Community Broadcasting Association of Australia

What Community Broadcasting Association of Australia does

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) is the recognized national peak body for community broadcasting in Australia, founded in 1972 and headquartered in Alexandria, NSW. It serves over 300 member stations representing approximately 90% of Australia's community radio licensees, which collectively reach more than 5 million listeners per week. CBAA delivers infrastructure, content distribution, technology platforms, sector advocacy, and training to a member base spanning metro, sub-metro, and regional community radio, and it operates under a co-regulatory arrangement with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) including the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice (2025).

CBAA's core technology portfolio comprises the Community Radio Network (CRN) — a 24/7 satellite-and-on-demand distribution service delivering 100+ programs via the VAST satellite system and the Digital Delivery Network; the AMRAP platform for Australian music discovery and airplay tracking (now powered by ACRCloud's Music Recognition Technology, launched November 2024); the Community Radio Plus mobile and smart-speaker app; Triton Digital-powered online audio streaming; Radius-based DAB+ electronic program guides; and the Data & Insights research franchise anchored by a 16,000-respondent National Listener Survey. Strategic technology and content partnerships include Triton Digital, ACRCloud, iHeartRadio, APRA AMCOS, PPCA, BBC (via Deutsche Welle syndication), Charles Sturt University (National Radio News production), McNair yellowSquares, and All in Media.

CBAA is a non-profit company limited by guarantee and registered charitable institution. Revenue is generated primarily through an approximately A$8 million annual grant from the Community Broadcasting Foundation (itself funded by the Federal Government via the Department of Infrastructure, which provides ~A$20.1M p.a. to CBF), supplemented by member subscriptions (CRN from A$57/month, streaming from A$30/month, tiered data reporting from A$292/month), project-based government grants (e.g., Department of Health suicide prevention campaign), and freemium services such as AMRAP. The go-to-market is membership-led, supported by a dedicated Member Engagement team, the annual CBAA Conference (2026 in Geelong, 22-24 October), webinars, the Higher Logic-powered Online Community forum, and direct member support channels.

Name

Community Broadcasting Association of Australia

Legal name

Community Broadcasting Association of Australia

Website

https://cbaa.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CBAA is the recognized national peak body for Australia's community broadcasting sector, serving ~300 member stations (≈90% of licensees) reaching 5M+ weekly listeners via infrastructure, content distribution, technology platforms, and sector advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Broadcasting Association Services

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Unified Communications (UCaaS) Apps (BPAMACAE)

Keywords

• Community broadcasting
• Radio content distribution
• Audio streaming services
• Music airplay tracking
• Broadcasting association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CBAA generates revenue primarily through membership fees from community radio stations. The organization has over 300 members representing approximately 90% of Australia's community radio licensees. Members pay fees to access services including the Resource Library, AMRAP, Community Radio Network, streaming, and member support.
2. Community Radio Network Subscription: Stations pay a subscription fee starting from $57 plus GST per month for access to CRN programming. The fee is structured as a percentage of station income to ensure fair pricing.
3. Data and Insights Services: CBAA provides sector-level data for free but charges for detailed customized reporting through the National Listener Survey. Pricing starts from $292 + GST per month for tiered reporting.
4. Streaming Services: Triton-powered online audio streaming service for stations, priced starting from just over $30 plus GST per month based on station's annual income.
5. Government Funding: CBAA receives approximately $8 million annually from the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF), which is funded by the Federal Government, to support broadcasting organisations across Australia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CBAA is the national peak body for community broadcasting in Australia, providing shared infrastructure, content distribution, technology platforms, and member support services to approximately 300 community radio stations. Core offerings include the Community Radio Network (CRN) for satellite and digital program distribution, AMRAP for Australian music discovery and airplay tracking, the Community Radio Plus mobile application, Triton-powered online streaming, podcasting and on-demand hosting, audience research, and sector advocacy, training and regulatory engagement.

Product overview

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services supporting community radio stations across Australia. The core offerings include: Community Radio Plus (mobile app for multi-platform listening), AMRAP (music discovery and airplay platform), AMRAP Pages (program schedule and playlist management), and the Community Radio Network (CRN, a national program distribution service delivering 100+ shows via satellite and on-demand). Supporting services include Triton Streaming (online audio delivery), Podcasting & On-Demand, Data & Insights (audience research), the Digital Delivery Network infrastructure, and the Online Community Forum for sector networking. The portfolio is distributed through a mix of subsidized member services, government-funded infrastructure, and initiative partnerships, unified by CBAA's role as the peak body supporting approximately 90% of Australia's community radio licensees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AMRAP (Australian Music Radio Airplay Project): A platform for community radio presenters to discover and download new Australian music for broadcast.
• Community Radio Plus
• Community Radio Network (CRN)
• Community Radio Plus App

Products and services

• Community Radio Network (CRN) National program distribution and sustaining service delivering 100+ community radio programs 24/7 to community stations via VAST satellite and on-demand digital delivery through the DDN, including flagship programs such as Good Morning Country, The Wire, and Australian Music Is Bloody Great, plus the new CRN Bundle with National Radio News and BBC News World Service.
• AMRAP (Australian Music Radio Airplay Project) Free platform hosted at amrap.org.au for community radio presenters to discover, preview and download new Australian music for legal airplay, connecting musicians, record labels and community stations nationwide with Music Recognition Technology-powered airplay tracking for artists.
• Community Radio Plus Multi-platform mobile application available on iOS App Store, Google Play and smart speakers, enabling listeners to access community radio stations on smartphones, tablets, smart speakers and connected cars with live streaming, on-demand content, program guides, push notifications and listener analytics.
• AMRAP Pages Online platform for community radio stations to manage program schedules, playlists and create dedicated show pages with API integration capabilities, website embedding and mobile-friendly design for stations of all sizes.
• Triton Streaming Online audio streaming service powered by Triton Digital for community radio stations, offering dual-codec AAC+ and MP3 streams, unlimited listeners and bandwidth, detailed analytics, metadata integration for 'Now Playing' information, multiple stream management, 24/7 support, and integration with the Triton Advertising Platform for monetisation.
• Podcasting & On-Demand Subsidised podcasting and on-demand content services for CBAA members, enabling stations to offer catch-up radio and podcasts alongside live streaming.
• National Radio News National news service for the community broadcasting sector, with bulletins produced from a newsroom at Charles Sturt University Bathurst campus. Included in the new CRN Bundle from 1 July 2026.
• Data & Insights Audience research services including the Community Radio National Listener Survey (16,000 respondents), Station Engagement Surveys, State of the Sector reports, and Station Streaming Analytics, with sector-level data free and tiered customised reporting from $292 + GST per month.
• Digital Delivery Network (DDN) Private wide area network delivering broadcast-grade live and on-demand audio content to community stations via dedicated Telstra data links, replacing satellite capture equipment with terrestrial data links and providing libraries of CRN programming.
• Radius Electronic Program Guide (EPG) system accessed via epg.radius.org.au for community radio stations operating DAB+ digital radio services, with CBAA providing video guides to help stations use Radius for program scheduling and management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5 million listeners per week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• APRA AMCOScoreTechnology or IntegrationCopyright management organization supporting the operational costs of the Community Radio Network in distributing high-quality community radio programming featuring Australian music.
• Triton DigitalcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing online audio streaming infrastructure for community radio stations with industry-leading reliability and global broadcaster reach.
• ACRCloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationAutomatic Content Recognition provider for music recognition and broadcast monitoring enabling the AMRAP Airplay feature for artists to track their music on community radio.
• Charles Sturt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with CBAA to produce National Radio News (NRN) service from a newsroom on the Bathurst campus, providing national news bulletins for the community broadcasting sector.
• Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partner for the community broadcasting sector in this co-regulatory scheme. CBAA works with ACMA on Codes of Practice and sector governance.
• Community Media Training Organisation (CMTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered training organisation delivering management and media training for community radio station staff, managers, and board members.
• First Nations Media AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational peak body for First Nations broadcasting and communications. CBAA collaborates on initiatives like CONVERGE conference and First Sounds program.
• Local & Independent News Association (LINA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association supporting digital and independent news publishers. CBAA and LINA co-govern the Online Community forums with shared community guidelines.
• Deutsche Welle (DW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's international broadcaster providing content for community radio stations through the new CRN Bundle including BBC News World Service.
• McNair yellowSquarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch firm providing the Community Radio National Listener Survey, the main provider of listener research for the broadcasting sector with sample of 16,000 Australians.
• Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organisation providing licences to Australian businesses to play recorded music, with net fees distributed to record labels and Australian artists.
• Disability Media AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational peak body for Radio Reading Network. CBAA CEO Jon Bisset also serves as CEO of Disability Media Australia, the peak body for community radio services for Australians with print disability.
• Spots and SpaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational media sales partner for culturally and linguistically diverse media, connecting advertisers with community and specialist media on behalf of CBAA.
• Christian Media and Arts AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeak body for Christians in media and arts, providing advocacy, creativity support, unity and excellence for its members.
• The Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the national organ and tissue donation program, partnering with CBAA for community broadcasting content and awareness campaigns.
• Powerd MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability-led media platform showcasing quality content by and for people with disability, aiming to amplify voices and tell authentic stories.
• Griffith UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity ranked in top 2% globally with partnerships in community broadcasting research and sector development.
• Monash UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic research university collaborating on community broadcasting research and sector insights.
• Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational screen arts and broadcast school providing training and education pathways for community broadcasting sector.
• South Australian Community Broadcasters Association (SACBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeak body for community broadcasters in South Australia, collaborating on conferences and sector initiatives.
• Southern Community Media AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommitted to development of community radio sector through training opportunities, open discussion, and network support.
• Volunteering AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational peak body working to advance volunteering, collaborating on volunteer recognition initiatives like International Volunteer Day.
• The Centre for VolunteeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeak body for volunteering in NSW providing resources, training and tools supporting best practice in volunteer management.
• HWL EbsworthminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLeading commercial law firm providing legal services and advice to community broadcasting sector.
• KBIminorOthersSpecialist insurance brokerage serving the community broadcasting sector.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC): Australia's national public broadcaster and a major recipient of federal funding. While a broadcaster rather than a peak body, ABC is the dominant public-service audio platform in Australia and a key sector participant alongside CBAA-supported community stations.
• Special Broadcasting Service (SBS): Australian public multilingual radio and television network. Publicly funded broadcaster serving multicultural and First Nations audiences — overlapping mission with CBAA's community and multicultural broadcasting members.
• Commercial Radio & Audio: Australian peak body for commercial radio broadcasters, representing major networks. Sector-adjacent incumbent with similar peak-body and advocacy role for the Australian radio industry, but commercial rather than community.
• National Association of Broadcasters: Predominant US trade association for commercial and public broadcasters. Much larger and broader in scope than CBAA, but serves the same fundamental function of representing and advocating for the broadcasting industry to government.

Direct peers

• Community Media Association: The UK national membership body for community media organizations, providing training, advocacy, and sector support analogous to CBAA. Closest international functional analog in terms of mission and member-driven services.
• World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC): International peak body for community radio with members across 100+ countries. AMARC operates at a global scale but performs the same sector representation, advocacy, and capacity-building function CBAA performs nationally.
• Australian Community Television Alliance: National alliance for Australian community television stations. Sister peak body for community TV — analogous structure, mission, and member base to CBAA, just for the television rather than radio segment of community broadcasting.
• National Federation of Community Broadcasters: US national membership organization for community radio stations, providing advocacy, training, and resources. Direct US analog to CBAA with similar peak-body function for non-commercial community broadcasting.
• First Nations Media Australia: Australian national peak body for First Nations broadcasting and communications. Direct domestic peer and active CBAA collaborator (CONVERGE conference, First Sounds program), serving an overlapping but distinct member base.

Others

• Community Broadcasting Foundation: Australian federally-funded not-for-profit that distributes grants to community broadcasting organizations. CBAA's largest funding partner — economically essential counterpart rather than a competitor, but deeply intertwined with CBAA's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzB5H3dNv5gR5K3NlNX8J_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityBroadcasting
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityradioplus
• Xx.com/CBAA_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community Broadcasting Association of Australia