Liverpool's community may suffer an enormous loss, with the announcement that the community station 2GLF may be forced to close it's doors, if not one of the two councils in the area that the station calls home cannot help find the broadcaster a new home after Liverpool Council served an eviction notice to the station.
The local community radio station has been under threat of having to move from the Liverpool School of Arts for the past five years while Council courted developers for the site. Council had always maintained it would find an alternative site for the radio station, which has been a permanent part of the Liverpool landscape since 1983.
Long held promises of support from Liverpool City Council, evaporated recently when the council served notice that Community Radio Station 2GLF, must vacate its studios by February 2012.
Now council officers have said that 2GLF is unlikely to get any assistance from Council and has stated “Council cannot offer any alternative premises to the radio station” which is in stark contradiction to what the station has been led to believe through years of ongoing correspondences and meetings with the Council staff.
2GLF Chairman Eddie Diwakar said; “2GLF is at a loss as to why council has always said it would offer its support in finding a new home for the station and now suddenly turns its back on the community. Six months is not a long time to construct studios and move – particularly when you don’t have anywhere to go.”
“The decision made by the council is unreasonable and unrealistic and will have a significant impact in 2GLF providing services to our Community” Mr. Diwakar said.
The station is home to one of the most diverse line ups of programming for a community station - and is key for groups like Seniors, the Gay community and ethnic communities - with this vital service in limbo - the station has called on the general public for support by signing their online petition.
2GLF began as a small group in the 70’s lobbying the federal government for a community radio license, community radio station 2GLF has been serving the local community for over 28 years.
A not-for-profit organisation, run and managed by volunteers, the station’s direction and approach has provided enormous benefit the community. 2GLF has also played a significant role in providing experience for youth and unemployed people in the community while teaching them new skills. The station also prides itself on developing talented broadcasters that have moved into commercial radio. The stations programming also offers significant hours to the seniors community, which cannot be found on other commercial networks.
Rallies, protests, petitions and more are in the works, and more information can be found on the stations specially created website www.saveourstation.com.au
89.3fm also broadcats on the internet, so any member of the community worldwide can tune in - just login to www.893fm.com.au or grab yourself the "tunein" app for iPhone or iPad and tune to 2GLF.
