ABC and SBS radio
The bulk of Australia's population is able to access government-funded national broadcaster radio services provided by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) from transmitter sites around the country.
The ABC and SBS radio networks are also available from satellite, in instances where terrestrial signals are not available, for:
- self-help retransmission by a local council or community group, or
- direct-to-home reception.
These transmission arrangements make the ABC and SBS networks accessible for close to 100 per cent of the population.
ABC radio
As at 30 June 2011, the ABC had established:
- four national radio networks comprising Radio National, Classic FM, triplej and NewsRadio (although the first three do carry some state/territory and/or regional content)
- an Australia-wide reach of Local Radio through nine metropolitan radio stations in capital cities and Newcastle, and 51 regional radio stations throughout Australia
- 10 digital radio stations comprising simulcasts of the four national radio networks listed above and triplej Unearthed, ABC Dig Music, ABC Jazz, ABC Country, ABC Grandstand and ABC Extra (a special events radio station)
- Radio Australia, an international radio service broadcasting by shortwave and digital satellite to Asia and the Pacific
- three internet music-based services—DIG Music, ABC Jazz and ABC Country—are also available on free-to-air digital and subscription television
ABC radio services
Radio National presents in-depth information and analysis of international and national issues and specialist fields, as well as performance and music. Its diverse programming explores the capabilities of the radio medium in a wide range of forms—including features, documentaries, panel discussions, performance and music.
Classic FM is a national stereo FM network devoted to classical music, jazz, drama and acoustic art and is a major cultural force in Australia.
triplej is the ABC's national youth radio network, broadcast on stereo FM. Its programming highlights new, innovative and adventurous music, with a strong commitment to Australian music, as well as news, information and entertainment for young Australians.
NewsRadio is Australia's only continuous news and current affairs radio service. Its comprehensive and innovative programming is based on immediacy, accuracy, impartiality and reliability. It is broadcast on the Parliamentary and News Network when federal Parliament is not sitting. The ABC is currently extending NewsRadio to all regional transmission areas with a population of 10 000 people or more, subject to the availability of suitable spectrum.
Local Radio serves the needs of individual local communities through the production of local news and weather reports of particular importance during local emergencies together with an entertainment mix including sport, music and regional or rural issues.
On 1 July 2009, the ABC (along with SBS and commercial radio broadcasters) introduced digital radio in the five mainland capital cities of Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
Penetration rates: As of 30 June 2011, the ABC estimated that its 668 Government-funded national radio services had achieved the following penetration rates:
- 99.38% of the Australian population had terrestrial access to Local Radio
- 98.69% of the Australian population had terrestrial access to Radio National
- 95.95% of the Australian population had terrestrial access to Classic FM
- 95.46% of the Australian population had terrestrial access to triplej
- 91.89% of the Australian population had terrestrial access to NewsRadio.
Radio Australia
Radio Australia is an international radio service broadcast by shortwave, online, satellite and local rebroadcasts to the Asia-Pacific region in seven local languages—Indonesian, Tok Pisin (Pidgin), Mandarin, Vietnamese, Khmer (Cambodian), Burmese and French as well as English. Aside from news and current affairs, English lessons, sport and music from Australia, Radio Australia's programs cover the events and issues of the region with a particular emphasis on key areas of interest such as health, the environment, science and technology, agriculture and education.
SBS radio
SBS Radio is the world's most linguistically-diverse radio network, broadcasting a total of 626 hours each week in 68 languages. Programs are based on language, not nationality—that is, the same Arabic and Spanish programs are listened to by people from many different countries and cultures.
The amount of program time devoted to each language group is guided by the size of the community, its needs (for example, language proficiency, age, employment) and its geographic distribution within Australia. Programming content comprises homeland, international, local and community news as well as current affairs, arts, culture, sport and music.
SBS broadcasts two analog radio services each in Sydney, Melbourne, Wollongong and Canberra and one service to other capital cities and Newcastle.
SBS has established five digital radio stations comprising simulcasts of SBS's analog AM and FM services, SBS Chill, SBS PopAsia and SBS Radio 6 (which usually broadcasts the BBC World Service but is also used to broadcast special events—for example, six weeks of non-stop Eurovision hits to coincide with the EurovisionSong Contest).
Residents of all Australian state and territory capital cities as well as Newcastle and Wollongong have terrestrial-based access to SBS radio via 15 government-funded services. Two SBS Radio services are also available on the Foxtel digital satellite subscription service and through SBS digital television transmissions.
ABC and SBS self-help retransmission arrangements
In addition to the reach of the government-funded services outlined above, there is a tradition of smaller or more isolated Australian communities funding the provision of broadcasting services that would not otherwise be provided.
Self-help services significantly add to the reach of national broadcasting radio networks. As at 30 June 2011, there were 388 ABC radio services. There are also 77 Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme services which retransmit ABC radio services. In addition, there are 147 SBS Radio self-help services supplementing the reach of national broadcaster-provided services across Australia.
