Membership and Subscription

Subscribing to community radio is a key way for listeners to indicate their support for their community broadcasters.  There are considerable benefits in being a subscriber of Gippsland FM. These are outlined as follow:

Membership benefits

Besides becoming a valued supporter of your local community radio station and being a person or group that is prepared to assist the station in its role of serving the local community, you are also eligible to receive a range of other benefits which include:

• Regular issues of our station newsletter with all the programme details and information on what's happening around the station;
• Opportunity to participate in the programming policy and other governance issues relating to community broadcasting; and
• Other benefits from time to time, including discounts at local businesses and other special offers that the station has from time to time.

Subscription Categories

Subscription is split into 2 categories:

• Subscribers (listener supporters), and
• Station Participants (station presenters/support workers).

Subscription Costs

Annual Levy (subject to change, current as at May 2007)

Station Participant:	$55
Participant (Concession):	$33
Participant (Group/Family):	$110
Station Subscriber:	$25
Subscriber (Group/Family):	$50

Annual levies are due around 1 September each year. For new members who join part way through a year, full payment is required on application and a pro-rata payment will be applied in the second year of membership.

Concession rates apply only to full time students, pensioners and unemployed. Cheques should be made payable to "Gippsland Community Radio".

The above fees include 10% GST (payable only on annual levy) on all Australian subscriptions.

Membership Status

There are two categories of Membership:

• Full member - a shareholder of the Co-operative

• Associate member - not a shareholder of the Co-operative

Full Membership

This is where an individual or group becomes a shareholder in the co-operative which owns Gippsland FM. Full Members have voting rights, the right to stand for election to the Board and opportunities to have a say in the running of the station.

It should be noted that in accordance with the Co-operatives Act 1996 (Victoria), certain conditions apply to Full Members under the age of 18, as follows:

• A member of a co-operative is not entitled to avoid any obligation or liability as a member under any contract, deed or other document entered into as a member on any ground relating to minority.
• A person under the age of 18 years is not competent to hold any office in a co-operative.
• A member of a co-operative who is under 18 years of age is not entitled to vote.
• Full members must own at least one share. Applicants must pay a $1.00 deposit per $5.00 share at the time of joining. (The nominal value of each share is a fixed $5.00 amount). Thereafter, full members only need to pay the annual levy to remain financial members, although the remainder of the share price could be called at any time (subject to conditions).

Associate Membership

Persons under the age of 18, or persons who do not wish to be voting members of the co-operative, can choose to become Associate Members (i.e. Associate Subscriber, Associate Station Participant). Associate Members only need to pay the annual levy and receive the same benefits as their subscription type, except those rights identified above for full members.

Print, complete and post to P O Box 579 Morwell 3840