Regional Media Fund

Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with NBN News. 

NBN News has been fortunate to be awarded a grant through the NSW Government’s Regional Media Fund. 

This has enabled our crews in Tamworth, Taree and Lismore to access hard to reach communities and tell their stories – aided by the latest technology. 

Through the Regional Media Fund, NBN News crews were able to acquire mobile Starlink Roam devices – giving our crews connectivity in remote and rural areas. 

Veteran NBN News Camera Operator, Andy Watts, has been working in the industry for 32 years and has described the new tech as a ‘game changer’ for regional news. He said, “During the catastrophic Taree floods of May this year the Starlink was an invaluable tool that allowed us to do live crosses and send vision when mobile phone service was sketchy at best. The reporter was able to access vital information via the internet that Starlink wifi and satellite connectivity allowed us to do. More recently in the aftermath of a violent storm that went through Kempsey, we were able to use Starlink to achieve good bandwidth for a live cross and communications.

 

Darrent Stout has been a camera operator in Tamworth and the New England-North West for more than 30 years, covering a region the size of Tasmania. His team are now using Starlink to conduct interviews on the road and do live crosses out of remote areas that were previously inaccessible. Darren said “this is just what we needed, our connection to communities here is of vital importance to the regional stories we cover and we’re able to do so much more now with the Starlink connectivity. It means important stories are being told that otherwise might not be.”