When the unexpected happens, our Quick Response Grants can help community broadcasters stay on air.
Earlier this year, two stations in Western Australia experienced the sudden loss of their transmitters. Both received a CBF Quick Response Grant.
Great Southern FM
Great Southern FM is located in Albany, a small coastal town in the far south of Western Australia. The station broadcasts a diverse range of music, art, religious and interview programs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When Southern FMs 12-year old radio link transmitter failed early this year, they turned to their even older 20-year old emergency backup transmitter to keep them on air. But they were justifiably concerned this transmitter might also fail before they could apply for funding in our second 2022/23 grant round. After consulting an expert communications service provider about their options, they were told them the faulty transmitter link could not repaired due to the availability of parts and the age of the equipment. The station was unable to buy a new transmitter as their budget could only cover operational costs and expensive mast repair costs which would ensure they could provide a stable and quality service to their community,
The CBF approved a Quick Response Grant of $7,960 to cover the replacement of their transmitter.
Twin Cities FM – Northern Suburbs Radio
Twin Cities FM broadcasts to an audience of around 600,000 people living in the coastal communities of Wanneroo, Joondalup and Stirling just north of Perth, Western Australia. The station offers a mix of news and current affairs, as well as music from WA artists and hyper-local information for residents.
In early May, their transmitter failed taking the station off air. The exact cause of the damage was unknown, although it was suspected that lightning or static charge build-up could have been the problem. The equipment had been running continuously since 2008, but was not covered by insurance.
The CBF approved a Quick Response Grant of $11,941 to cover the replacement of their transmitter and associated transport and technical costs.
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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