Community Media Matters: An audience study of the Australian community broadcasting sector

Abstract

This report presents the results of the first national qualitative research study into Australian community broadcasting audiences. It explores why a significant and increasing number of Australians listen to community radio and/or watch community television, what they value about it, and how it meets their needs. Community broadcasting in Australia began in the early 1970s with the establishment of the first metropolitan community radio stations. Community television is a comparatively recent development dating from the early 1990s. Today, Australian community radio is a mature industry catering to a wide variety of interests. This study deals with audiences for ?generalist? stations in metropolitan and regional Australia and explores responses from two major interest groups ? Indigenous and ethnic communities. Audiences for the nascent community television industry provide a further focus.