Support For 5tcb Needed
25.02.2008

I would like to express two opinions, firstly I would like Bordertown to keep its community radio station and secondly I think council should be making a realistic contribution towards its costs.
I do not expect that I am alone on the first point. In addition to its regular service, 5tcb provides a launching point for radio talent and an outlet for volunteer presenters.
This brings me to my second point and the one being worked over by competing media. 5tcb provides a number of services that would be unprofitable for a commercial station. It is apparent that a community radio station can never be thought of in the normal business sense. There are just too many restrictions on the type of content and the amount of income allowed from advertising. The source of the stations’ current predicament appears to be poor direction and woeful financial management over several years. In hindsight 5tcb should never have left the council building and embarked on such a large expansion of services. There is no outcry, nor should there be, when council budgets for $120,700 on town planning, $130,000 on tourism, $209,400 on public toilets, $255,900 on the library and $237,600 on swimming pools.  From a council budget of 9.8 million, a one-off expense of $320,000 in exchange for ownership of the building to help solve current issues, sounds like a sweet deal.
I expect the new board to be effective and turn around the fortunes of this community group. Unless this current opportunity is sabotaged, I am quite sure that Tatiara Community Broadcasters can continue to follow the vision of its founder Gordon Coad and provide a variety of programming for a community with wide ranging interests.

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