All six members of Amrap (Australian Music Radio Airplay Project) have left the CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia) offices due to a restructure which they claim is "threatening" the team.
The organisation, which is influential in distributing new Australian music to community radio, claims the restructure will spread Amrap members across numerous CBAA departments, making it difficult to separate its operations and finances from the CBAA.
A video message from Amrap regards the move as "a final attempt to absorb Amrap into the CBAA".
Amrap members has since established 'The Republic Of AMRAP' — a "peaceful action to protect AMRAP from being dissolved into the CBAA".
A statement published on the AMRAP website reads, "The restructure benefits the CBAA at the expense of Amrap’s financial transparency and future.
"We’re calling on the Community Broadcasting Foundation to cancel the CBAA’s management of Amrap, place Amrap into caretaker mode, and identify a new management structure that includes community radio, and music sector representatives."
Amrap is calling for the community to appeal to the Community Broadcasting Foundation though a letter of support; click here for more details.
"It has become untenable to perform Amrap duties under the management of the CBAA," the statement concludes
"But we want to ensure that Australian musicians and community broadcasters don’t suffer."
Watch the full video message from the Republic of Amrap below.
The Music has contacted CBAA for comment.
