More stupidity from radio regulator, ACMA

Just when you thought the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Federal government's broadcasting regulator, couldn't shed any more stupidity in our region after their abysmal intervention of Cairns Community Radio 4CCR 89.1FM, they have.

The ACMA has decided to vary the licence area plans for Cairns, to make new community radio broadcasting services available in Mossman, north of Port Douglas. These new service will operate on 99.9 FM.

'This frequency is currently occupied by a temporary community broadcasting licensee and the
ACMA believes that Mossman will benefit by having access to long-term community radio broadcasting services," ACMA chairman Chris Chapman says.

However a local broadcasting expert told CairnsBlog that the proposed 99.9 FM service will wipe out the off-air 99.5 Mt Yarrabah input to the SEA-FM 88.5 translator at Mossman.

"This is more stupidity from the ACMA," a veteran of local radio broadcasting said. "The temporary community broadcasting licence on 100.1 Mhz is bad enough already."

The ACMA says the changes to the Cairns radio licence area plans that temporary community broadcasting licences confer no right nor indicate any preference by the ACMA for a group to be granted a long-term community radio broadcasting licence.

"The ACMA believes that these new radio licences, when ultimately offered for allocation, are likely to be taken up," Chris Chapman said. "The variations have been made based on public
submissions and other evidence gathered."