About

About

RPP FM is a local radio station with a new vibrancy and a focus steeped in community activities, current affairs and culture. It broadcasts on 98.7 FM and 98.3 FM to the Mornington Peninsula, Frankston, the Southern suburbs of Kingston, wider Melbourne including Geelong and the communities of Westernport and Port Phillip Bays. In all it broadcasts to about 350,000+ people. The station’s license is held and administered by Radio Port Phillip Association Incorporated which is a not-for-profit entity.

Our History & Services

Radio Port Phillip Association was incorporated in 1984 for the purpose of applying for a community broadcasting license and the subsequent construction and fitting out of facilities.

The station has over 280 community group and individual members. Group members include many community, sport, arts and service organisations. There are 85 members who broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This equates to 10,000 hours a year of volunteer produced content that is broadcast to an audience whose interests span the arts, music, Local News, sport, disability support, faith and philosophy, the environment, local affairs and events, seven migrant communities, health and well being and women’s affairs.

Local news is broadcast every weekday covering local news events gathered by a highly regarded news team lead by Brendon Telfer and a team of reporters featuring analysis and interviews.

RPP FM’s outside broadcast unit covers many community events as diverse as the Frankston Waterfront Festival, the annual Anzac ceremony from Mornington and Mornington Racing Club’s Mornington Cup. It also services the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League who covers clubs from Aspendale to Point Nepean and in Casey and Cardinia. A total of 27 matches are broadcast live every year. During the Cricket season, RPP FM broadcast the match of the day in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association.

At no cost, community groups broadcast over 15,000 community service announcements every year. The station has provided training and work experience opportunities in broadcasting, presentation and business administration for hundreds of people.

Governance & Principles

The station’s operations are governed by the Australian Broadcasting Authority’s Code of Practice and the terms and conditions of the license issued by the Authority. The sector’s Code of Practice says that RPP FM will work to:

  • Promote harmony and diversity and contribute to an inclusive, cohesive and culturally-diverse Australian community

  • 
Pursue the principles of democracy, access and equity, especially for people and issues not adequately represented in other media

  • 
Enhance the diversity of programming choices available to the public and present programs that expand the variety of viewpoints broadcast in Australia

  • 
Demonstrate independence in programming as well as in editorial and management decisions

  • Support and develop local arts and music

  • Provide local news services and analysis

  • Increase community involvement in broadcasting

  • The station’s main transmitter is located at Arthur’s Seat and broadcasts on 98.7 FM. The signal is also broadcast from a repeater on 98.3 FM to the Frankston business district and surrounding areas.

RPP FM receives support via membership fees, sponsorship, donations and rental of its equipment. It also receives Federal Government funding from the Community Broadcasting Foundation.

Management

Radio Port Phillip is an Incorporated Association. Its constitution permits one vote per individual or group membership and its constitution is based on the Victorian Consumer Affairs ‘Model Rules’. There are no pre requisites for general membership. Members elect a Committee of Management of 8 members who are appointed on a 3 year rotational basis. Any financial member of 12 months or more may nominate for the Committee. The Committee meets monthly.

An executive comprising the statutory office bearers manage the day to day operation in consultation with the Station Manager. The station also employs a part time administrative assistant whose responsibilities include member services, sponsorship, production scheduling, book keeping and presenter support.
 The committee of management is currently supported by 5 sub committees.

They are:
Programming
Information Technology
Training
Technical (production and broadcast)
Finance

The station welcomes program applications which are reviewed monthly. Prerequisites for presenters include membership of Radio Port Phillip and the completion of the stations training course or the capacity to demonstrate production and presentation skills gained with another station and a sound knowledge of the sector’s Codes of Practice and relevant media laws pertaining to broadcasting and publishing. Other volunteer opportunities in the areas of production, technical, IT and administration are available.