‘Your Voice in the Bush’

Cyril Franey (aka TASK) has been involved in music most of his life, has been successful in performing hip hop music and released an album with CAAMA Records.

In 2006 TASK was recognised for his artistic ability and won the “Best New Talent” award at the NT Music Awards in Darwin.

His passion for music and background knowledge of the broadcasting industry came from his father Mervyn Franey who previously managed CAAMA radio in Alice Springs.

In 2002 Cyril moved to Gunbulunya and landed his dream job running daily broadcasting programs, discos on Friday nights and engaging with the community.

But now, he engages with many communities right across the Top End of the Northern Territory in a way he probably hadn’t imagined.

In 2018 an opportunity arose to join the Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association (TEABBA) as a broadcaster and host a HipHop and RnB show.

And with that, TASK became part of the team broadcasting live shows and performances from the 16 tonne TEABBA truck ‘Ms Jedda’ as it visits 50 to 60 remote communities each year.

Named after the TEABBA chair Paulina (Jedda) Puruntatameri, Ms Jedda brings a local feel to each show and adds weight to TEABBA’s slogan ‘Your voice in the bush’.

‘It encourages the use of language and culture through the media platform, and continually promotes local jobs for local people,’ TASK said.

TASK and Ms Jedda do live outside broadcasts and support community events such as NAIDOC and other cultural events like Harmony Day and the Dragonfly Festival.

It supports the night market in Palmerston, the Barunga Community Cultural Festival, school events and community service campaigns such as the National Ear Health Campaign.

When TASK and the TEABBA team come to the community, Ms Jedda also provides technical training for community members interested in the radio business.

Most importantly, Ms Jedda helps to maintain a strong positive relationship between (TEABBA) and the communities it visits.

‘Ms Jedda normally stays 2 to 3 days,’ TASK said.

‘And all the coastal communities normally will have a tech visit before and after the wet season to ensure the services continue to run uninterrupted especially for emergency services broadcasts updates for the cyclonic and flooding season.’

TEABBA has a unique outside broadcast team, who can set up in most communities that have a 3G or 4G reception across the Top End of Australia. Outside broadcasts (OBs) can be booked for local remote community events.

TASK, his fellow broadcasters and Ms Jedda, are doing more than providing music and information. They are making connections where once there was remoteness.

Focus on Community Broadcasting

This is the third story in our Community Broadcaster series. Read our first two at Umeewarra Radio, a meeting place for Country Music legends and Breaking down barriers through broadcasting. If you would like us to share the story about your community radio station, contact the indigenous.gov.au team.