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ANC AUSTRALIA CALLS ON SBS TO REVERSE ITS DECISION TO CUT THE BROADCAST HOURS OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE RADIO PROGRAM
13:38, 18 March, 2013
YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS: Australia's multicultural and
multilingual broadcaster has decided to cut the broadcast hours of the
Armenian Language Radio program, and move the shortened version to a
non-prime time slot on digital radio. As reports Armenpress referring
to The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia)
official website, ANC Australia's organised online petitions calling
on SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) to reverse this decision, which
is insulting to the Armenian-Australian community and crippling to
a very important radio resource.
"The recent decision by the SBS to cut the broadcast hours of the
Armenian language program, and move the shortened version to a new
digital format. This will severely restrict the number of listeners,
many of whom are of a generation largely without digital radio access
or Internet podcast know-how.
The rationale behind your decision to cut the Armenian language program
from three hours to one hour per week was based on the most recent
Australian Census. The Census does not provide a true reflection of
the Armenian community in Australia as it does not provide "Armenian"
as an ethnicity choice, requiring individuals to manually input
this information.
This arbitrary decision will have a negative impact on loyal community
listeners, especially due to the new time slot allocated for the
Armenian language program. The new hours between 17:00 to 18:00 are
ill conceived and the move away from prime time is a detriment to the
listening audience. This decision, coupled with the lack of an Armenian
language television program in Australia, will further restrict the
ability for local and international news to be broadcast in Armenian.
SBS has failed to take into account the needs of the
Armenian-Australian community when making its decision in this regard.
We call on the SBS to immediately reverse its illogical decision and
restore the Armenian language program back to a longer program in a
prime-time slot," said in the petition.
Since 1976, the Armenian community has relied on this important radio
service as a crucial source for information.
13:38, 18 March, 2013
YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS: Australia's multicultural and
multilingual broadcaster has decided to cut the broadcast hours of the
Armenian Language Radio program, and move the shortened version to a
non-prime time slot on digital radio. As reports Armenpress referring
to The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia)
official website, ANC Australia's organised online petitions calling
on SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) to reverse this decision, which
is insulting to the Armenian-Australian community and crippling to
a very important radio resource.
"The recent decision by the SBS to cut the broadcast hours of the
Armenian language program, and move the shortened version to a new
digital format. This will severely restrict the number of listeners,
many of whom are of a generation largely without digital radio access
or Internet podcast know-how.
The rationale behind your decision to cut the Armenian language program
from three hours to one hour per week was based on the most recent
Australian Census. The Census does not provide a true reflection of
the Armenian community in Australia as it does not provide "Armenian"
as an ethnicity choice, requiring individuals to manually input
this information.
This arbitrary decision will have a negative impact on loyal community
listeners, especially due to the new time slot allocated for the
Armenian language program. The new hours between 17:00 to 18:00 are
ill conceived and the move away from prime time is a detriment to the
listening audience. This decision, coupled with the lack of an Armenian
language television program in Australia, will further restrict the
ability for local and international news to be broadcast in Armenian.
SBS has failed to take into account the needs of the
Armenian-Australian community when making its decision in this regard.
We call on the SBS to immediately reverse its illogical decision and
restore the Armenian language program back to a longer program in a
prime-time slot," said in the petition.
Since 1976, the Armenian community has relied on this important radio
service as a crucial source for information.