Ethnic Radio in Australia and Slovene Language Broadcasting: Delevopment and Direction

This paper shows how the Slovenes in Melbourne have been actively involved with ethnic radio since the early 1970`s. The radio program contents reveal the attitudinal characteristics of the Slovene community in this city. For example, the first generation, especially the older settlers, want increased contact with ''home'', through news from Slovenia, and they retain a nostalgic perception of their homeland. This is reflected in their preference for folkloric elements of Slovene radio, seeing it as irrelevant to their needs. This situation indirectly shows how ethnic radio does not fulfil one of its objectives. That of bridging the culture gap between emigrants and their children. The research is based upon interviews with broadcasters and listeners and upon my own experience in working on ethnic radio.