cities
Citing AM transmissions as the main issue, why isn't the ACMA stepping in with a plan to convert RPH stations to FM in those cities?
In Perth, it's an easy conversion, the old 6EBA frequency of 95.3
In Adelaide, they'd need to find space perhaps around the 91.1 range (at a guess, that should suffice, next door to Nova)
In Melbourne, it's a different situation, and we question why the old Lion FM frequency on 96.1 hasn't been thought of in recent times. That licence was sitting on top of the Eureka Tower covering the Inner suburbs of Melbourne. It was a TCBL from June 2010 until June 2011.
The ACMA "decided not to make additional radiofrequency spectrum in the Melbourne City RA1 licence area available to temporary community broadcasting licensees." - Meaning it hasn't been used since, which has been a discussion in years afterwards in parliament
We propose the ACMA - Australian Communications and Media Authority - To issue 3RPH a Melbourne licence on 96.1 for the Inner suburbs, with reduced power towards Geelong (as previously was the case) at around 300 to 400 Watts, plus an additional relay out in the eastern suburbs, as 96.1 is used along the Warburton Highway - We can think of a frequency like 89.3 that would be suitable for use, let's say from Mount Dandenong at 100 or 500 Watts
We believe the further west people travel, in the Melbourne suburbs, the clearer 99.5 from Geelong is received, therefore the need for a relay out there wouldn't be needed
If Apple FM is to close on the 5th of July, there surely would be a need for Ballarat to launch a relay of RPH using 98.5, with respect to Bendigo's 98.3, making sure lower output so there's no interference
We simply can't let these stations just disappear, otherwise there'll be less choice on the traditional AM/FM bands
We would like the ACMA to also consider reissuing the AM licence of 1179 for use for another group, suggestions include turining it into a HPON licence
We made an "out there" theory to bring back 3KZ to 1179, much on the same basis as how 3GL has returned to 1341 in Geelong, playing 60's music that nobody touches anymore (some 70's and 80's are thrown in there too) - no presenters, just music and adverts. But the chances of ARN taking interest to make this happen (as we think they're the only ones with rights over the 3KZ name) are probably zero
So, why doesn't SBS Radio indicate an intention and bring in BBC World Service on a 24/7 basis. This actually happened in Auckland, New Zealand on 810 AM - Unfortunately, the Auckland Radio Trust informed that they would cease those broadcasts on the 15th of April (one month ago)
If that's not of interest, I'm sure another group would like to fill the licence, maybe iHeartRadio Country (Kix Country for traditionalists) or maybe one of the many community groups that didn't get a full time licence in the first place. Remember Laugh Radio? Hitz FM? City FM? (There was more I think) - Double X rebirth?
These are all ideas to try and keep some form of entertainment on air and maybe somehow the ACMA via the government, should be looking at saving the Community Radio sector, before more stations close down due to financial issues
