Role of Indigenous Radio or TV Play in Australian Society - Essay Example

Student Name: Tutor: Title: Role of Ethnic/Indigenous Radio or TV Play in Australian Society Course: Introduction The community media sector in Australia is popular for its size and reach. The huge population of stations spread all over the Australia form an intense network that rivals public and commercial broadcasters. In many communities it is the only media committed to providing local content within the area. Illustrating the immense linguistic and cultural diversity in Australia, community broadcasting provides an array of programs and services, and widens the media alternative choices that are available to Australian citizens (Meadows et al, 2007). Community broadcasting is taking every single chance to expand into new free-to-air digital and online platforms. Australians’ experience and skills working on the ground within communities that are diverse provides exciting and unique contributions to the digital economy. Indigenous people, migrants, music lovers, those in pursuit of social justice, the disabled, students and many other groups of people worked to establish a voice of reason in the media that they are able to organize and run on their own (Picard, 2014). Indigenous communities in remote and rural area lacking local media and ethnic communities across the country a case was established that resulted in the Government licensing a new broadcasting modal founded on access as well as participation, community control and ownership. Decades later, community broadcasting has grown to become the largest sector its type across the world and a unique reflection of media in Australia. This essay explores the role of ethnic/indigenous broadcasting in Australian society while at the same time analyzing the relevance of public funded broadcasting. Discussion Community radio within Australia exists at an international level where community radio is increasingly being viewed as a crucial cultural resource. There more academic research on community-produced media across the world. Community media audiences within Australia are among the largest in the entire world owing to cultural diversity (Chand, 2004). Whereas the commercial radio sector boasts of around 270 operating licenses, its yearly turnover is about $ 1Billion dollars compared to community broadcasting sector that has a revenue of close to $70 million yearly (Cohen, 2003). Community broadcasting produces more local content, plays more Australian music, and reflects a greater diversity of cultures across Australia as opposed to the government-funded and commercial broadcasting counterparts. Such degree of diversity as well as reach illustrates an important cultural resource, especially in the light of particular audiences that attracted to the sector. Indigenous stations such as CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) Radio in central Australia targets to promote Aboriginal culture as well as educate the wider society. There are some community stations that specialize in one genre of music. 4MBS in Queensland specializes in jazz and classical music, and Fresh FM in Australia has a focuses in electronic music (Atton, 2002). Community radio or TV provides the public exposure to a more diverse range of information, music, news and perspectives as compared to a government-based or commercial radio or TV station. It further offers communities with content that is locally produced that is directly relevant to their day to day lives. It gives opportunities to individuals as well as community groups to take part in the production of their own programs and in so doing maintain their local indigenous culture (Rodriguez, 2001). It also plays a pivotal role in offering basic media training avenues to more than seven thousand Australians every year. Community radio enhances participation from all aspects involved in running a radio station from producing and scheduling programs to fundraising and administration. Community broadcasting is conforms to the principle of diversity in various manifestations. The sector boasts as being heterogeneous in structure hence involving hundreds of media organizations that encourages national cohesions and integration among Australian people (McCauley, 2005). Services can be either general in nature or specifically focused to the diverse programming needs of a specific community of interest. Commitment to diversity as the main principle makes community broadcasting to have immense importance in the Australian society. Ethnic and indigenous community broadcasting is making an immense contribution to the perspective of active citizenry as well as leading to enhancement of the democratic process. Community radio is making it possible for fuller participation within the wider society by providing information in a language which remote indigenous communities and migrant could not access concerning government services, social and political issues, and voting rights (Carpentier & de Cleen, 2007). This content creates a feeling among the communities that are an important part of the wider society of Australia. A broad range of audiences get access to Indigenous television and radio across Australia with both non-Indigenous and Indigenous viewers and listeners identifying ‘theirs’ as a significant service that plays a crucial role in organizing community life. This indigenous or ethnic media sector assist people to keep social networks as well as play an important educative role within communities, especially for the young generation (Anderson & Coate, 2005). They provide an alternative source of information and news concerning the community and the broader world while avoiding the stereotyping of Indigenous people as well as issues. Whether indirectly or directly, these media are playing a part in breaking down stereotypes perceived about Indigenous people hence promoting cross-cultural dialogue while boosting the self-esteem of the indigenous communities (Meadows, 2001). One important element is the role played by indigenous community-produced television and radio in support of burgeoning indigenous arts and music industry. These media are beneficial cultural resources that are being efficiently managed by communities owning them. Audiences listing to special ethnic programs on a general community radio station or a full-time ethnic community-produced radio station are doing so because the station programming is playing an important role in the maintenance of languages and cultures. Programs aid audiences to maintain community connections as well as networks and community managed stations offer specialist music hardly available in other media outlets (Palmer, 2012). Audiences of ethnic community radio want to listen to community gossip and news that they can relate to. They are specifically interested on listening to information and news that is relevant to their lives in Australia together with that from the home countries and across regions. Empirical research has demonstrated that community radio as well as Indigenous television sectors is making important contribution to the management of community mental health through empowering audiences to clearly comprehend and control issues that have an effect on their social and emotional wellbeing (Howley, 2005). This is a suggestion for healthcare agencies to think about the possibility of involving community broadcasting in their future mental health campaigns. The research reinforces the argument that the mainstream media has to be more aware of the increasing dissatisfaction with their inadequacy to connect with their diverse audiences on a number of issues. It further offers evidence for community radio as a pivotal cultural resource meeting its anticipated outcomes by contributing to social gain (Chitty & Rattichalkalakorn, 2007). Indigenous community broadcasting assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access culturally suitable as well as regionally relevant broadcasting services in the same manner the wider Australian public does (MIR, 2006). It further spreads Indigenous voices, music, stories, information, and viewpoints into communities across Australia. Community radio stations are non-profit making. Any money they make from the services they provide goes straight back into the station. Community managed radio stations get funding from government via the Community Broadcasting Foundation that was formed in 1984 as an umbrella funding body that is non-profit-making for community broadcasting across Australia (Gordon, 2009). Community radio stations have constraints on how they can make use of advertising or sponsorship in raising funds and all stations have to comfort to a set standard of Code of Practice. The Code provides guidance for all community stations in Australia in their operations as well as assists them in maintaining a community focus. Many community stations depend on subscribers to assist money to pay for daily expenses. Subscribers donate money for covering the stations (Deuze, 2006). Individuals who offer their services in community radio stations are majorly volunteers. They offer their services in radio for other reasons since they believe the information which they present is important. They want to develop skills associated with radio production or they have fun working on radio. Previously a central broadcasting organization instituted by public funding has usually been the only medium and such bodies continue to have a dominant position in the world. Publicly-funded broadcasting remains popular and is demonstrated in public support and government funding (Forde, Foxwell & Meadows, 2009). Taxpayer public broadcasting ensures that there is quality programs representing a broad range of interests and meeting the needs of various sectors across the population. Public broadcasting offers effective complement to commercial services, providing information needs as well as interests that the market would not otherwise meet. It ensures diversity in programming as well as makes a crucial contribution in informing the public (Gordon, 2007). They form a focal point of enhancing a sense of national identity as well as fostering a rights-respecting and democratic culture. In various circumstances however, the government puts pressure on the control of taxpayer-funded broadcasters and using them as the only mouthpiece for government as opposed to being an independent sources of news and information to the public (Price & Raboy, 2003). The independence of the broadcasters has to be guaranteed in practice and law in order to allow them to operate independently without interference. Providing quality information is an important function of the taxpayer funded broadcasting in Australia. Quick proliferation of commercial as well as other types of broadcasting poses a dynamic and new challenge to broadcasting that is publicly-funded. Technological development absolutely changed the nature of broadcasting with households being offered a variety of channels. All these developments pose a threat to broadcasters that remain under the control of the government. Broadcasters that are publicly-funded are faced with new challenges as the role of the government that was previously dominant changes (Bailey, Cammaerts & Carpentier, 2008). Efforts to downsize as well as privatize or commercialize government-funded sectors have become popular. Despite growing need for other alternative ways of providing funding for programming, public funding broadcasting is important in balancing national interests together with community interests in order to drive national goals. Conclusion Ethnic or Indigenous broadcasting plays an important role in the Australian society. Commitment to cultural and community cultural values, needs and interests remains to be an important role of community broadcasting. Regional remote communities’ interests and needs are able to meet through programming that is community based. The indigenous people and other community can specifically identify themselves with the information and news spread through communed managed and run media. Ethnic broadcasting ensures cultural needs of the communities across Australia are met and people develop a sense of national identity that encourages patriotism. Indigenous viewers and listeners are able to identify with the information that is being communicated through community broadcasting services. The public broadcasting medium more often than not fails to meet the needs of the public in terms of programming and music. Australia culture and music is promoted through indigenous broadcasting. The community managed stations represent the various values and interests across Australia internationally. Research has demonstrated that community radio can be used in management of mental health challenges in the indigenous communities. The community managed broadcasting provides an opportunity to individuals to sharpen their skills as they prepare to get into other area of the media. Indigenous broadcasting has played a crucial role in communicating Australian values internationally and representing the needs of the indigenous people. There are various advantages and disadvantages of public funded broadcasting that have to be considered with continued developments in technology. Commitment to diversity and ensuring that every Australian citizen has the right to access correct information is an important role that public funded broadcasting plays. Ensuring independence and provision quality information will ensure that public funded broadcasting remains to play an important role in the modern day society. References Anderson, S.P., & Coate, S., 2005, Market Provision of Broadcasting: A Welfare Analysis, The Review of Economic Studies 72 (4): 947–972. Atton, C., 2002, Alternative Media, London, Sage. Bailey, O. G., Cammaerts, B., & Carpentier, N., 2008, Understanding Alternative Media, Maidenhead, Open University Press. Carpentier, N., & de Cleen, B., 2007, Participation and Media Production: Critical Reflections on Content Creation, London, Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Chand, A., 2004, Ethnic media and Fijian Indians in Sydney, Australian Journalism Review 26(1), 145-154. Chitty, N. & Rattichalkalakorn, S., 2007, Alternative Media: Idealism and Pragmatism, Penang, Southbound. Cohen, E. 2003, Voices of our land: ethnic radio and the complexity of diasporic practices in multicultural Australia, Humanities Research 10(3), 125-148. Deuze, M. 2006, Ethnic media, community media and participatory media, Journalism 7(3), 262-280. Forde, S., Foxwell, K., & Meadows, M., 2009, Developing Dialogues: Indigenous and Ethnic Community Broadcasting in Australia, Intellect Books, Sydney. Gordon, J., 2007, Panel discussion at the Radio Conference, Lincoln, UK, 16-19. Gordon, J., 2009, Notions of community: A collection of Community Media Debates and Dilemmas, Peter Lang, Oxford. Howley, K., 2005, Community Media: People, Places and Communication Technologies, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. McCauley, M., 2005, NPR: the trials and triumphs of National Public Radio, New York, Columbia University Press. McNair Ingenuity Research (MIR), 2006, Community Radio National Listener Survey – Summary Report of Findings, CBAA, pp. 8-9. Meadows, M., 2001, Voices in the Wilderness: images of Aboriginal people in the Australian media. Westport: Greenwood Press. Meadows, M., Forde, S., Ewart, J. & Foxwell, K., 2007, Community Media Matters: An Audience Study Of the Australian Community Broadcasting Sector, Griffith University. Picard, R.G., 2014, Media Firms: Structures, Operations, and Performance, Routledge,New York. Palmer, G., 2012, Exposing Lifestyle Television: The Big Reveal, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., London. Price, M.E. & Raboy, M., 2003, Public service broadcasting in transition: a documentary reader, Kluwer Law International, Melbourne. Rodriguez, C., 2001, Fissures in the Mediascape: An International Study of Citizens’ Media, Cresskill, Hampton Press. Read More

Community broadcasting is conforms to the principle of diversity in various manifestations. The sector boasts as being heterogeneous in structure hence involving hundreds of media organizations that encourages national cohesions and integration among Australian people (McCauley, 2005). Services can be either general in nature or specifically focused to the diverse programming needs of a specific community of interest. Commitment to diversity as the main principle makes community broadcasting to have immense importance in the Australian society.

Ethnic and indigenous community broadcasting is making an immense contribution to the perspective of active citizenry as well as leading to enhancement of the democratic process. Community radio is making it possible for fuller participation within the wider society by providing information in a language which remote indigenous communities and migrant could not access concerning government services, social and political issues, and voting rights (Carpentier & de Cleen, 2007). This content creates a feeling among the communities that are an important part of the wider society of Australia.

A broad range of audiences get access to Indigenous television and radio across Australia with both non-Indigenous and Indigenous viewers and listeners identifying ‘theirs’ as a significant service that plays a crucial role in organizing community life. This indigenous or ethnic media sector assist people to keep social networks as well as play an important educative role within communities, especially for the young generation (Anderson & Coate, 2005). They provide an alternative source of information and news concerning the community and the broader world while avoiding the stereotyping of Indigenous people as well as issues.

Whether indirectly or directly, these media are playing a part in breaking down stereotypes perceived about Indigenous people hence promoting cross-cultural dialogue while boosting the self-esteem of the indigenous communities (Meadows, 2001). One important element is the role played by indigenous community-produced television and radio in support of burgeoning indigenous arts and music industry. These media are beneficial cultural resources that are being efficiently managed by communities owning them.

Audiences listing to special ethnic programs on a general community radio station or a full-time ethnic community-produced radio station are doing so because the station programming is playing an important role in the maintenance of languages and cultures. Programs aid audiences to maintain community connections as well as networks and community managed stations offer specialist music hardly available in other media outlets (Palmer, 2012). Audiences of ethnic community radio want to listen to community gossip and news that they can relate to.

They are specifically interested on listening to information and news that is relevant to their lives in Australia together with that from the home countries and across regions. Empirical research has demonstrated that community radio as well as Indigenous television sectors is making important contribution to the management of community mental health through empowering audiences to clearly comprehend and control issues that have an effect on their social and emotional wellbeing (Howley, 2005).

This is a suggestion for healthcare agencies to think about the possibility of involving community broadcasting in their future mental health campaigns. The research reinforces the argument that the mainstream media has to be more aware of the increasing dissatisfaction with their inadequacy to connect with their diverse audiences on a number of issues. It further offers evidence for community radio as a pivotal cultural resource meeting its anticipated outcomes by contributing to social gain (Chitty & Rattichalkalakorn, 2007).

Indigenous community broadcasting assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access culturally suitable as well as regionally relevant broadcasting services in the same manner the wider Australian public does (MIR, 2006).

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