Commercial broadcasters meet with QLD emergency services

PRESS RELEASE:

Queensland commercial radio station managers and executives, led by Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer Joan Warner, met on the Gold Coast with senior Queensland emergency services personnel today to prepare for the upcoming fire and flood season.

The two parties discussed how commercial radio broadcasters can continue to effectively assist in the dissemination of information in critical emergency situations.

Commercial Radio Australia has 60 member stations in Queensland that capture around 80 per cent of the state’s radio market, offering a fast and effective way to alert communities of disaster situations as they unfold.

Ms Warner said: “Across Queensland, commercial radio stations play an integral role in local communities and, as always, stand ready to assist these communities in times of emergency. Having a battery powered radio tuned into the local radio station during an emergency is the most reliable source of information, even when the power goes out, the internet goes down or becomes too congested; radio is a vital part of any preparation and survival plan.”

Commercial radio stations in Queensland, together with the ABC, are official emergency broadcasters and are parties to a MOU with Queensland emergency services. The MOU is to ensure messages are accurate and timely both in terms of preparing the community for disasters, as well as providing invaluable emergency information and updates. Radio plays a vital role in coordinating volunteers and fundraising to help local communities get back on their feet.

The meeting came in advance of the National Radio Conference, to be held Friday, October 9 at Jupiters on the Gold Coast. The 27th Australian Commercial Radio Awards will be held on Saturday, October 10 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.