Curiously coinciding with public and news attention on mining tax news, the nationalbroadcasting authority, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has just granted new commercial radio stations exemption from Australian music requirements. This likely precedent is a disgusting slap in the face to local talent and culture.
In the wordsof the ACMA itself, how can the new "temporary" commercial radio Codesof Practice provide "appropriate community safeguards"? How can the ACMA justify the inclusion of a code endorsed by the majority of ONE section of the industry (Commercial Radio Australia) when the rest of the industry will likely be adversely affected? And by "temporary" does the ACMA mean "indefinite"?*
How is the exemption "temporary" if the commercial radio Codes of Practice are reviewed only every 3 years anyway?
On what grounds can our national broadcast authority rule that Australian music, across a full range of genres, lacks "diversity" – the reason cited by CRA to change the Code?!
Adam Dempsey
Last Updated on Saturday, 10 July 2010 16:45
Commercial Radio Australia's proposed changes to the broadcasting Code of Practice 4 (Aust content)
Written by Cameron Holmes
Thursday, 01 July 2010 13:51
Hi Guys and Gals
I recently recieved a very disturbing e-mail from Adam Dempsey (Deluxe Mastering) after a discussion with him at a gig I recently mixed at Noise Bar in Brunswick.
Commercial Radio Australia have proposed a change to the Australian content requirements on commercial radio. What does that mean to us you say? well... a lot.
Essentially it means that commercial radio stations are no longer obliged by commercial code to broadcast a percentage of Australian Content on digital radio, a format that will have rapid uptake in a technology hungry country such as Australia.
The amendment to the code states "Code of practice 4 does not apply to new digital only services" where currently commercial radio stations are held to a 25% minimum Australian content requirement.
This directly impinges on potential record/digital sales of Australian Music. The current requirement of 25% is reflected in sales as well, thus to remove this from new digital services is to directly hit the hip pocket of the Australian Music Industry. YOUR industry.
<click here> to see A.I.R's submission to Commercial Radio Australia
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to express your disgust at this petition, and send your own submission to Commercial Radio Australia about the alterations to the code.
The passion that was shown at the SLAM protest should be equally shown here. I urge you to submit a backlash, and not let them harm our already suffering industry.
*UPDATE*
Commercial Radio Australia and ACMA has pushed this code of practice through. <see here>
Register your disgust at
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*UPDATE*
Please also refer have a look at <this article> in the age. How is this not getting more press people?
Last Updated on Friday, 02 July 2010 09:58
Tech Review - The Spanish Club - Fitzroy - VIC AUS
Written by Administrator
Thursday, 17 June 2010 15:54
I recently mixed a gig at The Spanish Club in Johnson street Fitzroy Victoria. Here are my experiences, some good, some not so good.
For starters, please ensure that you organise with the venue to arrive early. The system does require some love to get the room sounding good, and it's not the system's fault, it's the room and it's lack of acoustic absorbtion. Those who fondly remember this venue as being a fun well organised venue are going to be quite dissapointed to see that it has moved more to a modern look, and because of this has the associated acoustic anomolies.
It seems to have been forgotton over the last few years the importance of providing an audio technician with ALL the information he requires prior to your gig. I found this brilliant tool to assist you with stage plots - http://www.freestageplots.com/. The humble stage plot is a vastly underrated and provides the audio technician with a very quick reference guide to how you set up your stage, therefore where he or she should run their stage boxes, mons, mics etc. It also assists very rapidly in knowing whether any additional information is required (i.e. what kind of outputs does your thermin/electric glockenspiel or another random weird instrument have. How many tall/short stands required? etc)
It doesn't have to be complex! Even if you draw boxes in paint and label them it would be more assistance than nothing!
so go and check out http://www.freestageplots.com/ I know it's only in alpha release at the moment, but it will give you some idea.
Nuff Said!
That Audio Guy
That Audio Guy - Directory Project and other happenings.
Written by Administrator
Wednesday, 09 June 2010 18:46
Hi Guys and Gals!
We are in the process of putting together the "That Audio Guy - Directory Project" and need some assistance from all you lovely people! Essentially what we are building is a search engine for the audio industry at large to be able to search both our site, and a multitude of other sites to find exactly what you need. Submissions will be by members of this site ONLY. this is the only restriction really (other than a required backlink to thataudioguy.net somewhere on your site).
As you all know, it is difficult sometimes to find an answer about an audio company, an audio problem, a particular piece of gear so on and so forth. We are hoping the directory project will facilitate this to be much much easier.
Logged in users will be able to submit their site from <click here>
Users of the www.thataudioguy.net free hosting will be automatically listed and catalogued.
Cheers to all our readers, we are attempting to make our site more interactive and to again, demystify our Industry.
Things to remember are:
Only submit your listing once. The web spider will get to your site eventually, we run our spiders loose once a week. This includes submitting multiple URLs for the one site.
Make sure that you include a relevant description to your site. Descriptions that are not relevant won't help people find you, your service or your site.
Only members may submit sites. No membership, no add to the directory.
Cheers and thanks. We welcome feedback to
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on anything, including operation, look/feel and additional catagories.
