Public radio

The phrase ‘public service broadcasting’ has been traditionally reserved for large network broadcasters funded partially or completely by direct government appropriation. The most recognised is theBBC which is often held up as the benchmark ' model' of public broadcasting with its Reithian traditions of educating, informing and entertaining. Other examples include the ABC in Australia and the CBC in Canada. In the US the public broadcaster comes from a different tradition. There it is principally supported by subscription, grants and donations with some limited state support. National Public Radio is the leading example of this model.

Radio New Zealand(RNZ) is our public radio broadcaster. It provides a commercial-free service to al New Zealanders with government funding through New Zealand On Air. RNZ has three principal services: National Radio, a news and information focused programme with a strong commitment to New Zealand culture, The Concert FM, focusing on serious music and Radio New Zealand International, a shortwave service broadcasting to the Pacific Islands.   Within public broadcasting can be found many of the forms of broadcasting that have direct audience appeal to ethnic and other minority interests. Radio New Zealand provides some programmes aimed at Maori and Pacific Island communities. Most public broadcasters, as part of their mandate, provide some minority language and/or cultural programming. In part this meets the philosophical outcomes, in Murdock’s terms, of ‘a space where social, cultural and political difference can be negotiated and movements towards such notions as ‘the common good’ arrived at’. Most public broadcasters have a wide and eclectic audience usually made up of the opinion leaders and decision makers within the community who are open to hearing about difference and diversity. But public broadcasters are professionals operating within a national framework and usually mandated by charter or legislation to function in the national interest (but see regional below).

Community broadcasting

This is a confusing term, a ‘catch-all’ phase to explain the activities of literally thousands of broadcasting stations around the world.  They range from small volunteer-based stations, often part time, organised and managed by enthusiasts who simply want to ‘spin their own records’ through to sophisticated networks like Radio Pacifica in the United States, a network of eight large and powerful stations operating in the major cities and employing many professionals who provide a ‘full service’ programme that includes news, information, music, local artists and performers. Most nations have some form of community broadcasting and most jurisdictions provide either through legislation or regulation for the licensing of such stations. Many of these stations carry, sometimes, substantial amounts of minority ethnic cultural and language programmes. Defining features of community broadcasting usually include one or more of the following:

• Programmes of a nature and style that do not ‘fit’ with commercial broadcasting formats. These can range from alternative news and information services to the broadcast of specialist music not provided by any other broadcast outlet
• Direct or indirect participation by community groups in the governance, management and operation of the station
• Volunteer operators or a mix of volunteer and paid staff
• Programmes by, for, and about, communities of interest – ethnic, cultural, political, social, religious, hobby, arts, crafts
• Heavy emphasis on local or regional community interests
• Non-commercial (i.e. no paid commercials) or semi-commercial (some revenue comes from advertisers)
• Not-for-profit entities, often heavily reliant on grants, donations, subscriptions, public funding and sponsorship for financial survival

Regional broadcasting

Many public broadcasters are mandated to provide regional services in recognition of cultural and sometimes language differences within countries. The BBC Welsh and Scottish services are examples, as are the regional services of the ABC in Australia. The CBC in Canada offers regional programming that provides for French language broadcasting in Quebec and aboriginal languages in Northern Canada. Radio New Zealand began as a collection of stand alone regional stations. With networking in the 1970’s providing for the centralising of most programmes in Wellington regular regional breakouts were provided. These were gradually constrained by funding restrictions and completely abolished by 1990. Around the world many community broadcasters are regional in nature. They capture the essence of regional difference and provide communities with an outlet for local voices, often ethnic and frequently minority in national terms.

Local broadcasting

This also uses geography as its defining character. Local radio focuses on even smaller pockets of population – cities and even suburbs. This form of broadcasting used to be dominant in commercial broadcasting until the 1980s. Every town and city had at least one local commercial radio station. In New Zealand communities the size of Gore in Southland and Masterton in the Wairarapa sustained a local commercial radio station. These have been lost to the efficiencies of networking. (The signals haven’t been lost, nor the local advertising but the programme originates from a network headquarters usually located in a major city.) Again community broadcasting features strongly at the local level. Small stations provide small communities with local information and news, an outlet for local advertising and opportunities for local artists to perform. Whereas local commercial broadcasting tended to be mainstream, and formulaic local community broadcasters encourage groups within the community to broadcast. Many of these are ethnic minorities.

Community access broadcasting

Access is a form of community broadcasting practiced here in New Zealand. The emphasis is on providing resources and training for community groups and individuals to make their own programmes from broadcast. They are encouraged to conceive, create, produce and present their programmes with little if any direct help other than access to the technical resources. Many of the programmes generated in access come from ethnic minority groups. In New Zealand minority and ethnic programmes tend to dominate the schedule. There are examples of this genre of station all around the world although it is rare for a station to be completely access. Usually periods or access broadcasting are sandwiched between other community broadcasting activities. The Auckland community access station Planet FM 104.6 is a rare example of total access programming.

Campus or student radio

Radio stations have featured in university campus life for many years. Some of the earliest radio broadcasting occurred on campuses in the United States. New Zealand’s first public broadcast signal came from Otago University. Often the station is supported by the local student association and programming is aimed at the immediate interests of students and reporting and participating in student campus activities. Many student stations respond to the cultural diversity on their campuses by providing substantial opportunities for ethnic programmes. Some campus stations specialise in minority ethnic programming. This is particularly the case in the US where student based radio targets Latino and Asian audiences.