Write a letter to your representatives in Parliament about the importance of Radio Australia.
Do they know that:
“The ABC is required to ‘encourage awareness of Australia and international understanding of Australian attitudes in world affairs …’ by transmitting to countries outside Australia programmes of news, current affairs, entertainment and cultural enrichment …”?
(ABC Act Section 6(1)(b))
In the aftermath of the tsunami, the ABC’s international services provided the region with crucial information including news reports, warnings and community service announcements?
In May 2004 a Federal Parliamentary committee investigating Australia’s Relationship with Indonesia reported the Radio Australia’s “immediacy and friendliness make it an extremely powerful means of reaching into Indonesia and promoting greater understanding of Australia”?
The Parliamentary Committee recommended that:
“Priority should be given to measures which will significantly extend the reach of Radio Australia, preferably at least to levels enjoyed in the 70s and 80s”?
Radio Australia came close to being abolished in 1997?
The powerful Cox Peninsula shortwave transmitter near Darwin was closed down, reducing Radio Australia’s reach only to Bali in the northwest and South Asia in the north?
Prior to the Cox Peninsula closure, Radio Australia could reach by shortwave from Australia as far north as Siberia, and to the Indonesian archipelago and Southeast Asia?
Funding was halved from $25 million in 1995–96?
Radio Australia reaches far fewer countries in the region than 10 years ago?
Indonesian audiences have fallen from 20 million across Indonesia in the 1970s and ’80s to currently 7 million per annum?
RA broadcast languages have been reduced from nine to five (plus English)?
Indonesian language programming is 2½ hours daily, plus repeats?
Mandarin language programming (China) is 2½ hours daily?
Pidgin language programming to Papua New Guinea is 3 hours a day?
Khmer language programming is 1 hour a day?
Vietnamese language programming is 1 hour a day?
The Government knocked back the ABC’s funding requests?
In 2003—the last triennial funding round—the ABC asked for additional transmission funds, for shortwave broadcasting from Australia and for 24-hour FM relays in 13 capitals in the Asia Pacific region?
These requests were knocked back?
Radio Australia’s 24-hour broadcasts can be heard in six—instead of the ABC’s proposed 13—regional capitals?
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