Maintaining cultural identity in local
communities:
a role for broadcasting.
JOURNET Conference 17 February 2004.
NOAHS Hotel,
Newcastle
Mike McCluskey*
*Local Radio Manager ABC Newcastle
and PhD Student,School of Design, Communications &IT, University of Newcastle.
Charter Obligations / Cultural Obligations
•
Major role for public broadcasters = reflect and support identity, diversity and
dynamics of local culture.
•
Increased viewing and listening choices, paradoxically  reduced media
presence in local communities and smaller local markets.
•
Inc pressure on public broadcasters to deliver news and other content for local
communities BUT with reduced and limited resources
•
Popular culture programming, carried on networked stations has much
stronger appeal to younger audience.
Some Public Broadcaster Strategies
•
France Bleu, Radio France invests big money in regional radio with a strong
focus on popular culture and music in each location.
•
BBC (UK) Asian Network is geographically local around Birmingham but
targets the Asian community within that region. This allows BBC to tap
into an audience that it otherwise would simply not attract, BUT
requires significant resources to achieve
•
ABC Local Radio targets 60 local communities around Australia to reflect
local community interests and aspirations while ABC’s Triple J network
targets youth nationally with Australian cultural content.
Cultural Identity
•
EBU strongly concerned over loss of language, aural history, sense of
community
•
•
•
•
Once, young people used word of mouth, games, family interaction and
community activities; stories passed down from generation to generation
Now, modern media change the way young people learn about their cultures.
They watch, listen, play, spend time and interact through the various media
forms
Electronic media have strong potential to shape and influence young people’s
cultural awareness and sense of social community.
NT Government view. People from non English speaking backgrounds and
indigenous groups should receive news and their local content in their
native languages.
Media Role in Reflecting Culture
B. Goldsmith et al (2001), with ABA, note that broadcasting has a significant role
in nation building and cultural identity as well as providing information
and shared experience. Report notes that a strict policy environment is
required to achieve this and that public broadcasters must perform
significant cultural role.
Very high proportion of younger people viewing (commercial) channel 10 do not
access local information based television programming.
Older listeners/viewers are exposed to local news and information much more
than younger listeners.
Television audience profile
‘37% of viewing by males aged 0-15 goes to Ten’
P e r c e n ta g e o f e a c h d e m o g ra p h ic g ro u p 's v ie w in g to e a c h c h a n n e l
A BC
S e ve n
M 0 -1 5
7
F 0 -1 5
7
M 1 6 -2 4
6
F 1 6 -2 4
6
24
F 2 5 -3 9
10
17
F 4 0 -5 4
M 5 5 -6 4
22
F 5 5 -6 4
23
F 65+
27
0%
10%
20 %
30%
40%
11
27
50%
60%
8
14
28
28
4
15
30
22
7
20
31
28
29
3
20
32
25
M 65+
5
30
33
29
3
28
31
24
15
4
36
33
27
2
35
27
23
3
36
30
29
S BS
37
27
25
10
Te n
30
28
M 2 5 -3 9
M 4 0 -5 4
N ine
70%
80%
5
10
11
6
90%
100%
Source OzTam Metropolitan TV Ratings 1.1.2003-16.06.2003
Who is Accessing Local Talk Radio?
People under age 40 do not listen to AM radio. Confirmed in Newcastle.
Very few people under age 40 access talk radio stations, which cater for local cultural
issues
Need local survey data to confirm but these trends apparently extend to most metro
and regional markets in Australia where alternative FM sources exist
Surveys around the world show people under 40 do not access AM radio.
Frequency of listening to AM stations (by age)
Age
Response
All
18-24
Population base
419,918
49,403
25-34
35-49
50-64
65+
71,808
121,107
92,945
84,655
13.3%
17.4%
38.0%
41.1%
Regularly
24.0%
Occasionally
22.3%
16.2%
22.7%
20.7%
22.9%
27.4%
Never
51.0%
83.8%
64.1%
60.4%
35.1%
24.9%
Don't know
2.6%
1.5%
4.0%
6.6%
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Talking to the Locals
Low level of interest in News and Current Affairs programming, countered by high
interest in popular culture programming, esp popular music - already provided
by commercial FM stations.
AM and talk format radio is largely listened to people aged 50+ while people under 50
listen to FM popular music and lighter content stations.
Talk Radio contains strong elements of cultural content, often incl considerable
amounts of music. Local talk stations are the most likely to reflect local social
and cultural values
Bryson (NT govt) argues that
strong diversity of content, incl quality networked radio, importantly offers
diversity in entertainment and information
local communities also need information about own issues in own language.
Level of interest in news / talk format radio (by age)
Age
Response
Population base
All
419,918
18-24
49,403
25-34
35-49
50-64
65+
71,808
121,107
92,945
84,655
15.1%
28.9%
23.2%
33.7%
Listen REGULARLY
22.8%
Listen OCCASIONALLY
20.9%
21.2%
12.6%
13.0%
29.7%
29.1%
Listen SOMETIMES
29.1%
37.4%
37.7%
23.7%
29.1%
24.8%
NEVER listen
26.3%
41.3%
34.6%
34.4%
18.0%
8.3%
Don't know
0.8%
Total
100%
4.2%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Music
Most of the people under age 40 listen to popular music FM radio stations
Most FM radio stations play popular Anglo-American music  predominant
cultural exposure for this age group
‘78% of NXFM’s listening is by people aged 39 or under’
P er ce n tag e of s tatio n 's a ud ie n ce in e ac h de m og ra p h ic g ro u p-N ew ca s tle
1 0 -1 7
NXFM
20
NEWFM
AB C F M
O-F M
4
5
10
21
21 5
0%
29
19
30
43
23
FM
AM
43
46
21
4 0%
29
23
20
22
20%
7
45
28
27
12
20
53
29
9
20
10
17
16
11
11
40
29
N E W S R 02 2
O-AM 0 3
20
52
14
10
65+
46
26
3 4
5 5 -6 4
41
27
2RN 0 3
AB C 12 3 3
4 0 -5 4
28
9
2 H D 01
2 5 -3 9
17
13
2J J J
K OF M
1 8 -2 4
42
6 0%
80 %
10 0 %
Source AC Nielsen Newcastle Radio Survey 1 2003
Directions set for electronic media
Public Broadcasting and Globalisation Report of the Commission on Radio and Television
Policy: Central and Eastern Europe (1979) outlines public broadcasting principles, incl:
Public broadcasting is essential to provide high-quality information,
entertainment, education, and public service programs that take cultural
identity into consideration. Public broadcasting is also essential for providing
citizens with the information they need to make informed choices and exercise
democratic rights, serving the needs of local cultures and minorities educating
citizens of all ages, and transmitting messages important for public health.
Public broadcasting can also provide a forum for a “national conversation”
regarding issues of fundamental concern.
• I.
• II.
Public broadcasting should be independent of state control and its
programming should be insulated from governmental interference.
Concluding Summary
•Public broadcasters must provide relevant and accessible programming that
represents the interests and aspirations of the local communities yet also has
appeal and relevance to all people within the local communities they serve.
•Given the likelihood that most young people are now using electronic media and
communication systems as a prime tool for developing their sense of cultural
awareness and identity the implications of this significant influence on people’s lives
needs thorough examination.