Community broadcasters are a vital part of their local communities keeping people connected and informed about local issues. In times of crisis – such as during the bushfires,floods, drought and the global pandemic – they provide a particularly important, and at times essential, service for their communities.
Our Quick Response Grants have been a lifeline for two stations affected by recent the severe flooding in northern New South Wales.
Richmond Valley Radio
2RBR 88.9 FM has been broadcasting for 26 years in the Richmond Valley on the far north coast of New South Wales. In late February, the station’s studio in Woodburn was inundated by the flood. The studio was completely submerged in contaminated, muddy water for more than a week, destroying everything. This flood was 2.1 metres higher than the last record flood in 1954 which shocked to the entire community.
The station has no equipment or resources to replace an entire studio, except a willing group of volunteers who previously moved the studio to Woodburn.
CBF Quick Response Grant: $31,000 to replace the destroyed equipment
Memphis Mayhem Radio
101.3FM Memphis Mayhem Radio in Tweed Heads is the only broadcaster in the area providing critical information and support to their local community, particularly during the recent floods. The combination of the Memphis Mayhem Radio studio being flooded and a lack of reliable internet connection in the area meant the station had to move to mobile broadcasting to provide their community with up-to-date information. To do this, they needed funding for laptops, iPads and internet dongles.
CBF Quick Response Grant: $2,732 for mobile broadcasting to support the community
About our grants
We run two Content and Development & Operations grant rounds each year, usually in January and July.
Quick Response Grants are also available outside our grant rounds for community media organisations that are experiencing emergencies.
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