Archives: Winter 1999
FUNDING MAINTAINED!
TALKING DRUMS
THE ULTIMATE OPPORTUNITY DOCUMENTARY RADIO TRAINING FOR YOUNG BROADCASTERS
DEFAMATION AND YOU
NEW TONY MANICAROS
AWARD FOR ETHNIC BROADCASTERS
FUNDING MAINTAINED!
The National Ethnic & Multicultural Broadcasters' Council welcomes the
Federal Government's recognition and continued funding of community broadcasting
and ethnic community broadcasting in particular. Importantly the government
re-committed itself in the budget to the Better Broadcasting funding which is
$1.5 million a year over 3 years.
The Better Broadcasting funds are allocated $1m to ethnic community broadcasting
and $0.5m to infrastructure projects - CAN and the Community Broadcasting Database
each year. This funding is on top of the core funding to ethnic community broadcasting
of approximately $1.4m per year. The retention of funding for ethnic community
broadcasters at current levels will be welcomed by the thousands of ethnic broadcasters
and their communities throughout Australia.
"The government has seen that ethnic community broadcasting has delivered;
in terms of growth in the sector particularly in regional/rural areas, the training
projects success, the adoption by the sector of the new technologies (including
the news digest and internet training associated with the CAN project) and a
genuine commitment to expanding the relevance of ethnic broadcasting by encouraging
the participation of young people and women," said NEMBC President George
Zangalis.
The NEMBC has ensured that the Government, political parties and Department
of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts remain well informed
of our sector's successes.
The budget confirmed that $80,000 per year had been allocated to the CBF for
distribution to community broadcasting stations adversely affected by the privatisation
of the National Transmission Authority (NTA) and its policy of charging commercial
rents.
The budget confirmed funding of $1.5m over 3 years to community broadcasting
for the Australian Contemporary Music Initiative/Channel. We hope that the music
initiative provides ethnic broadcasters with Australian music CDs in as many
broadcasting languages as possible, encourages/funds the recording of live music
and festivals by ethnic community broadcasters, provides the sector with some
CD recording capability and leads to an even closer relationship between ethnic
community broadcasters and ethnic musicians.
The Department has completed a discussion paper on the initiative. Responses
to the discussion paper are due by Friday 18th June. If you'd like a copy of
the NEMBC's submission please give us a ring.
The NEMBC will be having ongoing discussions with the government about the
future needs of ethnic broadcasting. Specifically in the areas of increased
funding for ethnic community broadcasting that reflects the growth in that broadcasting,
funding for the community broadcasting sector's transition to digital broadcasting
and zero rating (in relation to the GST) for non profit community broadcasting
stations.
Bruce Francis, Executive Policy Officer
Back to top
TALKING DRUMS
The Federal Government has recently announced an Australian Contemporary Music
Initiative that we hope will provide: Australian music CDs in many languages;
recording and CD production capability for ethnic broadcasters; a strengthened
relationship between ethnic broadcasters and musicians and a new dimension to
the role of ethnic community broadcasters in cultural maintenance and development.
To stimulate debate on these issues we have invited Nicola Joseph (2RSR) to
explore the relationship between ethnic broadcasters, the creation of cultural
life and music.
Having just finished three years work at NSW's multicultural arts festival
Carnivale, I have really been thinking a lot lately about how ethnic communities
create their cultural life. It has also given me the opportunity to view this
cultural landscape which is constructed by artists, cultural workers, arts funding
bodies and ethnic communities themselves.
Our cultural landscape is a big picture of all the places where cultural activity
occurs. If we are talking about the cultural landscape of ethnic communities
then we are looking at all the locations where cultural activity is happening.
This could include language and dance classes, clubs, theatres and in our case
community radio stations and to be more specific - community language programs.
As individual programs it is not difficult to understand and acknowledge our
role in our own communities. However, when we widen the picture to include the
whole cultural landscape we are talking about as ethnic broadcasters, we are
positioned on the margins of the broadcasting sector. Within the arts industry,
and in particular the multicultural arts industry (if you can call it that),
we are also marginalised in so far as we are not seen as people participating
in the cultural production and the processes of our communities' cultural development.
We are seen as people who publicise and promote culture rather than create it
or participate in it ourselves.
This apparent separation between us as ethnic broadcasters and the so-called
multicultural arts industry largely comes about because of the way in which
funding is handed out to the various workers in our communities. Yet the work
we do and the reasons we do it are so similar, I am surprised that community
language broadcasters are not seen as cultural workers in our communities.
There is a term in the arts sector which is widely used known as "community
cultural development". There is not the space in this article to explain
the history of arts funding and its relation to artists from ethnic communities.
So to come to the point quickly, I can tell you that the majority of arts projects
that involve ethnic communities receive funding through community cultural development
programs. Community cultural development is about empowering communities. It
is an approach which gives members of our communities the skills and the space
to express themselves culturally within their community and to a wider audience.
While some people do this using theatre, music or literature as the art form,
ethnic broadcasters use radio.
So if we place ourselves alongside the artists in our communities, how then
might we work with them in the context of our programs and our skills? Let's
take musicians in our community as an example. In the first instance we should
ensure that the music content of our programs includes a substantial percentage
of local music i.e. music done by members of our communities in Australia. The
development of technology has meant that it is now possible for the independent
production of a CD, which is, through necessity ,distributed independently.
There are many reasons why we should be playing music produced by our local
artists. Apart from promotion of local product, these musicians often sing about
experiences that relate directly to our experience as migrants in Australia.
They tell our stories about here and now. Secondly they act as role models to
our young people of artists who embrace their culture and bring it into an Australian
context. Thirdly they are people who are trying to achieve the same goals as
us, to carve out a space where our cultures can exist and develop in this country.
To take our role beyond just playing local made CDs let's consider a few options.
Regular timeslots where artists are profiled and interviewed about their work
are important. This does not have to happen just because there is an event in
our community where these artists are playing. It should be seen as important
cultural work and as important as an interview about health or immigration issues.
We can incorporate live performances into our programs where artists play and
talk about the instruments they use. At some stations it is even possible to
make recordings of music for groups who have not had this opportunity.
One of the things which I have loved to do at Radio Skid Row, whenever possible,
is to organise a workshop between local musicians and a well-known international
musician. We have achieved this especially with our young people who are into
rap music. Giving them the opportunity to meet a musician they admire and then
to create the space on air for everyone to perform and talk about their art
is an exhilarating experience.
While it has worked with rap music it can also work with traditional musicians
who visit on concert tours from the home country. Some of these workshops have
been covered by television programs and magazines and have worked as wonderful
promotional events for everyone involved. As broadcasters we are in a position
to open up this space.
Another one of our roles can be to negotiate airplay for the musicians on other
programs at the station. This should go beyond the world music programs and
it will take some convincing on our part for the station's management to redefine
their idea of Australian independent music. At present this term is generally
taken to mean white/anglo Australian music. Finally it is important to ensure
that these artists get to perform at some of the station's live events. At Radio
Skid Row we regularly feature the groups who are played on community language
programs as artists at our radiothon or special events.
Perhaps I will leave you with one last suggestion. If you have or want theme
music for your program why not ask a local musician to compose some music for
your program? For the really adventurous you could ask some of the brilliant
musicians in our communities who use instruments from all over the world but
still retain the fundamentals of our individual traditions. The end result is
something truly Australian.
Nicola Joseph, Radio Skid Row, Sydney
Back to top
THE ULTIMATE OPPORTUNITY DOCUMENTARY RADIO TRAINING FOR YOUNG BROADCASTERS
What opportunities are available for young ethnic radio presenters in community
broadcasting? This is a question many youths have asked over and over again.
The ultimate opportunity came to us when Michelle Vlatkovic , Coordinator of
the Australian Ethnic Radio Training Project, contacted each community radio
station in Victoria to invite anyone interested in attending a documentary making
workshop at 3ZZZ in Melbourne.
Nine enthusiastic youths from both Geelong station 3YYR and Melbourne station
3ZZZ jumped at the chance to be involved and learn new skills. We met on Saturday
6 March to spend the weekend absorbing the positive and friendly atmosphere.
We all worked together and shared tasks.
Each group had a chance to get to know each other and choose a topic to work
on. The focus of the Ethnic Youth Radio Training Weekend was to develop interview,
scripting and program development skills.
By Saturday afternoon, with the assistance of trainers Michelle Vlatkovic,
Juliette Fox and elderly members of the community (the subjects of our documentary),
we had decided to tackle the issues of Migration, Youth, Perception of Old Age
and Homesickness.
The highlight of the weekend was our trip to Bourke St Mall, practicing our
skills in vox pops with portable recorders.
For half the group, this was their first attempt in approaching the public
directly for an interview - what a buzz!!! You could say this was our steppingstone
to journalism.
By Sunday we had developed basic skills in documentary planning, interviewing
techniques, logging/editing of material and hands-on technical operation of
studio equipment.
A significant factor of the training was the variety of skills we were able
to contribute as a group. All of us had some experience in technical, media
and communication skills to contribute.
We all agreed the training weekend was a really worthwhile and productive program
for all those involved.
Guilvert Milojkovic from the group said "I was impressed by the considerable
amount of control given to the participants in producing their documentaries,
so in effect each group was totally responsible for their final product. More
importantly perhaps, the training program really provided an excellent opportunity
for young people from ethnic minorities to be involved with and become interested
in community radio & the broadcast media. It provides the means for young
people to have a say and deal with relevant contemporary social issues. Speaking
for myself, I certainly do have more interest and profound appreciation of ethnic
community radio after completing the training program."
Those attended included Veronika Teklic, Ahmed Gabr, Guilvert Milojkovic, Nadja
Mack, Karin Constenoble, Grace Fresnillo, Ratna Riadinda Emma Bottomley and
Liv Ocon.
Emma Bottomley, Geelong Radio and Victorian Co-convemor, NEMBC Youth
Committee
Back to top
DEFAMATION AND YOU
Broadcasting is a privilege that carries significant legal responsibilities,
some of which fall within the law of defamation. Defamation can occur when you
broadcast something that clearly identifies a person or group of people and
what you broadcast lowers that person's reputation in the eyes of reasonable
members of the community.
If someone thinks you have defamed them, they may take you and your station
to court. If the court agrees, you may be required to do a number of things
from providing an apology or correction to paying for damage they have suffered.
Sometimes damages can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Court costs can also
run into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. (if you lose you will probably
have to pay the defamed persons court costs as well as your own.)
You may have defamed someone if defamatory information is broadcast and the
person or persons defamed is identifiable: anything said on radio will almost
certainly be considered to be broadcast whether said by the presenter, guest
or interviewee. Naming someone or providing enough detail to identify a person,
even if a name is not used, will clearly identify them.
Defamation can be against an individual, an identifiable group or a company.
The ordinary meaning of words are used to decide what was meant. Therefore,
what you thought something meant won't necessarily stop someone else thinking
what you said is defamatory.
Defamation lowers that person's reputation in the eyes of reasonable members
of the community. Whether a person's reputation is lowered is not measured by
what you believe, but by what reasonable community members are assumed to believe.
This is sometimes done by allowing a jury of citizens to decide whether defamation
has occurred.
Legal Defences to Defamation
You may not have committed defamation if you have a legal excuse (which is
known as a defence in law) for doing so. The three main defences to defamation
are: Truth, Protected Reports, Opinion or Comment Based on True Facts.
Truth
In Victoria, if what you say can be proven to be true, you can say it. However,
you have the responsibility for proving the truth, not the person claiming to
have been defamed. You must be able to prove it in a court of law, beyond reasonable
doubt. not just know or suspect it to be true. If material is broadcast in NSW,
Queensland, Tasmania or the ACT what you say must also be a subject of public
interest or public benefit.
Protected Reports
Subject to some important legal rules about contempt of court, if what you say
is based on a faithful and accurate report of statements made in a court, parliament
or a royal commission, you can say it.
Opinion or Comment Based on True Facts
If what you say about a matter of public interest is clearly an opinion based
on true facts, you can say it. You can make comment based on fact if:
- the comment concerns a matter of public interest, which includes government
administration and matters subject to public criticism such as plays, concerts,
books and films.
- the comment is an expression of opinion, not a statement of fact. Statements
of fact must be proved or be a protected report.
- the opinion is honestly held by you, and not motivated by spite or an improper
purpose. There is also extra freedom to engage in political debate as a way
of encouraging democracy, though if you have a reckless disregard for the
truth, you may still be guilty of defamation.
David Risstrom, Media Law Trainer
Back to top
NEW TONY MANICAROS
AWARD FOR ETHNIC BROADCASTERS
The NEMBC has established the Tony Manicaros Award to both commemorate and
celebrate Tony's contribution to ethnic community broadcasting. The award, worth
$1500, is for innovative and significant projects that are of benefit to ethnic
community broadcasting and will be open to all stations and broadcasters to
apply
The award will be made annually and announced at the NEMBC conference. Applications
for this years award close on Friday 27th August. We wish to encourage a range
of innovative and interesting projects to apply for the award. The award can
be won by a station, broadcasting group or individual. The eligibility criteria
cover the areas of programming, information provision, training and technical
developments. Projects that meet the following criteria will be eligible for
the award.
Award Criteria
- Projects to produce special programming of significance to a national audience,
specific target group or to mark significant historic or present day events
- Projects to assist with oral history, documenting or archiving of material
of significance for ethnic community broadcasting
- Projects to produce cultural information or programming of benefit to ethnic
community broadcasting
- Projects to produce programming across a number of stations as part of a
festival, to mark/celebrate a significant event, etc.
- Projects to produce and distribute information of benefit to ethnic programmers
or stations with ethnic programming
- Projects to develop equipment of benefit to the sector
- Projects to provide training for broadcasters and particularly broadcasters
under represented in ethnic community broadcasting
- Projects to undertake study in the media that would assist a programme or
station in its programming, technical, administrative or management development
The following conditions apply:
A decision about the award will take into account the significance and benefit
of the project for the whole ethnic community broadcasting sector. The award
will be made on a one off basis. (A successful applicant will not be able to
apply for the award in the next year.) The award will give preference to applications
that would have difficulty receiving any or sufficient funding to undertake
their project from other sources. If an individual applied for the award to
fund study then the applicant must demonstrate that they are of low income.
The decision of the trustees will be final.
Establishing the Award
The NEMBC has established a special Trust to manage the award. The trust has
sought and received significant contributions from stations, ethnic umbrella
groups and sector bodies. We have also applied for a one off ethnic development
grant for the trust. The award will be made from the interest earned on the
capital held by the trust. The NEMBC Executive will appoint the trustees whose
main responsibility will be to sort through the applications and decide who
should receive the award. Application forms are available from the NEMBC on
9486 9549.
|
