The Greek community is urging all members to provide feedback to SBS in relation to a review they are undertaking of their languages program.
SBS have scheduled this review to develop languages programs they feel reflect Australian society and changes on the migrant intake.
While the Greek Australian community has been shrinking in recent years, due to the lack of immigration, the need for publicly funded Greek radio programs remains important not only because Greek Australians and particularly the elderly continue to value programs in their own language, but also because cultural maintenance cannot be sustained without linguistic maintenance.
As it stands, SBS radio currently broadcasts Greek language programs twice a day at 7:00 am and 6:00 pm on 1224, on the AM frequency, but this could be in jeopardy following the review.
Therefore, it’s essential that the community responds to the SBS review to ensure that the broadcaster is aware of the needs of the Greek diaspora and the value the language programming adds.
The review is now open for public consultation until Monday 30 April. You will need to visit www.sbs.com.au/radio/consultation to provide your feedback on this issue. For more information on how to voice your views, the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria will be holding a public meeting at 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, for concerned members of the community on Sunday 22 April at 3:30 pm.
The Greek community played a pivotal role in the establishment of SBS radio and SBS television in the 70s, and the community should aim to ensure the it continues to influence multicultural broadcasting in Australia.