It is said that most people join a club, be it golf, tennis or dance, for one of three main reasons. Some because they want to improve their game. Others for the social interaction. And some because they want to become president. This aphorism could also apply to community radio. But while many golf clubs are tightly run businesses with highly paid and qualified management, community stations are often run by enthusiastic amateurs. All too often we hear of community stations crippled by in-fighting amongst volunteers. In just the past 10 days alone, two community stations battling this type of problem have been in the news. Is it bad management or just the nature of the beast?

Last week, all of the Deepwater announcing staff and some from the Glen Innes studios of 2CBD FM went on strike. As the Glen Innes Examiner reports, “Those involved are unhappy with how the community radio station is being run.”

The week before, we ran the story about Melbourne’s Jewish community station, Lion FM, that went off air after its temporary licence had expired. But in the 12 months while it was on air, it was beset by bickering between political and religious factions who each wanted the station to reflect their particular world view.

People work for all sorts of reasons, but volunteers certainly don’t do it for the money. The classic Australian movie Ballroom Dancing encapsulated many of the reasons why people participate in an endeavour without financial reward and the pitfalls that go with it.

There is nothing wrong with volunteering because you want to make an impact on the community. And a healthy ego is just as much a requirement for a successful volunteer presenter as it is for professionals.

But radio licences are granted with the intent of benefiting the broader community, not just the people involved in the radio station.

In your experience, are community stations too often plagued by self-indulgence, the natural enemy of good radio whether it be commercial, government or community?

If so, how would you address it?