QUEENSLAND'S GERMAN CONNECTIONS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

“Listen and participate!”

4EB FM’s mission is “to provide the communities of Brisbane a comprehensive ethnic broadcasting service of a high standard, whilst at all times promoting the principles of neutrality, independence, democracy, diversity and participation at all levels of multicultural radio.” Providing ‘specialised radio’ to suit people who speak a language other than English as well as those with a keen interest in culture, Brisbane’s only multilingual radio station broadcasts 24/7, ‘sharing the world with you’ in over 50 different languages. 4EB FM 98.1 has studios located at 140 Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane (beneath the Story Bridge) with a sound-proof digital recording studio. 4EB FM language groups have their program air- time allotted according to the number of paid-up members in each group – the station now has over 4,500 members. Each 4EB group has an elected convenor and members elect a board of directors who make decisions for all groups. The group convenors meet regularly to discuss programs and changes, and 4EB FM encourages new groups to join and will help groups establish their programs. A ‘general group’ is also available to interested supporters who may not necessarily identify with one particular ethnic group or language, and all members are kept informed with regular newsletters. Radio 4EB FM wishes to acknowledge the generous financial support it receives from the Community Broadcasting Foundation, an independent nonprofit funding agency that solicits and distributes funds for the maintenance and development of community broadcasting in Australia. 4eb.org.au

The German Language Group acknowledges all of its ‘family’ – the announcers and staff of the past 33 years – among them: Bernhard Wenzel, Gabi Simon, Karl Schubert, Carmen Birkenstock, Roswitha McKinlay, Walter Rosteck, Egon Coy, Sigrid Parlato, Harald Bleyer, Juergen Wittenberg, Irmgard Hoffmann, Elisabeth Esprester, John Portmann, Annemarie Kofler, Inge & Dieter Fiolka, Edita Rode, Don Hepburn, Regina Streim and Jenny Oehl. Many of our loyal listeners are still with the station since the early years, and continue to enjoy the programs presented by long-serving volunteer announcers like our colleagues Marianne Prell, Margret Gleisenberg and Fred Schack and Richard Hamernik; young Thomas Wright has stepped up to the mike for the newer generations of listeners. 4EB in Queensland can now be also heard on the internet, and recently stepped into the digital age with the new ‘Global’ callsign on the digital dial, alongside FM 98.1.

The cast of a German radio play ‘ham it up’ for the photgrapher, in the 4EB studio in March 1993. Image courtesy Wolfgang Kreuzer (on the right).

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