Tribunal Overrides Objections to Student Radio

Rip It Up, Issue 103, 1 February 1986, Page 2

Tribunal Overrides Objections to Student Radio

Longer hours for Auckland’s Campus Radio BFM will be the result of a surprise turnaround by the Broadcasting Tribunal last week. The Tribunal decision represents a remarkable reversal of fortunes for Campus, which late last year was under threat from a BCNZ-sponsored objection seeking to severely limit its hours of broadcast. The objection seemed to be behind an intial Tribunal decision to refuse BFM permission to extend its hours (a move made possible by its new, dependable FM equipment). But Campus asked again and, surprise, it has now been granted permission to broadcast 7am-lam on weekdays and 24 hours at weekends — all year round. And the new Tribunal decision is frank about the body’s opinion of the Broadcasting Corporation and the supposed beneficiary of the objection, IZM. It notes the Corporation trying to back down on its initial objection with a later letter, but: “The BCNZ had clearly opposed the application and

still requests a shortening of hotirs:

It also commented on the way IZM had “eschewed” its assigned role to “provide public service broadcasting free from commercial objectives ... It is therefore surprising that it should seek to limit the student station, unless it was because of the embarrassment caused by the student station fulfilling some needs which ought to have been met by public radio.” Also contained in a frankly encouraging document is an acknowledgement of a large number of letters from listeners “which, to say the least, indicated a loyal and committed following which disdained much of the mass audience mainstream programming epitomised by other stations including IZM." And as for the Corporation’s claim that the station was no longer specifically studentorientated: “If the station attracts wider audiences by providing alternative music (as distinct from setting out to adopt a format and style directly competitive with commercial warrant-holders) we can see no result adverse to the public interest.” Two commercial stations had written expressing support for Campus, it said: “No doubt the applicant would be even more encouraged if the commercial radio stations in Auckland were actually to assist and support or even help finance the student station as an indication of their committment to broadcasting outside their profit-centred activities.” Allin all, a decision that bodes well for student radio as a whole.

RB