SA Parliament votes to support Radio Adelaide

South Australia’s Parliament is the latest to come out swinging in defence of Adelaide community radio station Radio Adelaide.

The Legislative Council unanimously passed a motion to support the station, which, as previously reported by TMN, faces the possibility of being closed down or having its operations scaled back. 

It acknowledged the role the station played in supporting alternate thought in culture, including music and comedy, and in training the media personalities and technicians of the future.

The motion was brought by The Greens’ Tammy Franks. She said, “At a time in which the control of the mainstream media is increasingly concentrated, alternative voices provided by community broadcasters are more important than ever, not just to our democracy, but our cultural fabric. We cannot afford to lose Radio Adelaide”.

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, Jing Lee of the Liberals, agreed, “I recognise that Radio Adelaide’s commitment to multiculturalism is a long-term and consistent one.”

Radio Adelaide’s General Manager Deborah Welch thanked the Legislative Council for its actions. She added, “Radio Adelaide has been flooded with support from members of the community. We look forward to working with the University to establish a new home for our team of over 400 community members so they can continue to produce diverse, local content on multiple platforms.”

Faced with budget cut-backs, the University of Adelaide – which has owned and operated the station since 1972 – released a discussion paper on five options for the station’s future.

These included closing it in June 2016, scaling it back, selling it off to a third party or maintaining its current funding at $4 million over five years. 

Public consultation ends tomorrow (Friday December 11). See its options here. 

See Radio Adelaide’s original media release here.

More than 5,000 people have signed a petition at saveradioadelaide.org in the past week calling for the station’s future to be secured.

Image Source: Radio Adelaide Facebook