Otago Access Radio
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| Broadcast area | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Various |
| First air date | 1981-2010 |
| Format | Community radio |
| Owner | 12 community trusts |
| Webcast |
accessradio.org Streams: Various |
| Website |
acab.org.nz Websites: Various |
The Association of Community Access Broadcasters (ACAB), also known as the Access Radio Network, is a group of twelve New Zealand community radio stations. The stations were established between 1981 and 2010 and have received government funding since 1989 to broadcast community programming and provide facilities, training and on-air time for individuals and community groups to produce programming.
In addition to government funding conditions, the stations also have an individual and collective mandate to broadcast programmes for people of a wide range of particular religions, cultures, languages, ages and sexualities. Stations operate independently and locally, with each station expected to make decisions on programming and scheduling by internal consensus. In total, they produce content in at least 40 different languages.
The member stations currently serve Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Kapiti, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Some community stations have powerful frequencies, while others are low-power stations with a small local reach.
The stations of the Access Radio Network were established between 1981 and 2010:
The association was set up in the early 1990s following a meeting between community station managers and New Zealand on Air officials in Wellington. It was the first opportunity many station managers had to meet each other and share the challenges each station had faced, including operating on limited resources, relying on volunteer support, serving diverse communities or operating from remote locations.
In 1989, the Broadcasting Act set up the Broadcasting Commission - known publicly as New Zealand On Air - to fund New Zealand content for both mainstream and minority audiences. Funding of access radio has always been a part of that function, and the ongoing funding of the Association member stations remains a core component of the Commission's Community Broadcasting Strategy. A government funding pool of approximately $2 million is now allocated annually for the eleven stations to produce programming for women, youth, children, ethnic and other minorities and people with disabilities in accordance with section 36(c) of the Broadcasting Act.
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