The Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) has rallied some of Australia’s best and beloved musicians together to #KeepCommunityRadio, after the sector was hit hard by the Federal Government’s latest budget.

Amrap Manager Chris Johnson said the sight of so many musicians, including the likes of Courtney Barnett, The Smith Street Band, The Gooch Palms, Josh Pyke, Sally Seltmann, and more, banding together is inspiring and essential.

“Amrap works with so many incredible Australian musicians and music industry folks to connect them with community radio, so it’s great to see them throwing their support behind this campaign”, Johnson said.

“A picture speaks a thousand words so we’re encouraging musicians to put a face to the issue while telling the government to keep community radio.” So what is the #KeepCommunityRadio actually all about?

The campaign is calling upon the government to restore full funding to digital community radio. The Federal Budget previously maintained $1.4 million p.a. for digital community radio, keeping stations broadcasting digitally in five capital cities.

“The future of radio is digital but without this government support community radio may not have a future,” Johnson said. “Cutting back government support to digital community radio will reduce Australian music on the airwaves.”

“Politicians of all stripes need to get with the program and understand that they need community radio just as much as the 5 million Australians who listen every week.”

“With miniscule government support, over 20,000 community broadcasters volunteer their time to remedy cultural, economic, community and market failures that the other radio sectors don’t have the capacity to tackle.”

“Where else but community radio would you find such a diverse mix of stations voluntarily devoted to helping the visually impaired, the elderly, youth, ethnic voices and first Australians, all while giving new Australian music the airplay it deserves?”

There will be a national day of action tomorrow (Friday, 3rd June) to celebrate “vitality, diversity and independence” community radio brings to the airwaves and the Australian community and to remind the government of its importance.

“Anyone can see that the government is losing money by giving a multi-million dollar discount to commercial radio, then trying to save a tiny portion of that cash by cutting back funding to community radio,” Johnson told Tone Deaf.

“Australian musicians of all genres and stages of their career need to know that these government cut backs will also cut back Australian music on the airwaves. Now is the time to let the government know that reducing support to community radio is not on.”

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