Allocation of four community radio broadcasting licences for ... - ACMA

Extent to which the proposed services would meet the existing and perceived
future needs of the community within the Melbourne-wide licence area
Catholic Broadcasting Ltd
CBL claims to represent the Catholic community in Melbourne. It indicates that its
target audience is 30% of the Melbourne population identifying as Catholics.
In support of its claim that there is a need for a Catholic service, CBL has relied on
the 40,000 responses it received to the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne’s
questionnaire asking whether a Catholic radio service was needed in Melbourne. The
ABA has also received 879 letters of support for the station.
The Archbishop’s questionnaire revealed that the main benefits nominated by the
respondents for a Catholic service included hope for the young, daily Mass
Broadcasts, Christian comment on daily news and current affairs, dialogue, Christian
music, education in Church history, alternative formats and prayer segments. At the
licence allocation hearing, CBL indicated that the questionnaire also found that there
was a strong need for clear leadership in communication of what are distinctive
Catholic values.
CBL’s proposed programming format is 95% talk and 5% music with between 15
and 20% clearly identifiable Catholic programming. The balance of programming
time appears to be allocated to discussion of issues of interest to its audience. This
includes discussion of public affairs issues, the relationship between religion and
society and the practical implications that relationship. CBL gave evidence at the
hearing that it intends to provide a framework for open, honest debate, discussion of
controversial issues and to air different ideological views but with a clear editorial
comment on the Catholic position.
CBL indicated that its programming sub-committee has adopted the United States
Catholic Bishop’s Statement on Civility in the Media as a programming guideline. In
essence, the statement commands respect, consideration for the truth, clearance of
statements of facts and avoidance of deliberate or subtle misrepresentation.
The station intends to broadcast programs which are currently unavailable on radio
such as daily Mass, prayers, the Angelus and the Rosary, coupled with programs of
interest to the faithful such as talk back, Christian contemporary music, interviews,
gospel readings and historical segments. CBL proposes over 150 hours of
community initiated programming per week.
Hitz FM Broadcasters Inc
In its application and at the licence allocation hearing, Hitz FM indicated that it
claims to represent Melbourne’s youth between the ages of 12 and 30 years. It stated
that it aims to provide a service which reflects the diversity within this group in
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