The CMTO team headed to Brighton Le Sands, on Gadigal, Gameygal and Bidjigal land, to attend the 2023 National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council’s annual conference in May 2023.
The NEMBC conference was an excellent opportunity for the CMTO to meet the broadcasters we work with on a daily basis, make new connections and build partnerships for the future.
We were also able to take away lots of feedback on the training needs of stations and individuals, with youth engagement and leadership the big themes of the weekend.
We also took the opportunity to spread the word about our Audio Ability Accessible Mentoring and Training program, as we continue our search for multilingual broadcasters, mentors and trainers to be involved in this ground-breaking program.
On the first day Pathways and Partnerships Manager Mikaela Ford and Communications Coordinator Madhuraa Prakash attended the youth conference.
During the conference the youth of the sector came together to reflect upon their experiences with community broadcasting and their imaginings for the future of the sector.
They heard speakers from Media Diversity Australia, The Google News Initiative, NEMBC and 1CMS and were also treated to a hip-hop performance by rappers Izzy N the Profit.
The day ended with the CMTO team facilitating a conversation about youth involvement in the community broadcasting sector and creating Calls to Action for the NEMBC youth Committee.
The main conference on the second day was attended by most of the CMTO team.
The day began with an address by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland and went onto a presentation by the Griffith University research team on their Digital Connections Project.
In the second stage of the Griffith University presentation, groups discussed solutions to problems that Ethnic and multilingual broadcasters highlighted in the research. The CMTO team enthusiastically took part in these discussions that highlighted useful ways of moving forward for stations, broadcasters, and organisations alike.
Next was an important conversation regarding the referendum for The Voice to Parliament.
Afterwards CMTO CEO Giordana Caputo facilitated a panel on ‘the News Space’. The panel consisted of Dr Janet Fulton, who spoke about Slow Journalism, Uma Patel, who informed us of the work being done by the Google News Initiative, and Russell Anderson who spoke about the Multilingual National News Service.
The conference ended with Presentations about marketing for community broadcasters by Spots and Space and Cultural Perspectives and an address about the Sector Roadmap 2033 from the CBAA and CBF.
We then went on to enjoy the incredible Gala Dinner which successfully celebrated the vast ethnic diversity that is present in our sector.
Thank you to NEMBC for the opportunity to forge and strengthen connections within the community broadcasting sector.
