Our Sector

Welcome to Australia’s Community Broadcasting Sector

Community broadcasting is the largest independent media sector in Australia and a significant pillar of the national media landscape. It is recognised globally as a prime example of grassroots media, and thrives on diversity and local engagement.

The Community Broadcasting Sector

Each week, nearly 5 million Australians tune in to over 450 not-for-profit, community-owned radio stations across the country. These stations deliver programming tailored to the interests and needs of their local communities, reflecting Australia's open society, strong democracy, and vibrant culture.

Australia's first community radio station was licensed in 1972. Since then, the sector has seen rapid development, with over 75% growth in permanently licensed stations in the last decade. Community radio stations operate nationwide, with 76% in regional and remote areas and 24% in metropolitan areas.

Read More About Our History

A Voice for All Communities

Community radio plays a crucial role in serving groups often overlooked by mainstream media, including:

  • First Nations communities
  • Culturally and linguistically diverse communities
  • Educational services
  • Faith-based communities
  • People with a print disability
  • Music, arts, and cultural communities
  • Youth and seniors' communities
  • LGBTQIA+ communities

Listeners appreciate community radio for:

  • Diverse viewpoints that enrich Australia's social and cultural fabric.
  • Promoting local identities and fostering social inclusion.
  • Encouraging participation in free-to-air public broadcasting and content creation.
  • Contributing to media diversity.
  • Generating local content.
  • Offering unique services and programs.

Discover Who Listens to Community Radio

Our Guiding Principles

Community broadcasters adhere to six guiding principles to ensure we continue to serve and represent our communities effectively:

  1. Promote harmony and diversity, and contribute to an inclusive, cohesive and culturally diverse Australian community
  2. Pursue principles of democracy, access and equity, especially for people and issues not adequately represented in other media
  3. Enhance the diversity of programming choices available to the public and present programs that expand the variety of viewpoint broadcast in Australia
  4. Demonstrate independence in programming as well as in editorial and management decisions
  5. Support and develop local arts and music
  6. Increase community involvement in broadcasting

How the Sector Works

Community radio is legislated under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and guided by the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice. Stations are independent not-for-profit organisations that encourage community participation in all aspects of broadcasting. While stations raise their own funds, they also receive government support through the Community Broadcasting Foundation, an independent funding body for the sector.

Meet Our Partners

Roadmap 2033

Roadmap 2033

Roadmap 2033 is a comprehensive ten-year plan for the community broadcasting sector, launched by the CBAA and Community Broadcasting Foundation with consultation from the wider sector. This ambitious plan aims to place community broadcasting at the heart of every community in Australia through four key priorities for the sector: growing our capability, celebrating our identity and demonstrating our impact, amplifying diverse voices, and securing our capacity to meet community needs. 

These priorities will guide the sector's efforts over the next decade, ensuring that community broadcasting continues to thrive and serve its audiences effectively.

Download the Roadmap 2033

Crowd of people at the CBAA Conference 2023 Welcome Drinks

About CBAA

Find out more about us, the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, and how we represent the community broadcasting sector. 

Who We Are

Who Listens to Community Radio?

Community Radio Listener Survey infographic with data from July 2024

Get Involved

You can get involved in community broadcasting in several ways:

  • Find and listen to your local community station using our station map.
  • Donate, subscribe or become a member of a station! Visit your favourite stations’ websites to find out how. 
  • Volunteer or find paid work opportunities in the sector. Volunteers are the backbone of community broadcasters, and many stations are always looking for more. You can also visit your local station’s website for more information about their volunteering opportunities.