The Australian Music Radio Airplay Project aka AMRAP would like to thank everyone who helped support the campaign to have their government funding temporarily reinstated.
AMRAP distributes new Australian music to 1,500 broadcasters and 300 community radio stations. Recently the Minister for Broadband, Communications & The Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy gave the project a welcome Christmas gift of $250,000 – enough to keep the project going for another six months.
They’re still working to secure a long-term commitment to the program, which needs a recommitment of the $600,000 annual federal funding to keep the project alive. “AMRAP has successfully increased the amount of Australian music receiving airplay by working closely with Australian musicians and community broadcasters,” said Senator Conroy.
Fingers crossed this program does get a full commitment soon so it can continue the vital support it gives to local artists.
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has announced that the government will provide an additional $250,000 to ensure the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) continues for a further six months.
“The additional funding will ensure that Australian musicians and community broadcasters can continue to access Amrap’s services, pending consideration of the project’s long term funding in the 2013-14 Budget,” Senator Conroy said.
“Amrap has successfully increased the amount of Australian music receiving airplay by working closely with Australian musicians and community broadcasters,” said Senator Conroy.
Amrap is a community radio initiative that gathers up and distributes new Australian music to community radio stations nationwide. Amrap helps get new Australian music airplay, and supports community radio broadcasters to promote new Australian music both on air and online.
Amrap Manager, Chris Johnson has heralded the government’s renewed funding as a victory for thousands of Australian musicians and community broadcasters.
“We are relieved and delighted that Senator Conroy has championed Amrap’s survival to benefit Australian musicians, broadcasters, and radio listeners. This vital funding ensures that over the next six months Amrap can keep getting great Australian music to the airwaves and we look forward to an ongoing commitment from the government so Amrap can continue well beyond this financial year”, Johnson said.
Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) General Manager Kath Letch regards the the funding commitment as critical to ensuring the maintenance and advancement of Australian music on the airwaves.
“We’re delighted the government has provided six months of funding and we look forward to a long-term government commitment in the 2013-14 Federal Budget to ensure Amrap can continue critical services for Australian musicians and community broadcasters”.
Over 4.4 million Australians (25% of radio listeners) tune in to community radio every week and since inception Amrap has facilitated a 5% jump in Australian music airplay on community radio nationally to a new average of 37%. Currently over 3,000 Australian musicians and 1,500 broadcasters from 300 radio stations rely on Amrap to get new Australian music to the airwaves.
An independent review of Amrap commissioned by the DBCDE in 2011 returned positive results and Amrap was invited to apply for renewal of it’s four-year funding term, but Amrap was not included in the 2012 Federal Budget. Since July the Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy said he remained supportive of Amrap and the government “was investigating a range of options for the projects continuation”. The government’s commitment to restore funding came just in time as reserves for Amrap were due to run out at the end of 2012.
