Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA), the peak industry body for commercial radio broadcasters in Australia, has called for immediate action to ensure free, easy, and reliable access to Australian radio on smart devices such as speakers and cars.

CRA has submitted a proposal to the Senate inquiry on the Prominence and Anti-siphoning Bill, which is aimed at ensuring easy free-to-air television access on smart TVs. CRA argues that the Bill needs to include radio.

CRA CEO, Ford Ennals, emphasised the importance of easy access to local radio during emergencies such as bushfires, storms, floods, or traffic incidents. "It is essential to both the radio industry and Australian communities that there is always free, easy, and universal access to Australian radio on smart speakers and in cars," he said. "If Australians cannot easily access local radio during emergencies such as bushfires, storms, floods, or traffic incidents, it can be an issue of community safety."

Ennals expressed concern that if the Bill passes without any inclusion of radio, the opportunity for this important reform would be lost. He also highlighted the increasing control of global tech giants over the audio content that can be accessed on smart devices. "As smart devices become more prevalent, global tech giants are becoming more in control of the audio content that we can access - they are, in essence, the gatekeepers," he stated.

CRA is calling for regulations to be introduced immediately for smart speakers, which could be applied to connected cars and other devices in the future. "All Australians need easy access to local radio, whether they are using a smart speaker or driving a connected car," Ennals said.

He also underscored the essential service provided by commercial radio. "Commercial radio provides an essential service - our stations provide local news, entertainment, and information, and we play Australian music," he said.

Regional commercial radio stations are required to broadcast three hours of local content per day, and stations are required to play a quota of Australian music, depending on their category. CRA's submission on the Communications Legislation Amendment can be viewed online.