Sovereign and self-determined voices in community media – a listening guide
Below is a listening guide to a selection of programs (with links), which prioritises sovereign and self-determined voices on community radio—First Nations voices, refugee and asylum seeker voices, women of colour, migrant diaspora communities, and intersectional voices.
A PDF version of the listening guide (Dec 2021) is available here.
Community radio programs
First Nations news and stories for South Australian Aboriginal communities. Presented by the South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS).
A program by and about women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with a commitment to progressive politics.
With its beginnings as a radical, anti-apartheid program over 30 years ago, the show has expanded to embrace every wave of African migrants to Australia. Features news, interviews, and music.
An interactive Indigenous current affairs program spotlighting everyday local Indigenous voices and connections made through social media. Hosted by Viv Malo.
Your alternative to talkback. Interviews, discussion, feature stories and news; informed and approachable politics and current affairs. Hosted by Shami Sivasubramanian and Chantelle Al-Khouri.
The latest news in Indigenous music and theatre with First Nations presenter Robbie Thorpe.
Reporting on local and national blak news and current affairs from an Aboriginal woman's perspective. Hosted by Blak Betty.
Flagship program presenting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander news and views, hosed by Lola Forester. Blackchat informs its national audience on a range of current issues and celebrates the excellence of First Nations people across Australia.
Annual radio series held each year during NAIDOC week, dedicated to giving voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women in the Victorian prison system.
News and current affairs show hosted by Tangiora Hinaki, bringing new local stories from the Pilbara and Kimberley.
Focuses on positive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories from around Victoria. Hosted by Charles Pakana.
Diaspora Blues provides a platform for people interested in ideas about home, community, and belonging. Hosted by Bigoa and Baasto and produced by Ayan Shirwa.
Hosted by PJ (Patrick Johnathan) who co-found the radio program African Connection on Radio Skid Row in the 1980s. Dial Afrika shares the music PJ loves and has collected with the wider community.
An open forum, presenting information and discussion around issues faced by prisoners in the criminal justice system and migration detention centres. Strong First Nations focus. Hosted by Marisa and Peter.
First Nations news and current affairs show broadcasting from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley Region of WA.
A historically informed, critical analysis of Aboriginal affairs and the ongoing political movement for land rights, treaty, sovereignty and the cessation of genocide. Hosted by Robbie Thorpe.
A musical journey into the world of traditional and contemporary African music. Hosted by Stani Goma.
media platform (website and mobile app) where users can listen live, listen back, and access a diverse range of First Nations content—including current affairs and talks programming from 27 contributing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander radio stations across the continent.
Mix of music, guests and yarns for Indigenous mob all over Australia. Hosted by Jonathan Lindsay-Tjapaltjarri Hermawan (Jonzy).
Celebrating the creative genius of melanin-soaked people - locally, nationally and worldwide.
Interviews and yarns, deadly discussions, community announcements and alternative news, what's on, what's wombah, as well as music from Indigenous artists.
News and current affairs that focuses on all relevant First Nations issues from a First Nations standpoint. Hosted by Boe Spearim and Karina Hogan.
An intersectional feminist program and give voice to various marginalised communities featuring news, opinions, and interviews, as well as music.
Exploring the issues that impact the lives of Aboriginal people and those at the wrong end of social justice in this country. Presented by Daniel James
First Nations-produced and presented magazine-style news and current affairs program. Produced by the National Indigenous Radio Service.
National talkback program which focuses on inspiring hope in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Presented by Gudju Gudju (Seith) Fourmile, or Trevor Tim (Trendy Trev).
Local, national and international issues, as well as news of cultural and community events. Nunga Wangga means black fellas talking.
OUR VOICES will take you straight to the community’s ins and outs. Topics have no boundaries it’s just what the mob want to say and do.
News and views regarding the Palestinian situation. Bringing listeners the untold side of the Palestinian/ Israeli conflict. Hosted by Yousef Alreemawi, Nasser Mashni & Robert Martin.
PNG music, the latest news, community awareness and announcements of events and other relevant information ranging from education, health and other related community issues to the PNG and wider community in Cairns. In English and Tok-psin.
Queer current affairs with an anti-racist, feminist, and anti-capitalist bent. We have a particular interest in the intersection of queerness with other experiences of marginalisation.
Conversations between people of colour about the ways we understand and value our racial and cultural identities; race, culture, arts and current affairs. Hosted by Sara Khan and Darren Lesaguis.
The Rap weaves conversations about culture, politics, literature, art and music into a weekly mix.
Presented by Areej Nur.
Fortnightly podcast giving refugees from all around Australia a voice to share their stories. Hosted by Syrian twins Sarah and Maya Ghassali. 1 season, 12 episodes.
First Nations talks program that creates a space to review, and contemplate, subjects you may not have thought about enough. Hosted by Shiralee Hood (Nyoongar, Kurnai and Gunditjmara).
The latest news from Sierra Leone, along with interviews and music. The program is a meeting place for people who have arrived in Sydney and need to connect with their brothers and sisters.
Music and interviews with Indigenous community, and other peoples of colour speaking from their unique position as voices in the now that represent ongoing cultural and decolonial narratives. Presented by Neil Morris and Paul Gorrie.
Flagship magazine program with up to date Aboriginal current affairs daily. Produced by Paul Wiles and hosted by Damien Williams, Lorena Walker, Paul Wiles, and Philippe Perez.
A podcast series which centres Indigenous voices amongst multicultural Waterloo residents to critique colonisation and gentrification showing there is a Blak History to your flat white. 2 series. Hosted by Lorna Munro and Joel Sherwood Spring.
Current affairs, media analysis, alternative media. Hosted by Carly Baque, Max Castle, Scheherazade Bloul, Cait Kelly, Priya Kunjan and Rosie Isaac.
Current affairs, media analysis, alternative media. Hosted by Lauren Bull, Zoya Gill, Madison Griffith and Genevieve Siggins.
Giving voice to the local African community to tell their stories through music and spoken word.
Issues-focused talks program presented by West Papuan activists and community members who voice the aspirations of Papua's struggle, share songs, interviews, music and stories.
Co hosted by Huna Amweero and Sydnye Allen and centering Black diaspora perspectives on issues of concern, struggles and strengths of Black and Indigenous communities in Australia and overseas.
Dr Chelsea Bond and Angelina Hurley discuss all the things that made them wild this week.
National feminist current affairs program with a gender analysis of contemporary issues, as well as in-depth analysis by a range of women and gender diverse people around Australia and internationally. Hosted by Amy McMurtrie, Anya Saravanan, Ayan Shirwa, Emma Hart, and Iris Lee.
Coming soon: keep an ear out for a new podcast series which will explore the feminist strategies of women of colour – how they fight against gender injustice inside families and communities, while also fighting racism and poverty from the wider world. Produced by Rose Nakad.
Voices, views, news and issues of concern and interest for women, girls and families; interviews with local community members. Hosted by Maureen Mopio.
Issues-focused talks program presented by women from diverse ethnic backgrounds on a range of issues and interests.
First Nations issues-focused talks program connecting Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people together.
Informative program for women in the community, focused on a number of different topics such as health, education, child –rearing practices, employment and career paths.
Podcasts and audio series
A selection of talks and issues-focussed podcasts/audio series that foreground sovereign and self-determined voices from First Nations, refugee/asylum seeker, and intersectional standpoints, made by or in collaboration with community. Some podcasts have been made in collaboration with community broadcasters (SYN, 2SER, FBi); others have been produced in partnership with larger news organisations venturing into audio storytelling and narrative journalism (e.g. NITV or Guardian); others still are outcomes of academic research projects (UTS and UNSW) or diversity initiatives (Media Diversity Australia, Diversity Arts Australia). A few are entirely independently produced.
The fourth and final episode of the ‘Stories Worth Telling’ podcast, ‘First on the Ground’, considers the best Indigenous reporting from around the world and identifies the changes that are needed to see better First Nations representation in leading media networks. Featuring Rachel Hocking, Tanya Talaga and Marlee Silva.
The Big Dorrie is a podcast produced by the Koori Mail Newspaper. Grab a cuppa, kick off your shoes and join Naomi Moran & Luke Carroll for a Dorrie about … everything!
Koori Mail News is a podcast about what’s affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with details from the latest edition of the Koori Mail.
A podcast which ‘flips the script on who we include, who we don’t, and how we can do better in everything from gender, race, mental health and disability, through to the inclusion of LGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities’. Two seasons.
A five-part series that brings together media researchers, historians, former policy makers and Aboriginal journalists whose work is disrupting the patterns of the past. The podcast is inspired by the book 'Does the Media Fail Aboriginal Political Aspirations?: 45 years of news media reporting of key political moments’
A podcast series launched today by Guardian Australia and 2SER which tells the story of David Dungay Jr., a young Dunghatti man who died in Long Bay jail in 2015 after a disagreement about a packet of biscuits.
The Colour Cycle aims to ‘disrupt cultural whitewashing and examines whether Australia’s Arts and Cultural sector looks like Australia’.
A podcast on the darkest parts of our justice system; investigates the wrongful conviction and murder trial of Kevin “Curtain” Henry, from Rockhampton Queensland. Hosted by Amy McQuire and Martin Hodgson.
6-part podcast series in which Angelina Hurley is joined by Greg Kitson and a host of special guests to discuss First Nations protocols.
Explores the intersectionality of identity within the arts, pop culture, social media and beyond. Hosted by Ayebatonye Abrakasa.
Boe Spearim speaks with different Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people about research, books and oral histories that document the first 140 years of conflict and resistance against colonisation.
Independent podcast hosted by Belize Kriol woman Shantel Wetherall, Hey Aunty! gives voice to ‘black women, fems and non-binary siblings in Australia. Connecting Sisters across cultures and generations and showing that there are millions of ways to be magical’.
Current affairs podcast from the NITV news online team, hosted by Jack Latimore and others.
This podcast presents a collection of First Peoples voices, sharing their experiences, dreams, hopes and beliefs. Hosted by Wiradjuri woman, Mayrah Sonter.
An eight-part narrative podcast from the UNSW Centre for Ideas and Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law and co-produced with Guardian Australia. Features the stories of six asylum seekers living in Australia. Presented by Sisonke Msimang with Ben Doherty.
An eight-part narrative podcast from the UNSW Centre for Ideas and Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law and co-produced with Guardian Australia. Features the stories of six asylum seekers living in Australia. Presented by Sisonke Msimang with Ben Doherty.
Five part narrative podcast series focusing on the impacts of Australia’s border policies from the perspective of refugees waiting in Indonesia to be resettled. Co-hosted by Nicole Curby and Mozhgan Moarefizadeh.
Hosted by three Asian Australian women—writer Hannah-Rose Yee, blogger Peony Lim and photographer Kit Lee—the hosts explore this question in relation to ‘their varied and shared heritage, and the issues, complexities and absurdities of their lives’.