The Listening Room: Five Minutes Past Midnight — A musical story by Becky Llewellyn. The 1950s seemed to be a time of peace, stability and prosperity to many Australians. But they were also a time when the government permitted the British to detonate nuclear weapons in central Australia. Five Minutes Past Midnight takes us back in time, using our imagination to enter the atomic cloud and reawaken the feelings of those times and events. ABC Classic FM, Monday, September 11, 9pm.
Public Radio News service celebrates its first anniversary — Melbourne-based PRN can be heard on more than 30 public radio stations nationwide. September 5 marked the service's first birthday. PRN service bulletins are broadcast hourly from 7am to 6pm weekdays and transmitted via satellite by the Community Broadcasting Association. PRN is committed to covering issues rather than events and personalities. PRN can be contacted by phone on (03) 9417 7304 or fax on (03) 9419 9669 or 9416 1800.
Sydney's Gaywaves under threat — The 2SER gay and lesbian program that has been broadcast continuously since 1978 has had its air time cut from two and half hours per week to just one hour! The Gaywaves Collective is disappointed and angry at the cut, pointing out that Gaywaves is the only "out" program in Sydney. The decision is part of 2SER's move to reduce evening "talk" shows. In response, the collective successfully proposed that a gay and lesbian music and culture program aimed at younger listeners be scheduled. Unfortunately, 2SER management has scheduled the Pink and Purple Music Show at a time when few collective members are available to broadcast it and when most of the target audience are at work or school. Gaywaves Collective want listeners to write and protest against the cutback. Write to: Kaye Blackman, 2SER station manager, PO Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007. Gaywaves goes to air on 2SER, 107.3 FM, every Thursday, 9pm.
Music from other cultures on SBS radio — SBS radio has quietly introduced overnight programming that will interest world music buffs. From midnight every night, it broadcasts an eclectic and unpredictable mix of music drawn from around the world, ranging from tribal music from PNG to pop music from Italy. The show's compilers avoid the "world music" tag to highlight that it focuses on genuine music from other lands and cultures rather than artificial studio fusions. Preceding Music Overnight, at 11pm every week night except Friday, is Alchemy, which takes a closer look at the world's dance music with knowledgable studio guests to steer us through the maze or regional styles. Every Friday night at 11pm, is the African program with plenty to groove to. SBS radio frequencies are: Sydney 1107 AM and 97.7 FM; Melbourne 1224 AM and 93.1 FM; Wollongong 1485 AM; Newcastle 1584 AM; Adelaide 106.3 FM; Brisbane 93.3 FM; Darwin 100.9 FM; and Perth 96.9 FM.