FIREWORKS are expected at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Highlands FM community radio station on Monday, with rival factions involved in a war of words that makes shock jock Kyle Sandilands sound like a meditation session.
Candidates’ statements published in Highlands FM’s Airwaves magazine paint a picture of an organisation bogged down by infighting, with one station member describing the station as “fractured by warring factions, unresolved issues and even hatred”.
As a result of the on-going disputes, three board members resigned in disgust in the terms of the present and previous boards.
The current chairman, Dianne Hammond, has not renominated for election to the board.
Eleven people have nominated for four board positions at Monday’s Highlands Media Co-operative Ltd AGM, including former station co-manager Grahame Moir, who was sacked by the board in January.
The board initially refused to accept Mr Moir’s nomination but backed down after it was found that there was nothing in the station’s current constitution that allowed it to reject the nomination.
In an open letter advising of the decision, board members noted that the rules in this regard were “totally deficient” and “well short of the model rules recommended by the registry of co-operatives”.
“It is the view of the board that the rules will require substantial amendment for the co-operative to be able to function with any fairness in future,” the letter stated.
Other nominees include former board member Stephen Peacock who with two other members was expelled from the co-operative, with no reason given. The same three made a Powerpoint presentation the previous year, criticising the management of the station and proposing changes to offer a more professional service to the community.
Mr Peacock’s criticisms included failure to respond to the needs of a changing Southern Highlands population, out-dated programming with an excessive proportion of old-time rock and roll, inadequate news services, run-down premises and equipment, and failure to plan ahead.
The three members were re-instated after the Office of Fair Trading confirmed that the expulsion was invalid.
Highlands FM has also fallen foul of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) guidelines, most recently in December 2008, when ACMA found the station had breached a licence condition by failing to acknowledge financial support.
Under the ACMA guidelines, sponsorship announcements that do not acknowledge financial support are considered to be advertisements, which are prohibited on community radio.
Mr Moir at the time described the breach as “a technicality” and blamed “disgruntled ex-members”.
Mr Peacock, board member Nick Padol and nominee Terry Oakes-Ash said this week that Highlands FM was being run as an “exclusive club” by a group of members and presenters who ignored the needs of the community, and ACMA and Office of Fair Trading rules.
“Long-time members have locked down and controlled Highland FM for some 22 years, making it an exclusive club paid for with taxpayer money from federal and local council coffers,” Mr Peacock said.
Mr Padol and Mr Oakes-Ash are pushing for a more professional approach to station management with a new constitution.
“The current management don’t see Highlands FM as a business,” Mr Padol said.
“It is a community organisation, but it still has to meet good governance and fiduciary obligations.
“It’s publicly funded and sponsored by local businesses but to date it had been run as an exclusive club for some members and their friends.”
Mr Peacock said with only one audience survey conducted in 30 years, the station’s programming was out of touch with the Southern Highlands.
“We have grave concerns that no one is listening to the station,” Mr Padol said.
Mr Moir would not comment.