Are You Ready To Talk, Mr Coutts?

Greetings to members of CCBI and Friends.

Since February, I on behalf of the Friends of 4CCR have been trying unsuccessfully to make contact with Mr Coutts so that we could have a chat on the various proposals I believe would restore harmony to and the community’s trust in a besieged radio station.

Features that distinguish humans from other creatures are our intelligence, our ability to rationalise and to communicate. Once we abandon these attributes and become insular and/or mute we are doing mankind a profound disservice.

Regretfully, I have to report that Mr Coutts despite my best endeavours has stonewalled my overtures of goodwill, instead choosing to redirect all correspondence to 4CCR’s solicitors. I still await meaningful contact from this source as well.

The Friends are aware of the precarious relationship that exists between 4CCR and its regulator the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA). The Agreed Measures that were imposed as a condition of the renewal of the radio station’s licence have not been substantially implemented.

The Friends are aware of the extent of previous formal investigations. I understand that there are ongoing investigations due to further complaints. ACMA have taken the capricious refusal of membership seriously and will be reporting back to 4CCR with its deliberations in May.

Mindful of the ramifications of any adverse findings, and to obviate the need for further complaints, the Friends diligently prepared a Memorandum of Understanding http://friendsof4ccr.org/content/draft-memorandum-understanding for negotiation between the 4CCR’s Board of Management and the Friends.

It was a simple document recognising the problems of 4CCR, offering the Friends’ goodwill and proposing plausible solutions. The document was not final but in draft form and was a starting point only. It was the Friends’ fervent hope to have an accord between 4CCR and the Friends before the release of ACMA’s findings in May 2010.

I do believe that there is good in both bodies and my desire is to bring together those of similar interest and work for the common good of the radio station.

It saddens me that the Memorandum of Understanding remains on my desk gathering dust while lingering animosity between executive members of 4CCR and the Friends remains unresolved and mistrust continues.

To this day the Friends remain concerned about the outcomes of an adverse finding by ACMA and will not sit idle. To this end the Friends are currently drafting a Reform Vision Plan that includes amongst many items a restructuring of the Board of Management, and a timetable for complying with the ACMA’s Agreed Measures and the upgrading of the infrastructure on Mt Yarrabah.

The Friends’ Goals http://friendsof4ccr.org/content/goals-friends-cairns-community-radio-89... and the Memorandum of Understanding will form part of the Reform Vision Plan.

I, as Chairperson of the Friends welcome members of CCBI to have input into drafting the Reform Vision Plan. If you wish to be part of the solution I ask you to contact me via my email address or phone. These contact details are at the bottom of this letter.

In the meanwhile, the Friends with your valued input will continue drafting the Reform Vision Plan. Before final adoption of the Reform Vision Plan by the Friends I will use this website to present the final draft.

The above proposal will be reported to ACMA so as to keep them informed of the Friends’ Reform Vision Plan should ACMA find the deteriorating situation untenable and seek a sustainable solution.

Valued CCBI members please understand the situation as it exists today cannot continue unresolved. Mr Coutts and your Board of Management need to face reality. A solution must be found to the impasse. The Friends offer you the opportunity to be part of the solution. Come join us!

Yours sincerely,
Ross Parisi

ross...@yahoo.com.au
Office 40 381005
Mbl. 0419 645 818