Prepared for Green Left Weekly by Sasha Shtargot
For 20 years community radio 3CR in Melbourne has been at the forefront of alternative, progressive media, covering the struggles of ordinary people for social justice. For the last 15 years 3CR programs have been reaching a national audience. Here are some of the highlights.
9point = The Stick Together Show — Provides up to date news on the industrial arena and workers' fight against economic rationalism.
On September 17 Stick Together looked at the situation in Telstra: posting a profit of over $2 billion, yet outlining plans to shed 27,000 jobs. Communication unions have called the decision obscene. Also covered was the issue of cutbacks to the CES, resulting in contracting out and many job losses; and Patty Mark from Animal Liberation spoke about their campaign to co-opt the Sydney 2000 Olympics logo as part of an effort to end battery hen production.
Tune into: 5UV Adelaide, 8CCC Alice Springs, 3HCR Omeo, 2XX Canberra, 2ARM Armidale.
9point = Women on the Line — This year celebrates its 10th anniversary, making it community radios' longest running national women's current affairs program.
On September 13 Women on the Line covered the National Union of Students' Women's Policy and Action Conference, and Carolyn Graydon, a refugee lawyer spoke to Patricia Karvelas on the reduction in Australia's refugee intake and its adverse effect on women refugees.
Tune into: 8KIN Alice Springs, 6RTR Nedlands, 5UV Adelaide, 5DDD Adelaide, 4CC Manunda, 4DDB Toowoomba, 3CR Melbourne, 3GCR Morwell, 3HCR Omeo, 3PVR Yarrambat, 3YYR Geelong, 2XX Canberra, 2BLU Katoomba 2BOB Taree, 2RES Paddington, 2SER Sydney, 2ARM Armidale.
9point = Accent of Women — Covers the issues of women from non-English speaking backgrounds. On September 24 the show focused on Australian-Greek female identity across two generations.
Tune into: 6NR Perth, 6EBA Subiaco, 3CR Melbourne 2XX Canberra, ARM Armidale.
9point = Global Voices — is a national development issues program looking critically at the global forces dominating our world. The program has featured a wide range of topics including nuclear power in the Pacific, globalisation and labour, Cambodia and land mines, ecofeminism and South Africa since apartheid.
Tune into: 4DDB Toowoomba, 6EBA Subiaco, 3CR Melbourne, 3HCR Omeo, 2XX Canberra, 2CCC Toukley.
9point = Earth Matters — Explores local and global environmental issues, including interviews with activists and people fighting for the ecology. Earth Matters recently spoke to activists from the Philippines and India about how the trade in toxic waste affects their countries. Also covered was Australia's trade in live sheep exports.
Tune into: 5UV Adelaide, 3CR Melbourne.