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17 November 2004                                                                                             

MORE FUNDING PROVIDED FOR REGIONAL RADIO BLACK SPOTS

Funding of $331,680 will be provided to assist 12 communities in regional and remote Australia to access new and improved commercial radio services under the Australian Government's Commercial Radio Blackspots Program.

Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, said the latest funding round will provide new and improved services for a further 12 blackspot communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.

"Following this latest funding round, a total of 116 communities will have benefited from the $5 million, three year program," Senator Coonan said.

"Thanks to the Commercial Radio Blackspots Program these communities have been able to access new or improved AM or FM commercial radio services."

The funding will assist commercial radio broadcasters with costs related to equipment, installation, site establishment and licence fees.

More than $2.9 million for projects in 104 blackspot communities in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Victoria has been provided in the first three rounds of the program.

Projects to provide services to more communities are under consideration for funding over the remaining life of the program which runs until the end of 2004-05.

A list of the 12 communities to receive funding under the fourth round of the program is attached.

Commercial Radio Blackspots Program
Funding Approvals
October 2004