Community radio station saved

from w
After a long time of anxiety for the Pulse local community radio station operated by Diversitat, the news is good. The station is saved from a takeover by the ABC who already have at least five places on the dial for listeners in our Geelong region. This station has a variety of programs including migrant language programs. My association with the Pulse has been occasional - once we had a Fijian program, another time I ran a Geelong Writers program, and recently I did an interview on an Interfaith program.
from Geelong Advertiser:
Radio station keeps its pulse
Jeff Whalley
August 27th, 2009

Geelong's main community radio station still has a pulse after a decision to prevent the ABC from taking its 94.7 frequency. The Australian Communications and Media Authority yesterday announced the community broadcaster The Pulse would keep the frequency while a possible local ABC station would look at alternative places on the dial.

ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said massive community opposition to the draft proposal to hand the frequency to the national broadcaster had influenced the decision. Mr Chapman yesterday said the potential Geelong ABC station would now look at the 711AM frequency and the 91.9FM frequency.


It is a huge victory for The Pulse and follows a three-year battle in which managers feared the station could be driven out of operations if shunted off the dial. "This means certainty for everyone involved in the station from volunteers, to staff, to sponsors. While we have been powering on and delivering as a great station, underneath that there has been a lot of stress," said Diversitat chief executive Michael Martinez, who oversees the popular community broadcaster. "Every week when I went out to social functions people would ask me what was going to happen to The Pulse. This is a great victory." Mr Martinez paid tribute to the community members who helped fight for the station. "It is a huge morale boost," he said.

He said The Pulse had spent more than $500,000 solidifying its presence on the 94.7FM frequency since taking over in July, 2004.

Corio MP Richard Marles said it was a great day for community radio in Geelong. "It is gratifying to see the representations made by Geelong has had this result," Mr Marles said.

Lara MP John Eren said it was a big win for immigrant groups. "It's been recognised as a good service for sections of the community most often marginalised," he said.

Geelong was promised a local ABC station by the former Howard Government at the 2004 election.
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Ha ha ABC! Go the Cats!