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JOY Melbourne is disappointed to hear the licence allocation
process has been delayed by the Australian Broadcasting Authority. Due to a recent Federal Court judgement, the Australian Broadcasting Authority has decided to defer a public hearing about new community radio licences in Melbourne. The hearing will now be held later in the year. The ABA plans to allocate three new Melbourne-wide community radio licences (two FM licences and one AM licence on radiofrequency 1503 kHz) plus a 'sub-metropolitan' licence for the Melbourne City area. "The ABA had previously decided to conduct a public hearing into the allocation of the Melbourne-wide community licences in early May. On legal advice, the ABA has decided to defer the conduct of a public hearing until later this year," said ABA Chairman Professor David Flint. "It is regrettable that the ABA has had to defer the public hearing, as this will result in some delay in the allocation of the new Melbourne-wide and the Melbourne City community broadcasting licences," said Professor Flint. JOY Melbourne says that the delay will put further pressure on the organisation which is now broadcasting less as a result of all aspirants sharing only 2 frequencies following the sale of 91.5 FM to commercial group DMG. "JOY Melbourne will need continued financial support of the community to survive during this period while the decision is pending," says Carol Wilkinson, President of JOY Melbourne. JOY Melbourne will resume broadcasting on 90.7FM on Saturday 26 May 2001. |