Tuesday, July 20, 2010

The First Jewish Radio Station in Melbourne LionFm 96.1 Proudly Only On Air 24/6


Lion FM has in its constitution:
4. To encourage and assist the development of Jewish social, religious and cultural life in Victoria;




38 Broadcasting
38.1 The Association shall broadcast programmes at such times and with such frequency as the Committee may determine from time to time but in no event shall it broadcast on:
38.1.1 Shabbat;
38.1.2 Rosh Hashana;
38.1.3 Yom Kippur
unless it shall be on such terms and conditions as shall be determined by a Rabbi nominated by the Council of Orthodox Synagogues Victoria (“COSV”)


Lion FM could be taken off air by the Media Authority (ACMA) if it failed to obey its constitution - so halacha here is actually re-inforced by the Commonwealth Government..





As a further point of information, the transmitter is run (only) by a pre-loaded computer during Shabbat.



(Thanks to The Repenting Jewess readers who brought this to my attention.)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

".....Halacha is being reinforced by the Commonwealth Government......?"
This is Australia 2010.
You also overlook that just as Halacha forbids work on Shabbat, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (see your quotation) , it also forbids work in Pesach, Shavuot and Suckot - something that Lion fm, nor the Commonwealth Government seem to take into consideration.

July said...

As a further point of information, the transmitter is run (only) by a pre-loaded computer during Shabbat.

Interested said...

I am interested in what the station intends to with the Shabbat times, and holy days in the calandar.

The radio station's opening program mentioned the 24/6 programming - does this mean that a Jewish Friendly group might be offered programming on these days and times, or will the radio station shut to silence over these times ?

Also, I am dissapointed i cant hear replays of day time shows at night because I can't listen in working hours.

I also heard on the grapevine that there's someone wanting to take over the station already - its only been on air for 3 weeks - whats going on ?

Eli said...

The Beit Din approved the arrngment, so what's the problem? Why try to be frummer than them?

RJ said...

As far as I know, there are plans to put programs on the website in podcasts so anyone can listen to them at their leisure.

The the programming on Shabbos and Yom Tov will have nothing to do with Jews or Jewish content.

And there are probably people and or factions that are trying to take over. One would expect for this to happen, as we are Jews and this is what usually happens. Not to worry.

chaiim said...

This is Australia mate. If you want a license for a community radio station one MUST broadcast something 7 days a week - to win an exceedingly hard to get Community Broadcasting License you need to be on air 24/7. The constitution goes just as far as ACMA would probably accept. What's more -- there is nobody at ACMA (the media authority) to tell you where there is a possible available hole in the FM spectrum - Lion FM had to discover this hole -- which exists because the Lion looking at the alloted frequency and corresponding regions for ALL existing Melbourne Community FM stations found that broadcasting from the CBD -- but blocking transmission towards Geelong would not interfere with coverage of existing stations in their notionally assigned areas. So it was a long and complex task to get transmission. I am sorry if you find this comment complex -- but if so I am sure that you have not the capability to follow the halachic reasoning behind the COSV decision to support this station which is bound by a most cogent constitution. YOU don't have to listen.

Anonymous said...

Eli- which Beth Din are you referring to?
Can't be the Melbourne Beth Din as they only handle divorces and conversions.

Anonymous said...

Chaim - are you able to substantiate your statement that the COSV supports this station ?
Cannot seem to find any reference or endorsement on the website of either organization.

Eli said...

The Rabbis from COSV. They're good Orthodox Rabbis. Good enough for me.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
How many Jewish websites are there and they still operate on shabbat ??? i can still browse and log into these websites during the shabbat ! Do they take it "off air" during the shabbat ? I don't think so, it's just not being updated. I love Lion FM, it's 24/6 and i'm proud of it. I keep the Shabbat. We don't have to make a big deal of it. and have a shabbat shalom !

Anonymous said...

what about shalosh regalim?
Don't they count?

The Repenting Jewess said...

This Jewish radio station is a wonderful initiative for our community yet, some people want to find fault with it. No one is forced to listen to the radio on Yom Tov just like no one is forced to go on websites from Aish, Lubavitch, or anyone else on Yom Tov. Nevertheless, these are still up and running and there has never been a single Rabbinic authority who has paskened that this is forbidden. To you naysayers out there, I won't post your stupid comments any longer because you are probably motivated by jealousy. You are not builders, you are destroyers. Don't listen to the radio station and crawl back under your proverbial rocks.

chaiim said...

Anomynous left a comment suggesting that the scope of the Melbourne Beth Din is necessarily limited to divorce and conversion -- and not even Kashruth matters. Historically this is most certainly false. As to the current
situation do Google to the Melbourne Beth Din's website where you'll read:

"Subject to the availability of funds, it is intended to appoint a permanent Av Beth Din to expand the jurisdiction of the Beth Din into the areas of Kashrut, Commercial and Private Dispute Resolution, Mediation and other services more properly suited to a fully functioning and effective Beth Din in a modern society"

Anonymous said...

Chaiim - the quote that you refer to has been there for a long time. You will also read on the site that the Beth Din was reconstituted in 2002. In all that time, they still only look after divorces and conversions.