ASRA 2023 Conference

‘A Century of Radio Broadcasting’

Canberra, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country and online

2-3 November 2023


Developments in legislation and licensing regulations for radio broadcasters that came into effect in 1923 led to a proliferation of broadcast radio stations in Australia and New Zealand. One hundred years on, ASRA’s 2023 conference will consider the many facets of radio’s development and history and its impact on society and culture from those early beginnings up to the present day.

There is much to discuss on this topic, and we look forward to hearing from broadcasters and radio professionals current and retired, academics, radio historians, artists, activists, archivists, technical experts and preservation specialists from across the bandwidth.

The conference will consider and welcomes all sectors of the industry. Topics include early days, technology, personalities, the business of radio, impacts of regulation, the social impact of radio; and radio as cultural content such as news, music, drama, documentary, oral history, sound art, commentary and public discourse.

The Venue

We are most grateful to our venue partner the National Film & Sound Archive of Australia for providing us with access to their beautiful Art Deco Theatrette as conference venue.

Overview

All times and details are TBC

Thursday, 2 November 2023 

8:30 - Conference Registration
9:30 - Welcome 

9:45 - Mai Katona, The Alice Moyle Lecture

Morning Tea 

11:15 - Johanna McMahon, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Don’t forget to save! An introduction to podcasts and their preservation

11:45 - Rahnee Alvarez & Jon Steiner, ABC
There Are Many Paths but Only One Journey: Radio Archiving at the ABC

12:15      Guy Tranter, ABC
Filling in the gaps of a century: the ABC’s written archives

Lunch

13:30 - Community Radio Panel 

·         Warren Barnett
Broadcast and Production Manager of Highland-FM 107.1, ex Sony/Festival

·         Matthew Hopkins
National Archives of Australia, Eastside 89.7 FM

·         Michelle O’Connor
Charles Sturt University and ex station manager 2MCE

·         Crispian Winsor
National Film & Sound Archive of Australia, PBSFM

Chaired by Matthew Davies
ASRA, ex NFSA and ABC

2:30      Michelle O'Connor, Charles Sturt University
Beyond Time Calls and Weather - What Does Community Radio Sound Like?

Afternoon Tea 

3:30      Crispian Winsor, PBS FM & National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
How a community radio announcer merged into an archivist

4:00      John Lanser
Voice of the Mountains

4:30      Marilyn Sue Dooley
Historic Australian Radio as Community Education and Curated Product

Our conference dinner will be held on Thursday night at First Edition, located on the first floor of Novotel Canberra. firsteditioncanberra.com.au

 Friday, 3 November 2023 

8:30 - Conference Registration

9:15    Heather Gill, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Max Afford

9:45    Brendan Somes, State Library of New South Wales
John Henry Austral

10:15   Matthew Hopkins, National Archives of Australia
The Listening Room

Morning Tea 

11:05   Peter Kolomitsev, State Library of South Australia
Dulwich Calling: The Harry Kauper Story 

11:35   James Aitchison
More Drama Than You Heard on Air

12:05   Sarah Johnston, Independent Sound Researcher
Aotearoa on the Air: New Zealand's first experiences of radio broadcasting

Lunch 
Including National Film and Sound Archives facility tours.

1:50    Dr Ros Bandt
The gift of Radio and how it has facilitated my experimental soundart career over four decades

2:20    Natalie Cassaniti, Alysha Connor and Chris Redman, Powerhouse
Broadcasting Stories: Exploring the Powerhouse and its Link to Australian Radio Broadcasting History

2:50    Dr Jennifer Bowen, ABC Friends
100 years of radio in 100 seconds: listening back, looking forward

Afternoon Tea 

3:40    Natalie Cassaniti
ISSI Fellowship 

4:10    ASRA Awards Presentations

16:40 - Conference close

For further information please contact us

Find information on past conferences click here.