[CMA R] Social objectives

[Richard]

Why is all this important?

Well, Christian radio stations are curious animals, because they can be very
touchy about who they allow to participate in the operation and management
of the station.  You might have to be a Christian of their particular
persuation to be allowed any kind of participation.  Restricting
participation is easily achievable if the station can in fact be allowed
100% Christian programming. One might have thought that if the regulator had
made some of the non mandatory social objectives mandatory, that would have
made it virtually impossible to have 100% Christian broadcasting.

I'm not actually sure what is implied in some of the 4 mandatory social
objectives, maybe things are better than I think. I mean, take for instance
(b), the facilitation of discussion and the expression of opinion, for all I
know the regulator might have a narrow or wide view of what this means. The
narrow view is discussion and expression of opinion of Christianity for a
Christian radio station. The wider view is that the Christian station must
include discusion and expression of opinion of topics outside of the realm
of Christianity to meet that social objective.

I wish there was something written already about these issues. But alas I
think not.

I think a reasonable Christian radio station will in fact *not* have 100% 
Christian broadcasting.  I *think* that is the case with my local community 
radio station which is yet to broadcast.

Rich.


> Let's say that you are a Christian radio station and that your primary
> intended audience is the Christian Community, but also the wider
> community.
>
> Now, there are 4 mandatory social objectives:
>
> CRO 2004
>
> (2) In relation to a community radio service, "social gain" means the
> achievement, in respect of individuals or groups of individuals in the
> community that the service is intended to serve, or in respect of other
> members of the public, of the following objectives -
>
> (a) the provision of sound broadcasting services to individuals who are
> otherwise underserved by such services,
>
> (b) the facilitation of discussion and the expression of opinion,
>
> (c) the provision (whether by means of programmes included in the service
> or
> otherwise) of education or training to individuals not employed by the
> person providing the service, and
>
> (d) the better understanding of the particular community and the
> strengthening of links within it,
>
>
> Okay, is that Christian radio station allowed to achieve those 4 mandatory
> social objectives by running a station that is 100% Christian programming?
> I'm not saying a Christian station would do that, but would a station be
> within the rules to have 100% Christian programming?