Alternative news services on non-commercial youth radio in Australia Rosanna Ryan

Why? My identity as a recent journalism graduate and worker in the sector Massive contradiction between practices taught at university and practices used at 4ZZZ Apparent contradiction between what we try to achieve (policy) and what we do achieve (programming) Widespread reflection after 30 years of having community radio and ABC youth radio

My identity as a recent journalism graduate and worker in the sector

Massive contradiction between practices taught at university and practices used at 4ZZZ

Apparent contradiction between what we try to achieve (policy) and what we do achieve (programming)

Widespread reflection after 30 years of having community radio and ABC youth radio

Research questions How do journalists in the non-commercial youth radio sector produce news for their target audiences? How are these practices justified in terms of station policy and objectives?

How do journalists in the non-commercial youth radio sector produce news for their target audiences?

How are these practices justified in terms of station policy and objectives?

The field of enquiry Youth subcultures as deviant? as way of resisting subordination? as just part of a fragmented identity? claim of misrepresentation in the mainstream media Non-commercial youth radio 30 year history of community and ABC youth radio in Australia quarantined (to some extent) from commercial pressures and serving a “different” kind of audience Alternative news public journalism citizens’ media radical media are these ideals always carried through?

Youth subcultures

as deviant? as way of resisting subordination? as just part of a fragmented identity?

claim of misrepresentation in the mainstream media

Non-commercial youth radio

30 year history of community and ABC youth radio in Australia

quarantined (to some extent) from commercial pressures and serving a “different” kind of audience

Alternative news

public journalism

citizens’ media

radical media

are these ideals always carried through?

Research sites Stations that identify themselves as serving either a “youth” or “alternative” community, in 3 major population centres of Australia Brisbane: 4ZZZ Melbourne: 3CR, SYN, RRR Sydney: 2SER, FBi National: Triple J Also Jim Beatson, Program Services Manager at the CBAA

Stations that identify themselves as serving either a “youth” or “alternative” community, in 3 major population centres of Australia

Brisbane: 4ZZZ

Melbourne: 3CR, SYN, RRR

Sydney: 2SER, FBi

National: Triple J

Also Jim Beatson, Program Services Manager at the CBAA

Methodologies Case studies Ethnography Interviewing Participant observation (and reflective practice) Documentary evidence News analysis Sources, issues and style

Case studies

Ethnography

Interviewing

Participant observation (and reflective practice)

Documentary evidence

News analysis

Sources, issues and style

Results 4ZZZ FM (Brisbane) Paul Shields, Giordana Caputo, Victor Sobral

4ZZZ FM (Brisbane)

Paul Shields, Giordana Caputo, Victor Sobral

Results 2SER FM (Sydney) Mark Robinson, Erica Vowles

2SER FM (Sydney)

Mark Robinson, Erica Vowles

Results RRR (Melbourne) Mick James

RRR (Melbourne)

Mick James

Analysis Great diversity in the sector, though a whole-of-sector identity still exists History and institutional characteristics play a huge role in determining policy Lots of autonomy given to journalists and news departments Therefore an excellent environment to experiment Needs further research on audiences (both academic and market research) to guide experimentation with practices

Great diversity in the sector, though a whole-of-sector identity still exists

History and institutional characteristics play a huge role in determining policy

Lots of autonomy given to journalists and news departments

Therefore an excellent environment to experiment

Needs further research on audiences (both academic and market research) to guide experimentation with practices

What I’ve learnt There is an important place for this kind of journalism in the Australian mediascape Exposure to various different models beyond mainstream journalism, that will also useful outside of the youth/alternative radio sector Greatly improved my practice this year Research project gave me opportunity to make contacts on a national level with like-minded people

There is an important place for this kind of journalism in the Australian mediascape

Exposure to various different models beyond mainstream journalism, that will also useful outside of the youth/alternative radio sector

Greatly improved my practice this year

Research project gave me opportunity to make contacts on a national level with like-minded people

Questions?