Community Radio Network (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Community Radio Network in Australia
is a satellite
program feed available to subscribing community radio
stations. It was created and is managed by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
(CBAA). The CRN does not produce the programs that are broadcast on the feed, but acts as a distributor of material supplied by member stations.
of exchanging programs between stations on tape via mail
, the CBAA established the Community Radio Satellite, known as ComRadSat in 1993. Four media organisations have co-operated to make the satellite service available to community radio station
s all over Australia. These are the CBAA, the Australian Indigenous Communications Association
, Radio Print Handicapped Network
and the BBC World Service
. Each organisation transmits their programs via Optus
onto the C1 Satellite via the uplink
site at Belrose
.
and fundraising such as paid program time. The radio stations can apply for a specific grant from the Community Broadcasting Foundation to purchase and install the satellite receiving equipment.
applications. A radio station can select its preferred programs on the DDN website
and the stations’ DDN-enabled computer will automatically record the selected programs. Three months worth of current music content in a variety of genres is also made available for stations to use.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
is a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
program feed available to subscribing community radio
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
stations. It was created and is managed by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia is a peak body and the national representative organisation for community radio and television stations in Australia. The CBAA provide leadership, advocacy and support for members to actively provide independent broadcasting services and to build...
(CBAA). The CRN does not produce the programs that are broadcast on the feed, but acts as a distributor of material supplied by member stations.
History
After more than a decadeDecade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
of exchanging programs between stations on tape via mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
, the CBAA established the Community Radio Satellite, known as ComRadSat in 1993. Four media organisations have co-operated to make the satellite service available to community radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s all over Australia. These are the CBAA, the Australian Indigenous Communications Association
Australian Indigenous Communications Association
The Australian Indigenous Communications Association is the peak body for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters. The AICA aims to represent all indigenous people and organisations in the media, communications and entertainment industry...
, Radio Print Handicapped Network
Radio Print Handicapped Network
RPH Australia is the national peak representative organisaion for a unique Australian network of radio reading service designed to meet the daily information needs of people who, for any reason, are unable to access normal printed material...
and the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
. Each organisation transmits their programs via Optus
Optus
SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
onto the C1 Satellite via the uplink
Uplink
A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...
site at Belrose
Belrose, New South Wales
Belrose is a suburb of the northern beaches, Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia, 19 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Warringah Council, and is part of the Northern Beaches region...
.
Channels
The satellite feed is four distinct channels:- Channel 11 – National Indigenous Radio ServiceNational Indigenous Radio ServiceThe National Indigenous Radio Service is a satellite program feed available in Australia to community radio stations that are subscribers of the CBAA’s Community Radio Network. The NIRS provides targeted and specialist programming for and by Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander...
provided by the AICAAustralian Indigenous Communications AssociationThe Australian Indigenous Communications Association is the peak body for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters. The AICA aims to represent all indigenous people and organisations in the media, communications and entertainment industry...
(stereoStereophonic soundThe term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
) - Channel 12 – Radio for the Print Handicapped Australia (Vision Australia Radio Melbourne3RPH3RPH is a radio station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.3RPH is part of the Vision Australia Radio network of eight stations owned by Vision Australia broadcasting newspaper and magazine articles for people unable to read print media in southern Victoria and New South Wales.The station began...
) provided by RPH AustraliaRadio Print Handicapped NetworkRPH Australia is the national peak representative organisaion for a unique Australian network of radio reading service designed to meet the daily information needs of people who, for any reason, are unable to access normal printed material...
(monoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
) - Channel 13 – BBC World Service (monoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
) - Channel 14 – Community Radio Network provided by the CBAA (stereoStereophonic soundThe term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
)
Channel 14
The Community Radio Network channel has a number of elements to the program feed.- Core Programs – 30 or 60 minute programs produced by member stations. These are usually talk, music based or issue driven. One of the most popular programs is Allegro Non Troppo.
- Sustaining Service – CRN is broadcast 24 hours a day so subscriber stations can use the feed at any time, even to fill air time during an emergency or breakdown. CRN plays music when scheduled programs are not broadcast.
- News and Current Affairs – National Radio News is available on a separately charged basis. The hourly bulletins are produced by journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s and studentStudentA student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s at Charles Sturt UniversityCharles Sturt UniversityCharles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
. - Festivals – Live coverage of a range of music festivals each year including the Woodford Folk FestivalWoodford Folk FestivalThe Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music festival held near the small country town of Woodford, 72 km north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia....
, Tamworth Country Music FestivalTamworth Country Music FestivalThe Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this period the city of Tamworth comes alive, with...
, WOMADelaideWOMADelaideWOMADelaide is an annual world music and dance festival, which was first held in 1992 in Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia as part of the WOMAD series of music festivals. WOMAD events are a showcase of different sorts of music, arts and dance. They encourage people to experience the music of...
and the Wangaratta Festival of JazzWangaratta Festival of JazzThe Wangaratta Festival of Jazz is an annual festival of jazz and blues held in the town of Wangaratta, 2.5 hours from Melbourne in North East Victoria, Australia. It has become the premier jazz event in Australia and is renowned internationally....
. - Paid Programming – Appropriate organisations may buy airtime for special event programs or series.
Funding
The CBAA maintains the satellite service through a combination of station subscription fees, an operating grant from the Community Broadcasting FoundationCommunity Broadcasting Foundation
The Community Broadcasting Foundation is an independent non-profit funding organisation based in Melbourne. The CBF solicits and then distributes funds that assist with the maintenance and development of community broadcasting in Australia....
and fundraising such as paid program time. The radio stations can apply for a specific grant from the Community Broadcasting Foundation to purchase and install the satellite receiving equipment.
Digital Delivery Network
Another aspect to the CRN is the DDN. The Digital Delivery Network works alongside the CRN satellite feed through onlineONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
applications. A radio station can select its preferred programs on the DDN website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
and the stations’ DDN-enabled computer will automatically record the selected programs. Three months worth of current music content in a variety of genres is also made available for stations to use.
See also
- Community Broadcasting FoundationCommunity Broadcasting FoundationThe Community Broadcasting Foundation is an independent non-profit funding organisation based in Melbourne. The CBF solicits and then distributes funds that assist with the maintenance and development of community broadcasting in Australia....
- National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters CouncilNational Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters CouncilThe National Ethnic & Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council is the peak body for Australia’s ethnic and multilingual community broadcasters. The NEMBC develops national policy, advocates and lobbies on behalf of its members and organises an annual national conference. The council also provides a...
- Radio Print Handicapped NetworkRadio Print Handicapped NetworkRPH Australia is the national peak representative organisaion for a unique Australian network of radio reading service designed to meet the daily information needs of people who, for any reason, are unable to access normal printed material...
- Australian Indigenous Communications AssociationAustralian Indigenous Communications AssociationThe Australian Indigenous Communications Association is the peak body for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters. The AICA aims to represent all indigenous people and organisations in the media, communications and entertainment industry...