Our History (at Capital Community Radio) to Date .....
(updated 27 August 2010)

What is Community Radio in Australia? (click here)

OUR HISTORY CHRONOLOGICALLY:

1.  The concept of Capital Community Radio Inc. (CCR) was formed when a group of volunteer presenters gathered together to discuss the possibility of establishing a dedicated community radio service for “Senior Citizens” in the Perth metropolitan area.  These presenters, from their previous local radio experience, knew that there are a large number of mature age listeners who would welcome such a radio station, and that a dedicated community radio station could only succeed.

2.  They first met in April, 2000 and their stated aim the, which has continued through unchanged, is - "To establish a Community Radio Station dedicated to the needs of Seniors."  The group was aware that THERE WAS NO OTHER RADIO STATION IN PERTH DEDICATED SOLELY TO THE NEEDS OF SENIORS.

3.  There were nine people present at the first business meeting of the group and these formed the working foundation group and set about the task of setting up the business.  They adopted their name, prepared and had approved a Constitution and elected a Committee of Management.  They applied for and registered the name of CAPITAL COMMUNITY RADIO INC. (CCR) in August, 2000 with the Department of Consumer Affairs.  The name was selected so that the entire metropolitan area of Perth was covered.  The group was issued Australian Business Number (ABN) 84 705 840 024.

4.  The group was aware that some of the existing Perth radio stations used to play music from the 1940's, 50's and 60's but they had progressively been replacing their entertainment with a much younger flavoured music thus creating a void in the market for the older listener.  In addition As well as music, it is intended that CCR intends to provide information on health, investment, law, holiday and community information relevant to Seniors both from a metropolitan, State and Australia wide perspective.  Their research and knowledge of the Perth Radio market reinforced their observation "that there is currently no radio station in Perth's inner or outer metropolitan area which offers a dedicated service for Seniors / mature aged listeners."

5.  The group  applied for a Temporary Community Broadcast License (TCBL) in February, 2001.

6.  In mid 2001 the then Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), now the Austalian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), presented their final License Area Plan (LAP) for Perth and it was of particular interest to our group that the ACMA (formerly ABA) plan showed that there was an FM frequency 101.7 available in the Perth area for community usage and that they only had one applicant for the use of this frequency, namely: Capital Community Radio Inc.

7.  The ACMA (formerly ABA) granted a TCBL in October, 2001 but only for a period of 3 months from December 1, 2001 until February 28, 2002.  This met the ACMA's final LAP for Perth although most earlier Temporary Licenses were granted for 12 months.  It appears that in the meantime and outside of the Perth License Plan another group had lodged an application for a Community License.

8.  It came to light that Groove FM had lodged an application after the publication of the final LAP for Perth and from the 1st May, 2002 until February 28, 2003 CCR and Groove had to share the 101.7 FM frequency.

9.  With the grant of this first TCBL we lost the support of our financial backer and so lost our probable studio space and transmitter requirements.  There was a difference in ideologies and we opted to go with the ABA Code of Practise.  As a result and with a lot of hard work we were able to relocate our entire operation to the present Wireless Hill site.  A dollar value of $85,000 was placed on the community contribution towards the erection of studios, production room, transmitter space and the general office.  Additional work valued at $45,000 has since been undertaken and this takes in the provision of excellent computers, commercial CD players, computer programming including an automatic logging system and general and modern office furniture and equipment, plus the final purchase of our transmitter.

10.  With the loss of our financial backer and a shift of operations to Wireless Hill we were not able to broadcast during the 3 months of our first TCBL.

11.  Up to this time the ability of CCR's management, administrative and technical staff as well as our other volunteer presenters and producers, was of the highest order and it was considered that such efforts would be augmented by a further influx of volunteers once we were on air.  This proved to be correct and the station is currently working with a task force of 60 volunteers on its books.

12.  Prior to the commencement of on air broadcasts as shown in (8) above Curtin Radio announced the imminent closure of their station 927 Curtin Radio and as part of their cleanup of operations prior to their closure they promised us financial aid and other incentives, e.g.: access to their record library and membership lists.  The finance was to assist us with the establishment of a Transmitter site.  These discussions were commenced in May, 2002 but at the beginning of September that year they reneged on their promises to our group.  However at this time we were well advanced in the construction of the station complex listed above in (9).

13.  The completion of the station complex at Wireless Hill was in September, 2002 and it is a credit to the dedication and drive and the management capabilities of the Committee that they stand today as a first class community radio station set up.

14.  Whilst the sharing arrangements with Groove FM were in force the ACMA called applications for the Permanent License of the 101.7 frequency and in August, 2002 both groups lodged applications for the license.  In accordance with their Rules the ABA select the community organisation to whom they will grant the Permanent License.

15.  Unfortunately for CCR and the senior Citizens of Perth the ACMA selected Groove to award the Permanent License to on the basis of:

• (a)  The youth marketin Perth was not covered by radio;

• (b)  The seniors of Perth were covered by a number of stations including 6PR and 6IX.

There are grave doubts on the validity of these stated basis reasoning in that we are aware of a number, if not the majority, of Commercial stations who are primed towards covering the youth market of Perth, and at the same time we are convinced that CCR is the only Radio Station in the Perth metropolitan area that is dedicated to the specific task of providing music, entertainment and information to the senior people of our Community.

16.  At the same time of this advice of the grant of License the ACMA also informed our group that our TCBL would be terminated on November 24, 2002, in lieu of the previously approved date of February 28, 2003.  CCR appealed the new expiry date and with the strong support of the Federal Minister for Justice, Senator Chris Ellison we won the appeal and the expiry date reverted back to February 28, 2003.

17.  In the meantime in November, 2002 the ACMA asked us to locate a frequency in the FM band which was not being used.  We engaged approved ACMA consultants to investigate this and they established that 90.5 FM was available.  They also established that this frequency would not cause interference to any other station in the area and would not receive interference from any other station.

18.  The Consultant's report was forwarded to the ACMA who refused CCR the use of the 90.5 frequency because of the likely interference to TV channel 3 operating out of Bunbury.  The consultant's and CCR appealed to the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) and eventually that decision was reversed and a test transmission period of three (3) months was granted from May 8, 2003.

19.  The test transmissions proved that there was no interference to any existing frequency or channel or that they received any interference from any other frequency.

20.  During this time another group, Western Sports Media (WSM), appeared on the scene and applied for the use of the 93.3 FM frequency but the ACMA put them on a shared basis with CCR on frequency 90.5 FM from August 8, 2003.  They were not ready to commence broadcasts and CCR continued full 24 hours per day operations until they were ready to commence on November 14, 2003.

21.  The majority of CCR listeners were most irate at this forced again sharing procedure and as we understand it the ACMA have been flooded with numerous protesting letters giving total support to our group.  In the now well established CCR community spirit the management team, volunteer presenters, producers and general office staff and technical personnel have all elected and are more than ever determined to continue with their vision of providing a dedicated community radio service for the "Senior Citizens" in the Perth metropolitan area.

22.  The previous TCBL expired on February 8, 2004 and CCR had lodged an application for a new TCBL.

23.  As an indication of the public support that CCR has been able to generate the station ran a "Dedicated Subscribers Week" commencing on August 8, 2003 and in that week they received applications from over 600 listeners for a return of over $10,000.  We operated the one telephone and it was surprising the actual number of people who made the effort to actually come up to the station to become subscribers.

24.  In November, 2003 the Station suffered a major blow when vandals cut the restraining (guy) cables to the mast where our (transmitting) antennae were placed, and dropped everything to the ground, smashing our antennae.  We were off the air for just over a day whilst a temporary mast and antenna were erected.  A new permanent mast is expected to be erected in March, 2004.

25.  The Committee of Management are extremely proud of their efforts in getting the station CCR to the position of where they are now and consider that they have exercised sound management principles and practises to achieve the results listed above.  At the same time it is their sole aim to improve on these results and eventually achieve their vision of a dedicated Community radio station for the use of the Senior Citizens of Perth.  The Committee have faced a number of hurdles and encountered many barriers but have always overcome these by the application of solid and proven management criteria.  That fact that CCR have continued to grow and flourish is a glowing indication that they are on the right track to achieve their target.

26.  We received notice that our TCBL had been extended to August 23, 2004 on the same shared basis with WSM (Western Sports Media).

27.  The Australian Communications and Media Authority has advised Capital 90.5 that its TCBL has been extended a further six months until February 2005 on the same shared basis with WSM.

28.  The Australian Communications and Media Authority has advised Capital 90.5FM that its TBCL has been extended for a further twelve months from March 2005 to March 2006 on the same shared basis with WSM.

29.  The Australian Communications and Media Authority has advised Capital 90.5FM that its TBCL has been extended for a further twelve months from March 2006 to March 2007 on the same shared basis with WSM.

30.  6 March, 2007 - Management Committee determined proposed merger with Western Sports Media would not proceed.  Changes to the Management Committee were necessary with three resignations.  Vice chairman Philip Salinger became the Chairman of Capital Community Radio.  Many changes immediately implemented to begin restoration of the primary aims of Capital Community Radio.

31.  20 March, 2007 - The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has advised Capital 90.5FM that its TBCL has been re-issued for a further twelve months from 20 March 2007 to 20 March 2008, on a continuing shared basis with Western Sports Media, but with changed broadcasting hours for Capital 90.5FM, now 8pm Sundays to Midday Fridays.  If you wish to comment on the loss of Friday afternoon to Capital 90.5FM and "The Golden Years of Radio", click here for options available to express your views.

32.  12 July, 2007 - The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is due to call applications for our permanent Community Broadcast Radio licence in Perth.  Call phone 9364 9888 if you would like a prepared letter of support to send, or go to the relevant page on this website, to either download a copy of the prepared letter - or to submit your submit directly, online.

33.  14 July, 2007 - The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has finally advertised for applications for our permanent Community Broadcast Radio licence in Perth.  It is now VERY IMPORTANT that as many listeners as possible, and their friends and family members, give support to Capital Community Radio, to ensure success in obtaining our permanent licence.  "The Golden Years of Radio" would then be 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round.

34.  21 September, 2007 - Capital Community Radio has finally submitted their application to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), for the permanent Community Broadcasting Licence, for which applications were called by ACMA on 14 July.  Licence applications closed on 16 August.  Capital 90.5FM will await anxiously the decision later this year by ACMA.

35.  7 January, 2008 - The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announces the allocation of a permanent Community Broadcasting Licence to Capital Community Radio (Inc.), commencing Tuesday, 22 January, 2008 (the existing TCBL will cease at midnight on Monday 21 January, 2008).  Western Sports Media (SportFM90.5) is not granted a permanent licence.

36.  29 September, 2008 - National Radio News commences, courtesy of an installed satellite link from the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA), of which Capital Community Radio is a member station.  Using the CBAA National Radio Network, delivering programs through a digital delivery system, the National Radio News is a 4-minute on-the-hour feature used by Capital 90.5FM at appropriately decided times each day (not every hour all day), and continues to be complemented by the existing WA & Local News Headlines at other times in the station programming.  The satellite link and associated digital delivery equipment have been funded by two grants won by Capital Community Radio, from the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF), which itself receives funding from the Commonwealth Government to support community broadcasting, doing this through a grants regime to good applications.

37.  25 November, 2008 - Capital 90.5FM launches a new Listener Survey, to ascertain listener views on the current program format, and guage an changes or improvements that may need to be implemented as the station moves into its second year of its permanent community broacasting licence.  The survey is also targeted at listeners on the Internet via the station's website "Listen Live" streaming link - this will help determine the strength of audience listening by the Internet streaming service that would be covered by any possible increase in the broadcast signal transmission power, if approval for that can be obtained from the licensing authority ACMA (the Australian Communications and Media Authority).

38.  4 August, 2009 - Capital 90.5FM has submitted an application to change frequency to increase our coverage of the Perth metropolitan area.  Overwhelming support has come from a large range of listeners urging the granting of our application, many listeners stretching their options in order to pick up our signal, or resorting to the Internet to hear us "live streaming" on www.capitalcommunityradio.com.  The increase in the broadcast signal transmission power will come should we be granted the change of frequency, still on the FM band, by the licensing authority ACMA (the Australian Communications and Media Authority).

You’ll continue to hear us permanently on 101.7FM

 Many thanks, the team at 6SEN Capital Community Radio Inc.