• Charles Sturt University’s National Radio News (NRN) enters new two-year agreement with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA)
• NRN is the only university-operated national newsroom, providing students a rare opportunity to work and study in one place
• A new News Director will lead the renewed hourly news bulletins

Regional journalism continues to thrive at Charles Sturt University with a new two-year agreement for National Radio News (NRN) to produce news bulletins for the community broadcasting sector.

The University-operated broadcast news service operates through the 2MCE Community Radio station at Charles Sturt in Bathurst.

Charles Sturt recently entered into a new two-year agreement with the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA), supported by the Community Broadcasting Foundation, for NRN to continue its production of hourly news bulletins to serve the community broadcasting sector.

NRN currently reaches over 1.5 million listeners per week in every state and territory.

2MCE and NRN Manager Ms Rebecca Wotzko said NRN has been serving the community broadcasting sector for almost 30 years.

“NRN started in 1997 under the leadership of former 2MCE station manager Mr Ian Stanistreet OAM with the support of academics from the then-School of Communication,” Ms Wotzko said.

“At the time, Ian said, ‘What makes this news service distinctive is its ability to interact with the community radio sector – to seek and receive reports from local stations on events of national significance’, and this still rings true today.”

Since the news service first broadcast, countless Charles Sturt communication students have passed through the newsroom doors, gaining valuable experience working alongside professional journalists before being snapped up by newsrooms and media organisations across the country.

Mr Matthew Adams (pictured top), a third-year Bachelor of Communication student in the Charles Sturt School of Information and Communication Studies, said the opportunity to work at NRN was invaluable.

"The practical experiences I have gained while learning and working at NRN will give me a head-start on other communication graduates when entering the industry,” Mr Adams said.

“Because NRN is on campus, it also makes for an easy transition from class to the busy newsroom environment.”

In the last 12 months alone, Charles Sturt students who have worked at NRN have gone on to be employed at major media organisations, including ABC, 2GB, WIN, Seven News and Sky News.

NRN has also welcomed a new News Director, Charles Sturt alumna Ms Shannon Kirkwood (pictured top), an experienced journalist and editor.

“NRN is a strong example of work integrated learning where students apply what they have learned in their communication course to a professional newsroom,” Ms Kirkwood said.

“The students work on a diverse range of stories for the hourly bulletins and in doing so, amplify diverse voices in line with the community broadcasting sector’s Roadmap 2033.

“Not one day in the newsroom is the same, so we might have students speaking to a touring young musician one hour, followed by a resident from a flood-impacted regional community the next.

“By embracing the unique opportunity National Radio News provides, students are learning how to become socially responsible journalists; an invaluable asset in this industry and part of what makes Charles Sturt’s Bachelor of Communication really distinctive.”

CBAA CEO Mr Jon Bisset said it was wonderful to be able to continue supporting a vibrant, region-based newsroom.

“Our sector reaches almost 5.14 million people weekly, often in communities that don’t see themselves represented in mainstream media,” Mr Bisset said. “NRN connects those audiences with news that is independent, regionally produced and nationally relevant.

“NRN is a service that not only benefits subscribing stations but also strengthens the diversity of Australia’s media landscape, so we’re glad to be continuing our partnership with Charles Sturt University and NRN to support this essential work.”