ABC FM "Strike Up the Band" Taken Off Air
VBL Delegates Express Their Concern

Listeners to ABC FM on Saturday 30th January 2010 must have been taken by surprise when presenter Karl Akers announced that it was the final program. Our recollection is that Karl has been associated with the program for 13 years, firstly as its producer, and more latterly as its presenter. Bandpersons will have seen him over that period at successive Australian National Band Championships recording many of the items, including those of the "Gala Concerts". He paid tribute to Victoria's Chris Earl, who helped him with those efforts, and who published the resulting CDs.

Karl did not specifically say why the program was finishing, although one got the impression that he wasn't really going willingly. Just "Don't come next week.". We presume it's the usual "spin doctor" stuff of "It's time for a change" - the reason given for the removal of the Melbourne Staff Band of the Salvation Army from Melbourne's Carols By Candlelight some years ago. Or maybe, with Karl based in Western Australia they didn't want to fund his trip to Hobart for the 2010 Nationals!

Bands of our type get little enough exposure on the air waves these days, and every program that disappears makes it even less. Thank goodness for community radio stations such as 3MBS, 3INR, 3CR and 3ECB (Eastern FM) who are still presenting band music. There are others in more rural areas too. (We think it's time for us to compile a list of these programs and put them up on this web site. The usual printed newspaper program guides only include a community station if they pay for the privilege.)

At the VBL Delegates' Special Meeting on 31st January the Delegates expressed their concern at this reduction in exposure within the radio medium and urged bands to write to the ABC expressing their disappointment. They also requested that a letter be sent to the ABC on behalf of the VBL. We urge concerned individuals to do the same.

To write, send your letter to :-
ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs
GPO Box 9994
MELBOURNE Vic 3001 (or Your Capital City if outside Victoria)