Radio news

Vision Australia Radiothon is on now, June 1 to 30

01 June 2020
  • Do Vision Australia Radio’s newspaper reading programs keep you informed daily?
  • Do you benefit from our range specialist radios shows and book readings?
  • Is a free and accessible information service on radio and podcast important to you?

If so, Vision Australia Radio needs your help!

The cost of keeping our radio service free and widely available to people who are blind, have low vision or a print disability continues to grow annually, with operating costs exceeding 2 million dollars including unavoidable transmission costs that surpass $750,000.

For the month of June, we’re celebrating our fantastic reading service and asking our listeners, friends and family to support us. If every one of our monthly listeners donated just $2 each this June, we’d have $1.4 million! It would be a big way towards all the funds we need to continue running this amazing service year on year.

One of the ways we continue to stay on air is thanks to our more than 600 volunteers across Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Albury and regional Victoria who give thousands of hours a year to keep us broadcasting.

We know people are doing it tough during the COVID-19 pandemic but support for our essential service is needed more than ever. If you could spare any money, you would help us combat the increasing costs that we have to pay in order to broadcast.

Did you know?

  • 36% of our listeners self-identify as living with a disability*;
  • 44% speak a language other than English at home*;
  • 701,000 people tune in across Australia in an average month*

What can you do?

Vision Australia Radio is the largest independently run community radio network in Australia. Like all community radio stations we rely on the support of our sponsors, volunteers, some government funding and those who donate to keep us on-air.

You can make a one-off tax deductible donation of $2 or more, by heading to varadio.org/VARdonate or set a monthly amount via the same link to support our radio service. Alternatively call 1800 422 077 to give via phone. Remember to inform the telephone operator that you wish to support our radio service.

Check out our podcast with Vision Australia Patron Sir Gustav Nossal, where Sir Gus speaks of his life and times and the importance of supporting a good cause.

To get an idea of what we have been up to over the last 12 months, please click here for radio news on our website.

Our podcast downloads are growing dramatically. This link takes you to our podcasts page, where you can listen to the various content that is valued by our community.

 

* Data extracted from the following research:

The National Listener Survey - conducted by McNair yellowSquares Survey 2018 Wave #2 - January 2019 – Victoria  (n=2,627) Perth  (n=2,067) Adelaide (n=2,038).