THE significant role that volunteers play in making community radio possible has been well-documented in this column.
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It's estimated that there are more than 18,000 volunteers in the community broadcasting sector across Australia.
"Without these volunteers, the valuable social impact of our sector - providing local news and information, celebrating local music and arts, supporting social inclusion and a voice for Australia's diverse communities and marginalised groups, little of it would exist," Community Broadcasting Association of Australia CEO Jon Bisset has said.
The same could be said of the role of local businesses and their financial support of community stations.
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Across the sector, community-minded businesses provide support in a number of ways, including in-kind support, offering of pro-bono or discounted services of products, donations, scholarships and awards, and business sponsorship.
By law, community stations are not permitted to run advertising but are permitted to broadcast sponsorship announcements which acknowledge the financial support of a business and simultaneously inform listeners about their products or services.
2MCE offers businesses the opportunity to become partners of the station through any of these avenues.
One of the high profile methods of acknowledging financial support is undoubtedly through business sponsorship.
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As a community-minded media organisation, the station encourages local business with a similar ethos to show and publicise that ethos through a community-minded sponsor partnership.
Such an arrangement allows the business to become known as (or branded as) a business that cares for its community and is happy to contribute to its wellbeing, just as community radio stations do.
At 2MCE, a number of local businesses have made that statement.
These businesses include Frank Smith Work Clothing, Reckless Brewing, Town and Country Rural Supplies, Marietta's Boutique, Mitchell Batteries, Best Paw Forward, Charles Sturt University and Bathurst Regional Council.
It's through the community-minded support of these businesses that the highly valued services of 2MCE can be made possible.
If you are a business with a strong community-minded ethos, consider being a community-minded business partner and supporter of the station.
Contact Brett Van Heekeren on 6338 4790.
