Broadcasting through difficult times

Water bubbles through the limestone in Mt Gambier, meanders through underground caves and tunnels and surfaces at the poorly named 'blue lake', which inexplicably turns to brilliant turquoise in the summer months. The subterranean water system produces enough timber, Kraft cheese, lamb and potatoes to make our drought-stricken regions green with envy. But this Australian town now has another rare and coveted resource: a community television channel. Bushvision, a not-for-profit association, received its trial licence in July 2005. It broadcasts 24/7 with four hours of fresh content per day, which it hopes to increase to eight hours by the end of the year. Eventually, the station plans to broadcast digitally across rural Australia as a community network, sourcing content from disparate towns – places that have more in common with each other than they do with their capital cities. It is a grand vision, underpinned by social enterprise and a keen awareness of what can happen when media participation is appropriately harnessed. [Introduction]