Issue 31 - 18 September 2002

2BLU MOVES A STEP CLOSER TO PROVIDING EMERGENCIES INFORMATION TO COMMUNITY 

The Friends of Community Radio has learnt that 2BLU management has finally met with Council's Emergency Management Officer to discuss establishing 2BLU as the emergency broadcaster for the Blue Mountains.

This tremendous initiative was first outlined in detail at the meeting the Friends organised at the Katoomba Civic Centre early this year. Although a member of the management was present and listened to the proposal being outlined, 2BLU has since shown no interest let alone taken the initiative. Indeed, until now, they have not responded to repeated approaches from Council.

As we are all too aware, the Blue Mountains is an area prone to emergencies. Fire, hail, snow, storms, train and traffic accidents and delays all regularly disrupt the functioning of daily life. The current lack of information available to the local community when these events are occurring exacerbates distress for many people.

The example of the Christmas bushfires and the dearth of locally relevant information demonstrates the current deficiencies within the local media and was a sad indictment of the level of real community service that 2BLU offers.

Community radio offers a platform from which to disseminate locally relevant information quickly and effectively. A key responsibility of community radio should be to utilise this resource and to have an established set of procedures and protocols with emergency services.

To be accredited as emergency broadcaster the station will have to undertake to meet some basic requirements. They are: to have a presenter available in the studio live on air on request;  provide standard programming of announcements (e.g., on the quarter hour or at five minutes past the hour); shift to "middle of the road" music and programming during incidents; provide a facility to record and retain all messages broadcast; make a detailed map of the station's actual coverage; have 24-hour telephone contact (mobile and landline) available.

The key to the whole proposal is to have all 2BLU presenters trained in emergency services message delivery. Fortunately, this training would by-pass the present 2BLU Training Coordinator who has already declared himself opposed to 2BLU covering emergencies. The training will be handled directly by Emergancy Services.

In the longer term they would expect 2BLU to provide a trained liaison officer at the Emergency Services Centre; establish a reliable live-to-air telephone system and remote broadcast facility; and a commitment to providing year round community announcements on what to do in an emergency.

We would also suggest that 2BLU needs to do something about providing a stand-by power supply both for the studio and the transmitter.

The scheme has the potential to enhance significantly the relevance of 2BLU to the local community, which has for some time been a concern of the local community, as much as it has been for us.

The Friends of Community Radio look forward to the official announcement in the Gazette, which will also be publishing more information in coming weeks.

The Friends also hope to provide the support of our members in order to ensure the successful implementation of such an important undertaking. It is interesting to note that the 2BLU members with the requisite skills and experience to make all this happen are members of the Friends and marginalised by the present station management.

We'll report on developments as they come to hand.

Issue 30 - 15 September 2002

AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY

Last Friday James Kilby and Ken Quinnell went to the 2BLU office where James was to view the books.

James Kilby writes: 

Inspecting the books was a waste of time. The material presented was chaotic and represented the accounts for only four months of the year. I was denied access to the audit for this year and my questions were not answered. Chilla Miller, the Treasurer, stated that I was there to view the books, not ask questions.

It would have taken hours to go through the figures. They seemed to have been presented in a way that made it as difficult as possible to ascertain anything with confidence. Several things noted were that the present office coordinator is being paid when last year we had volunteers (including himself) and that sale of airtime is still lumped in with sponsorship despite a resolution at the last AGM to make a separate item of it.

The questions I asked that Daniel Soler, President, and Chilla Miller refused to answer were to do with commissions paid to Daniel. I asked if he was paid a commission on sale of airtime. They refused to answer. I asked if he received a commission on sponsorship that Michael Kelly sold as a volunteer. Again, they refused to answer. They said they should not have to answer such questions.

It appears that sponsorship is sold on a sliding scale. While the official rate seems to be about $4 a play, it is as low as $2 a play (and possibly lower) for some sponsors (that's $1.50 to the station after commission). Like the captains of US nuclear subs, they refused to confirm or deny anything.

A number of other documents I had requested were denied to me. When I asked to see written agreements Daniel said there were no written agreements.

Why should the straightforward questions of concerned members be ignored, fobbed off or answered in a deliberately misleading way? The questions are then left hanging in the air, poisoning the atmosphere at the station and creating distrust and suspicion.

It was a depressing experience.

Ken Quinnell writes:

Last Friday I met James Kilby who was on his way to the 2BLU studio to view the station's books. He had applied under section 44 of the constitution and, after a considerable wait, had finally been granted permission.

James and others had asked a number of questions about the conduct of the station's affairs but the management committee had refused to answer them - hence, his request to see the books. I went with him.

I haven't had much directly to do with 2BLU in recentmonths but it seems some things never change. Daniel Soler and Chilla Miller were in the office. They had print outs of Steve McMeechan's "unofficial" website and were reading Radio Outreach on the studio computer. They jumped back and glared at us with undisguised hostility when we greeted them cheerily.

Chilla pointed to a ring binder on the desk and said to James, "There it is."

Daniel waved a stack of handwritten pages at us and said that Steve McMeechan was a liar, that this was the evidence, that he'd spoken to the web designer and everything Steve had said was "absolute lies". Then he said, "When are you guys going to stop?"

"Well, when the station is properly run," James said and sat down and began looking at the contents of the ring binder.

I said, "Well, look, Steve McMeechan is a relatively new member who has concerns about the way the station is being run and the way the management committee conducts themselves."

I said that Steve had become disillusioned and perhaps they should be asking themselves why. I said that maybe they were doing something wrong in the way they treat people.

Chilla, enraged, said it was because I told them a pack of lies.

I casually picked up a page from the ring binder. Chilla leapt forward and attempted to grab it. "That's for Kilby to look at not you! You never applied to see the books!"

(Incidentally, this is not true - like others I had applied to see the books several times but my letters had been ignored.)

"What, are you going to grab it out of my hand?" I asked.

And, he did. He grabbed the page and tore it to shreds.

"This will make an interesting story for Radio Outreach," I said.

"Get out of the office," Chilla yelled. I was actually standing in the doorway.

"I'm a member ..." I started to say.

"Only management committee allowed in the office!" Chilla interrupted.

I turned around, to be confronted by John Tognolini. John is a presenter who seems more or less incapable of rational debate. He let fly with a tirade of abuse directed at me and Francis Dutton in particular and the Friends of Community Radio in general.

The main thrust of the argument put forward by John seemed to be that Francis and I "have got kangaroos loose in your top paddocks"; that we "should be locked up"; that we are trying to destroy 2BLU and his program in particular.

He made some vague threats about "getting us" and when I asked him why he was threatening me again (he had threatened me on a previous occasion) he said, "I don't threaten, I just do stuff."

Anyway, this went on for a while until he left, still shouting about kangaroos.

In the meantime, I could hardly hear Tom Parker's program on the foyer radio because Daniel was yelling at James. I couldn't hear James but it seemed he was asking questions. Daniel was responding as he usually does, shouting: "I'm not going to answer that."  "I'm not going to answer yes and I'm not going to answer no." "You have no right to ask that question." And so on...

He then shut the door so I couldn't hear - well, I could hear that Daniel was shouting but I couldn't hear what he was shouting about.

On a personal note, I would like to say that I have been on the management committee at 2BLU on about eight occasions. Mostly I have functioned well as a member of the management committee and occasionally I have made a stuff up of things. But, I have never done or said anything in my time with 2BLU that I was not completely happy to have every member of the station know about. I've never had to hide from members or engineer cover-ups - indeed I have always consulted as far as practicable with the members.

And, I always had fun. One thing is clear from Friday: 2BLU is not fun at all at the moment.

MUST BE TERRORISTS

2BLU was supposed to broadcast the Tourists or Terrorists? eco-debate from the Wentworth Falls School of Arts on Saturday evening. With characteristic lack of planning and coordination it didn't happen. Seems that no arrangements were made to access a phone line for the Codecs.

There was an OB, however. There was a 20-minute cross to the Mid-Mountains Community Centre for coverage of the Festival of World Music. Daniel Soler did an interview. The acoustics of this particular hall are notoriously poor so the music needed a line feed from the mixing desk to be heard properly. It was the second outing for the Codecs and the performance of the units themselves certainly demonstrated their potential for the future.

ABA TO AUCTION LPON LICENCE FOR PENRITH
 
The Australian Broadcasting Authority will conduct an auction for a new Low Powered Open Narrowcasting Licence (1476 kHz) in Pernith on 27 September. The identity of nine applicants for the licence is confidential, with only the identity of the highest bidder being announced at the completion of the auction. The reserve is $10,000.

COMMUNITY RADIO LICENCE FOR LITHGOW

The Australian Broadcasting Authority has invited applications for a new community radio broadcasting licence for the Lithgow area with a closing date of 9 October 2002.

"The ABA is pleased to commence allocation in this part of New South Wales," said Ms Lyn Maddock, Acting ABA Chair. "The planning process originally identified a demand for a new community service operated by people living in the Lithgow area."

Copies of all applications received will be placed for public perusal on the ABA's website from 16 October 2002. The ABA welcomes written submissions from the public and deadline for these is 30 October 2002.

Information is also available on the ABA's web site. www.aba.gov.au

APOLOGY

We have had a few hiccups with our website but we have a new volunteer who will be bringing it right up to date real soon now. We had 100 -150 visits a week during August.

CENSURE MOTION QUERY

We have had a query about the motion censuring the 2BLU management committee that goes before the general meeting to be held immediately prior to the AGM. The question is: Is this motion a Special Resolution (i.e. is it a resolution that requires a 75% majority of those entitled to vote, which means members there in person or by proxy)?

No, it's not a Special Resolution. It requires only a simple majority (50%) of votes.
 
The constitution of the Blue Mountains Public Broadcasting Society requires a Special Resolution in only three circumstances: 1. for the expulsion of a member, 2. to alter the constitution, and 3. to dispose of the society's property in the event it winds up its activities.

The confusion comes from an incorrect ruling by the Chair (prior to his removal on a motion of no confidence) at the 2 February general meeting.  This person claimed (whether to mislead or from ignorance is not clear) that the Associations Incorporation Act requires a Special Resolution for the removal of a committee member. This is not the case.

The Act includes a definition of a Special Resolution but it does not dictate when it is to be used. This is dealt with in the society's constitution (which follows the Department of Fair Trading's Model Rules for Incorporated Associations in this regard).

Issue 29 - 12 September 2002

2BLU AGM SET FOR SATURDAY, 26 OCTOBER 
UNITING CHURCH HALL, KATOOMBA STREET

3.00-4.00 pm Meeting to consider censure motion.

4.00-6.00 pm Annual General Meeting and election of office bearers for 2003.

We announce management's decision with a sense of relief. The date set does not comply with either the station's constitution (s.30) or the decision of the members at the May General Meeting.

2BLU FACES MAMMOTH ELECTIONS UNDER NEW CONSTITUTION

The Blue Mountains Public Broadcasting Society will be inviting nominations for up to 28 positions in the election of office-bearers for 2003 (with a minimum of 16 required to be elected) the first under the provisions of the new constitution. The management committee registered this new constitution with the Department of Fair Trading on 11 October 2001, immediately following last year's AGM.

The following management committee positions are provided for under section 15(1):

1. President

2. Vice-President

3. Secretary

4. Treasurer

In addition, the following elected positions are provided for under section 16(9)(a):

5. Public Officer

6. Dispute Resolution Office

7. Membership Officer.

The following elected committee positions are provided for under section 16(10)(a), each committee with a minimum of three members and a maximum of seven members to be elected:

8-14. Program Sub-committee

15-21. Fundraising Sub-committee

22-28. Publicity Sub-committee

This is, of course, predicated on the provisions of the constitution being observed by the committee and there is never certainty of this as we have already seen with the setting of the date.

Last year, in contravention of the provisions of the constitution and model rules a member nominated for more than one position.

However, it should be an interesting meeting with more positions open for nomination than the station has had members attending some general meetings in the past - except for those horror meetings where there are proposals to close down the station or expel members without reason.

Last year's nomination process was not transparent and accountable, to say the least. The nominations for positions were not announced until immediately prior to the election rather than when the nominations closed, as had been the procedure in the past. Proxy votes were not handled with an acceptable degree of openness, either at the last AGM or at the May general meeting when some members complained about breaches of the constitution in this regard. Of course, such concerns are denigrated as nit picking by the present management.

WEBSITE BLUES

Steven McMeechan has a background in marketing and publicity. As a result, he is increasingly mystified by the 2BLU management committee's apparent determination to block all publicity for the station and its programs.

Steven McMeechan writes:

Recently I posted a note at the 2BLU foyer announcing that I was looking at building a new web site for 2BLU FM (the old one is no longer operational for whatever reason), and I was calling for any ideas for content and structure from all members and presenters of 2BLU. Unfortunately, I was advised almost immediately and in no uncertain terms, by a member of the management committee that I couldn't do this as "they" (the management committee) were already working on a new web site "with a company in Springwood" and that their web site was "nearly ready."

Well there is only one web-design company I know of in Springwood, and that is Stralia Web. Funnily enough and somewhat coincidentally, a few days later I had a meeting with Stralia Web in relation to some other business, and as an aside enquired as to whether they were building the 2BLU FM web site. Interestingly, the response I received was that they had offered to build a web site for 2BLU FM "months ago" by way of support for a community organization. However to this day they have heard "nothing back" from the management of 2BLU FM and that they "didn't really know what was going on there [at 2 BLU]." Certainly they weren't going to chase the business as their was nothing in it for Stralia Web.

So according to Stralia Web, there has been absolutely no progress on a new official 2BLU FM web site under the auspices of our management committee - nothing, zero, zilch, diddly-squat. Quite an interesting contradiction to the management committee's claim that their new web site is "nearly ready."

Well, unphased, and in the absence of anything else, you can now visit the official UNOFFICIAL 2BLU FM web site at this address http://www.geocities.com/blufm/

Some pages are still under construction, but I'd really welcome any comments or suggestions, and in particular ideas for content or whatever you'd like to see that's currently missing, particularly in the "meet the presenters" and links pages. Any ideas and content would be received most appreciatively. I am aware that other members have developed creative web sites for 2BLU only to have the plug pulled and their creative endeavours maligned and squashed. The question we have to ask is "why?"

Steve McMeechan presents Sunday Recovery on 2BLU at midday on Sundays. 

NEW ROUND OF AMRAP GRANTS

A new round of Amrap grants for community radio stations opened this week and will close on 18 October. Community radio stations can apply for funding in a number of areas. Suitable projects include production of national broadcasts from festivals and live concerts; production of national Australian music programs; CD projects; and training initiatives.

The Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF) administers these grants and information, guidelines, and application forms, are available from the "Updates" section of the CBF web site www.cbf.com.au

2BLU MUSIC LIBRARY

It will be good when new CDs arriving at 2BLU - whether from AMRAP or local musicians - are catalogued and made available for air play. At the moment, it seems that the station does not even have a record of what is received. However, information leaks out and the following new CD was received several weeks ago.

Underearthed is a compilation of heavy metal produced by Sydney's 2RRR, a station that more or less specialises in this genre of music. The CD features bands from across Australia including Casket Slumber from Lithgow.

Issue 28 - 10 September 2002

DESTRUCTIVE CAMPAIGN? NUMBER WRONG?

RESPONSES TO 2BLU MANAGEMENT

Ken Quinnell and Michael Kelly have both sent us responses to the letters published in the Gazette last week (and reprinted in the previous issue of Radio Outreach).

Ken Quinnell writes:

Ron Westbrook is the most literate and restrained of the management committee members at 2BLU as he amply demonstrates in his letter "Destructive campaign" (BMG 4.9.02).

Ron tells us that the almost 20 members dismissed without prior notification or discussion "just didn't happen!" At 2BLU we call these people "the Disappeared". Ron appears to want us to believe they haven't disappeared at all - presumably because they simply weren't there to begin with.

Ron credits me with leadership skills I'm afraid I don't possess. Those who do not support the present management committee and the shambles it has made of running 2BLU are intelligent, capable and creative individuals who simply ran foul of the committee by expressing opinions, asking questions and proposing change.

Ron accuses me of "destructive behaviour" towards past management committees. If he is referring to my concerns about the massive operating deficits of past committees, then I guess I'm guilty. That's it about 2BLU- you end up feeling guilty for having done the right thing.

Ron also wants me to feel guilty for having run a membership drive last year in my capacity as Publicity Coordinator and then training the 45 new members in my capacity as Training Coordinator. I didn't do this just to annoy Ron or the management committee and he knows it. Ron now wants them to feel guilty for not having been members for as long as he has.

I would certainly prefer to see the Gazette publish the station's program guide instead of letters to the editor. I would definitely like to see an end to the censorship of the station's newsletter so members can have a say without fear of intimidation.

Francis Dutton, who was recently elected Secretary of 2BLU but between writing his letter ("Number incorrect" BMG 4.9.02) and it being published appears to have joined the Disappeared himself, puts the figure for the Disappeared at eleven. I'm sure Francis would agree that even one is one too many.

It was quite mischievous of me (and I feel guilty about it, too, believe me) to have lumped those who merely had their fingernails torn out in with those who had the management committee blowtorch applied to their genitals.

My list of the Disappeared (now irreverently referred to by some as the 2BLU Top Twenty) includes many of the station's hardest-working and most capable members (and you can view it at http://bluemtsmedia.tripod.com). Some have gone for good while others are expected to come back when reason and integrity return to the administration of the station's affairs.

Ken Quinell is co-presenter of Shake This Shack and Screamin' & Cryin' on 2BLU on Tuesdays, 9.30 pm-midnight.

Michael Kelly writes:

In reference to Mr Westbrook's letter on destructive campaigns by members of 2BLU, firstly he should take a good look at himself and his other cohorts on the management committee and their supporters as they have been the main exponents of the destructive campaign for many a year.

This station will never amount to anything while an inefficient and intolerable regime that currently exists is in control of a very valuable community asset. Radio is meant to be "information and entertainment" and run as a business in a professional and friendly manner. None of these items exist at 2BLU, eventhough there is a wealth of talent amongst the members.

If I had a business and was thinking of sponsoring the station (i.e., advertising) I would have second thoughts as until they could show that somebody really does listen and is interested in what is happening at 2BLU, I would get better value for my money by advertising in the Gazette which has a guaranteed base of people who would see my advertisement. It's definitely time that our taxpayers' money was put to better use than wasting it on a community asset that is very quickly going nowhere... Then again does anybody really care???

It's really sad if it comes down to that, as there is plenty of potentialfor 2BLU with a management committee who understands the communities wants and needs....

Michael Kelly has decided not to renew his membership of 2BLU.

... AND ALSO

• 2BLU will be doing an OB from the Wentworth Falls School of Arts on Saturday (7.30-9.00 pm). The event to be broadcast - the Great Eco Debate, Tourists or Terrorists? Is World Heritage and Tourism an Oxymoron? - is part of the Songlines Festival.
• A reminder: management at 2BLU is targeting specific members for suspension. Don't be misled by behaviour of management's supporters and think you can get away with the same thing. It's one rule for them and their supporters and another rule altogether for you.
• Maureen Miller is now acting program coordinator, heralding a return to programming based on personal taste and, it would seem, resentment of individual presenters. Already the number of vacant timeslots has doubled. One thing we can anticipate is that we will have plenty to report in our humble little e-zine.

Issue 27 - 6 September

 2BLU BLOODLETTING INCREASES  

Another 2BLU presenter has been suspended from air. 

For allegedly tearing a page from the guest book in the foyer and taking food into the studio David Brickwood has become the third 2BLU presenter suspended from air this week. David has been suspended for six months. 

The page was apparently torn out because one of David's guests had writing something offensive in it. It is unclear whether any food was actually consumed in the studio.

The suspension proceeded dispite David apologising and offering to replace the guest book. David presented Electronic Explosion on Thursday evening.

We urge all 2BLU presenters to exercise extreme caution at all times while at the station - with presenter morale at an all-time low everyone is vunerable to lapses. There are no warnings and no access to due process or any form of conflict resolution.

You are under surveillance the whole time you are on the 2BLU premises. This is an increasingly desperate and isolated group of people who have no concept of what constitutes a fair go. Their single-minded aim is to remove everyone who does not swear unquestioning allegiance to their increasingly erratic administration.

 PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED PRESENTERS WITHDRAW THEIR APPEALS

After discussing the situation regarding their recent three months suspension for use of offensive language, Colin Wilcox and Francis Dutton have decided not to appeal the 2BLU management committee's decision. Francis writes:

It is not that we ever questioned the committee's right to make that decision, just that both of us considered that there were extenuating circumstances. My own reasons I have already set out in my "note to presenters" (published in the previous issue of Radio Outreach).

The bottom line is that, even though the incident took place at five minutes to midnight, etc., the language used is likely to cause enough offence for us to expect to pay some sort of penalty. In my case, I took my eye off the ball for half a second, and did something incredibly stupid. Both of us will be making a formal apology at the next committee meeting, presently scheduled for Wednesday, 11 September (4.00 pm at Day & Evening College).

I would also like to apologize to the supporters of my decision to nominate for the position of President. It was entirely inappropriate behaviour for someone considering taking on the job of becoming the public face of this Society. Whether I will still run for the position is something I will have to think about.

Thank you, Francis Dutton.

RON WESTBROOK & FRANCIS DUTTON RESPOND IN THE GAZETTE TO KEN QUINNELL

In the Blue Mountains Gazette on 4 September 2002 the following letters from Ron Westbrook and Francis Dutton appeared. Ken Quinnell's original letter to the Gazette was published also in issue 23 of Radio Outreach.

Destructive campaign

A comment needs to be made about Ken Quinnell and his poison pen letters endeavouring to publicly tear down 2BLU FM, especially the management committee.

In his letter dates 21/8/02 headlined "Radio ethics" he has spewed forth more of his special brand of sickening fiction with such false statements as "The station has been a battleground with the removal of almost 20 volunteers from their positions without prior notification or discussion".

I am an active member of the management committee and the first I knew of us doing such a thing was when I read it in his letter to the editor - and the same goes for the rest of the committee. This just didn't happen! Concerning the so-called "battleground": if you can call it a publication, which regularly slanders the management committee, put out by a bunch of dissenters led by Quinnell, a battleground then maybe we have one. The truth however is they are the ones spitting out vitriol and we of the management committee are the one ignoring then; hardly a battleground!

Ken Quinnell's little clique of dissenters is mostly made up of recent arrivals, many of them recruited and trained by himself, who know nothing of his past destructive behaviour towards former management committees (an ongoing thing for at least the last 10 years).

When he says "...those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them, but it is certainly true of 2BLU." He is right but not in the way he means it - the history of 2BLU tells us to avoid him. His cry for and ethics committee is hypocrisy on his behalf.

RON WESTBROOK, Blackheath

Ron Westbrook presents Straighten Up and Fly Right on 2BLU on Sundays 7.00-8.30 am.

Number incorrect

As the recently elected Secretary of 2BLU FM, the treasurer, Mr. Chilla Miller, asked me if I was going to respond to Mr. Ken Quinnell's letter to the Gazette. (Radio ethics, BMG 21/8/02).

I subsequently asked Mr Quinnell to provide me with a list of the 20 volunteers he considers to have been removed "without prior notification or discussion" by the management committee. After a careful reading of this list (a full copy of which Mr Quinnell tells me he will make available via the Radio Outreach newsletter at http://bluemtsmedia.tripod.com) I have to say I find the figure of 20 somewhat exaggerated. The actual number is, to the best of my knowledge, closer to 11. The other volunteers mentioned have simply resigned.

As secretary, let me say that I welcome constructive discussion of 2BLU's affairs, and that includes public discussion. 2BLU is a community-owned asset, and, from my perspective, a very important one. We have an AGM coming up in the next six weeks or so; as someone who intends to run for an executive position on the new committee, I intend to work hard at making the executive's decisions as transparent as possible. (And for those who are interested, I will be replying in more detail to Ken Quinnell's letter via Radio Outreach.) I assume that by "the run-down in programming," Mr Quinnell was referring to those slots where there is no live presenter, not to the actual programs themselves. Because on 2BLU, one can hear programs as good as those on any other community radio in the country (Ken's own Tuesday night show being a prime example) ... a proud achievement, given the size of our community. The important thing for those of us entrusted with the running of the station is to support and find ways to enhance them.

FRANCIS DUTTON, Katoomba.

Francis Dutton is currently under suspension from broadcasting at 2BLU. He remains station secretary. 

In the next issue of Radio Outreach Ken Quinnell responds to these letters. Plus a letter in response from Michael Kelly. Plus any other feedback we receive. 

'THE DISAPPEARED' AT 2BLU REVEALED

This is the list Ken Quinnell prepared of 'the Disappeared'. Sorry, we are not offering a prize for guessing the names. 

The elected program coordinator - dumped after an attempted expulsion by management that was rejected by the membership.

The elected fundraising coordinator and volunteer sponsorship representative - dismissed after an attempted expulsion by management that was rejected by the membership.

An elected management member who did the running sheets and general studio administrative duties - squeezed out within a few weeks.

Another elected management member who took on IT management - forced out within a few weeks.

The elected secretary - vanished without explanation within a few weeks - those who attended the first management meeting following the AGM report that this resignation was not mentioned at the meeting but slipped into the minutes subsequent to the close of the meeting.

The coopted publicity coordinator - driven out after an attempted expulsion that was rejected by the membership.

A volunteer coopted to manage the studio computer - dropped without warning and subject to a cowardly attack at a general meeting.

A member coopted to design and maintain the station's website - axed when the site access code was changed without notice.

A member coopted to do the running sheets - ditched within a few months following personal attacks on him and his partner by management.

Three or four members of the program committee brushed aside when management disbanded it and appointed their friends and relatives.

A member who recorded the Community Notice Board until he arrived one morning to find the equipment locked away

The coopted Secretary - departed after failing to attend a single general meeting and isolating himself from all contact with members.

An hon life member - assisted with publicity and grant applications - subject to management's expulsion proceedings that were rejected by the membership.

A member serving as volunteer office coordinator - brushed aside after arriving one day to find someone else was doing his job.

The replacement volunteer office coordinator - not certain whether he was a current member - departed after a few week without explanation.

The coopted program coordinator who left last week following a dispute with management.

Two presenters removed from air on Monday without warning. STOP PRESS: make that three.

 ... AND ALSO

• We have received information from somewhat alarmed new members that training at 2BLU now includes regular harangues from training coordinator, Brian Edmonds, about the Friends of Community Radio who, he apparently claims, sabotage studio equipment on a regular basis. Good one, Brian; are you familiar with the term 'reality check'?
• Registration is now open for the CBAA's 2002 Annual Conference in Canberra (see Reminders below).
• There seems to be a change of policy by management at 2BLU with regard to new Australian music coming into the station. Presenters now find these new CDs in their pigeonholes - but, as one presenter observed, it's a long way from a properly administered music library to which all have equal and orderly access amd has facilities for previewing the music.
• Incidentally, there is still no sign of the 2BLU studio computer coming into service since a member of the management committee "repaired it". No sign either of the Digital Delivery Network or the availability of new AMRAP music via the Plaything website.