Radio Adelaide Gets Revival With Fresh 92.7

The country’s oldest community radio station, Radio Adelaide, will have a future as an independent, not-for-profit organisation after entering an agreement with dance music station Fresh 92.7.

Fresh will provide advice and facilities to Radio Adelaide, which has been owned and operated by Adelaide University since 1972, and manage a transition from July. This will subject to approval from ACMA.

Radio Adelaide will temporarily move into Fresh’s studios at Cinema Place in the CBD before both find new premises together in the future. The programming of the two stations will not be affected during the shift.

According to a statement from Fresh 92.7, “The agreement will lead to better resources and facilities for both stations, and a stronger community radio landscape for Adelaide.”

Fresh 92.7’s General Manager, Troy Sincock, pointed out he had not seen this kind of collaboration in Australian community radio station before.

“We are in a unique position to assist to build the capacity of community radio, to share facilities and training opportunities for the benefit of Adelaide,” he said. “Having built a strong product and a listenership of over 150,000 people each week, Fresh 92.7 has the right mix of knowledge and experience to provide advice and guidance to Radio Adelaide.”

The Fresh agreement sees Radio Adelaide continue its education mission in training aspirant radio presenters and producers.

“The media training provided to our Media students and the community will continue, and likely expand,” Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Warren Bebbington said.

The Vice Chancellor said the University had been negotiating with a number of organisations over the past two months. The University will provide funds during the transition but he hoped that Radio Adelaide would draw more sponsorships and subscriptions from the community.

Prof. Bebbington said that, under terms agreed with Fresh 92.7, Radio Adelaide will retain its educational mission. A new organisation will be registered to continue to represent educational community interest in Adelaide.

However, Radio Adelaide staffers “have many serious reservations about the deal made with Fresh 92.7 … not only because there has been no consultation with us. How have they convinced the University that they can meet the requirements of an educational license when their success is based on playing dance music to a niche audience and getting sponsorship by delivering that audience?”

They also wanted to know how Radio Adelaide’s diversity of programming and high standard of their current affairs shows would be protected, and that the Fresh deal would not be lead to a “slow death”.

The University had found that running the station was diverting its resources from its core brief. One of its options was to close the station but it wanted the station to continue with more community involvement and support.