We are thrilled to welcome five community broadcasting sector leaders to our Sector Investment Advisory Committee (SIAC) this year: Cheryl Northey, Gail Southwell, Matthew Francis, Saad Khalid & Simon Miraudo.
Our new members bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and a deep passion for community media to the committee. As part of SIAC, they will help provide independent advice on how our grants are distributed, with a particular focus on sector-wide development initiatives and support for sector coordination.
Cheryl Northey has over 15 years experience in international digital media, content and entertainment companies including ViacomCBS’ Network 10, Deutsche Welle and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She has product management experience in entertainment, sports and news verticals across video, audio, web and OTT. She is currently the Product Lead for an Australian-based video streaming service, Stan, focusing on content discovery and personalisation for increased subscriber engagement and product-led growth. Cheryl has held former roles at the Community Broadcasting Australia Association (CBAA) and the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (AMRAP).
Gail Southwell has directed and financially managed commercial and not for profit arts organisations for over thirty years. Gail is currently General Manager of 3MBS Melbourne, a metropolitan-wide classical music and jazz community radio station. In this time Gail has successfully formed partnerships to upgrade the station’s broadcast, recording and performance studios and implemented initiatives to strengthen the station’s music-loving community. Prior to this position Gail co-directed a design and project management company and worked in independent theatre and publishing in leadership and financial roles.
Matthew Francis, otherwise known as Matty J, is a product of Broome’s multicultural history and proud of his First Nations roots (Nyul Nyul and Bardi). Matty has worked in radio for 23 years, starting at age 9 with the Kids’ Show. He’s been station manager, producer and popular lunch-time broadcaster with Radio Goolarri since 2018. In this time, he has interviewed many high-profile guests and worked on every major performing arts production. Matty is passionate about bringing local stories to the broader public.
Saad Khalid is a community broadcaster and award-winning youth advocate working to highlight the ethnocultural footprint in Australia. He is the Chair of the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council (NEMBC) Youth Committee where he has worked to engage young and diverse broadcasters. Saad continues this work at his home station – Canberra Multicultural Service (CMS) 91.1 FM, where he serves as a Board Director. Saad has previously produced audio documentaries and podcasts for the ABC, CBAA, and the City of Perth.
Simon Miraudo is a Western Australian writer, broadcaster and film critic. He is the General Manager of RTRFM, which is a community radio station that provides an alternative voice for WA through innovative music and talks programming, with a strong focus on the arts, culture, social justice, politics and the environment. Simon has presented a film review segment on RTRFM since 2010, and has covered films for the ABC and The Guardian, among other outlets. In 2023, he published his first book ‘Book of the Banned. Devilish Movies, Dastardly Censors and the Scenes That Made Australia Sweat’.