Today, Friday 13 February, is World Radio Day. It’s a moment to celebrate the power of radio to connect communities, amplify diverse voices, and tell stories that matter.
This year’s theme turns our attention to generative AI. It’s a topic many in community broadcasting are already thinking about. AI can save time and resources, but we also need to be very careful that using AI does not cost us our authenticity.
For this year’s World Radio Day we are focusing on the authentic, local voices that make community radio so special.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can create text, images, audio, and code in response to prompts by users. These tools are trained on large datasets of existing material and use patterns to predict what comes next.
In practical terms, that means they can draft a script, suggest interview questions, generate a station ID voice, summarise research, or sort through large music libraries.
For time-poor volunteer broadcasters, that potential is appealing.
The opportunities
Some people see AI as a practical assistant. It can help:
- draft content outlines
- generate alternative ways of explaining complex topics
- support accessibility, such as creating transcripts
- streamline repetitive administrative tasks
Used thoughtfully, it may support stations to work smarter, not harder.
The challenges
At the same time, there are important concerns.
These include:
- copyright questions around the material used to train them
- the environmental impact of the data centres that power AI systems
- the risk of spreading misinformation at scale
- the possibility of replacing authentic, human storytelling with generic content
- bias of AI LLMs that reflect English-speaking western cultural norms
Community radio is built on lived experience, local knowledge and genuine connection. That raises an important question: how do we use new tools without losing what makes us unique?
AI was a key topic at last year’s CBAA Conference, with sessions touching on it including:
- Practical AI for Community Radio – Tea Uglow
- AI and Media: Opportunities, Challenges and Audience Trust – Dr Michael Davis
- WA Tech Hub Showcase – Andrew Morris, Ben Menaglio and David Marshall
You can read more about the insights from these sessions here.
Learning from others
Several major media organisations have published principles on AI use, including:
Two consistent themes across these guidelines are transparency and trust.
If AI is used, audiences should know. And above all, the reliability of content must be protected.
We encourage community broadcasters to:
Technology is not new to community radio
Community radio has always embraced innovation, from being a pioneer in FM broadcasting to making use of digital streaming and podcasting.
While AI is an emerging field, there are many programs across the sector exploring science, computing, and technology that are worth a listen, including:
Celebrating authentic moments
As we reflect on AI’s potential role in radio, we also want to celebrate what makes community broadcasting unique and powerful.
- We are local
- We are community controlled and encourage community participation
- We reflect diverse communities and cultures and amplify their voices
- We support Australian music, arts and creative industries
This February we’re also celebrating authenticity on community radio with a photo competition. We want to see the faces behind the audio, and stories about the on-air moments that make community broadcasting unique.
We’ll share these images and stories with our members, and participating stations will go into the draw to win a prize.
Find out more here.
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Disclosure: To fit this year’s theme for World Radio Day, this article was made with the assistance of generative AI (ChatGPT 5.2) based on a detailed draft written by CBAA staff.
Generative AI supported the drafting process by allowing us to quickly trial different structures, titles and headings, and explore a more conversational tone.
We reviewed and edited the content to ensure it reflects our voice, original intent, and accurate information, including preserving links and references.
This year's World Radio Day art is an original creation by CBAA Marketing and Communications Officer Rachel Kibblewhite.