Broadcasting licences soon for country radio stations

14/6/93

Broadcasting licences will soon be available for new community and FM commercial radio services in Western Australian country towns, Services Minister Graham Kierath said today.

The Minister said he also expected a channel to be reserved for the extension of SBS television throughout the State and for frequencies to be available for second and third ABC radio services in some rural areas.

Mr Kierath said the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) announced last week that WA would be the starting point for its new national broadcasting plan.

The ABA had also promised to open up the FM band in the South-West for new community and commercial radio services.

Mr Kierath said it would take about three years to get everything in place, but radio planning in WA should be finalised by the middle of next year, with television services to be dealt with soon after.

Mr Kierath said he was delighted with the high priority given to Western Australia.

"We put forward a submission to the ABA which argued strongly that there were many broadcasting issues in this State, especially in rural and remote areas, which needed to be resolved quickly," he said.

"The ABA recognised the merit of our case."

Mr Kierath said WA would not automatically get all the taxpayer-funded services it had asked for, but the framework would be in place to make it all technically possible.

However, he said he was concerned that the ABA was considering closing its Perth office.

"This would greatly disadvantage WA audiences and broadcasters, particularly with a major overhaul of Federal broadcasting regulations under way," the Minister said.

ABA staff played a vital role in WA by providing professional advice to listeners, viewers and broadcasters and handled a regular stream of inquiries dealing with radio and TV reception problems.

Mr Kierath said he had written to the ABA and Federal Communications Minister David Beddall opposing plans to close the office.

"We have been working hard to persuade the Commonwealth of the urgency of Western Australian broadcasting matters and we are starting to see some success," he said.

Media contact: Barry Thornton 481 2133 or 222 9595