With heartfelt thanks, we farewell our Content Grants Advisory Committee members Gerry ‘Gman’ Lyons & Maddy Macfarlane.
Our Content Grants Advisory Committee provides independent advice on how Content grants are distributed and help to shape funding policy that supports community broadcasting. Gerry and Maddy have been an integral part of our Committee’s work, bringing extensive experience in community broadcasting, deep sector insight and a strong commitment to shaping inclusive, effective funding outcomes.
From helping establish the Committee’s Supporting Content Framework, to contributing to Roadmap 2033 and guiding responses to the recommendations of the Supporting Station Resilience Review – their contributions have been impactful and far-reaching. Their review of the Committee’s Evaluation Framework helped align it with Community Broadcasting Foundation’s outcomes-based reporting framework, and the priorities identified at Station Resilience Review workshops in 2022. Their support has also helped inform key improvements to the revised Specialist Radio Programming Guidelines and the grants application process – improving accessibility for all applicants.
While Gerry’s term on the Committee has finished, we’re delighted to welcome him to our Sector Investment Advisory Committee, and look forward to continue working with him there.
Thank you Gerry and Maddy for your outstanding service and the incredible contributions you’ve made to our sector.
Gerry Lyons
Gerry ‘Gman’ Lyons was first appointed to the Committee in 2016. With a career spanning over 30 years in community broadcasting, his experience and contributions have been an asset to our organisation. Gerry is a proud First Nations Man with Māori Indigenous heritage. He began his career at 8CCC Community Radio in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and later joined the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) Network, a leading Indigenous media organization, where he became Station Manager in 2010. Gerry was the General Manager at 3KND for over seven and a half years and in 2019, he was honored with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) Award for Leadership in Media. For his outstanding community service, he was awarded The Rotary Foundation’s Paul Harris Fellowship and was also named Centralian Citizen of the Year in 2016. With an extensive background in the First Nations Media sector – including regional, remote and metropolitan areas – Gerry has played a key role in ensuring First Nations representation is thoughtfully considered and has been a valued member of our organisation’s Community Broadcasting Foundation’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.
Maddy Macfarlane
Maddy Macfarlane was first appointed to the Committee in 2019. A champion for content made by and for communities – Maddy has almost 20 years experience in community broadcasting including as a broadcaster on PBS’s all-Australian music program Homebrew and on The Breakfast Spread. As a PHD researcher at the University of Melbourne, Maddy’s applied research explores the potential for an ethnomusicological perspective to support Australian community radio to work collaboratively with its communities. Her expert knowledge in specialist music, community collaboration and content creation have been a guiding force for the Committee and our organisation. Her passion for community radio has also led her to train new announcers in broadcasting and audio-story production as a Trainer and Mentor at Community Media Training Organisation (CMTO). Maddy has been a tutor and guest lecturer in the Music and Arts faculties at The University of Melbourne and volunteers with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s music group. Her passion and thoughtful leadership will be missed on the Committee.