A rise in aggravated burglaries across Melbourne’s west has prompted a Brooklyn-based broadcaster to produce crime-prevention messages in 12 languages.
Stereo 974 will begin researching and liaising with Victoria Police next month before writing the scripts for messages that will be recorded in English, Vietnamese, Maltese, Serbia, Croatian, Singhalese, Punjabi, Spanish and other languages spoken across the western suburbs.
Stereo 974 general manager Rod Boyd said the airwaves provided an effective way to reach thousands of non-English speaking people who tuned in to the station.
“As a community we need to be armed with accurate and correct information about crime prevention, be it against the person or property,” he said. “This radio campaign will not only create awareness but also give the correct information to protect Brimbank residents and inform them about measures they can take to lessen the risks.”
Mr Boyd said the 24-hour broadcaster had a “huge audience”, but it couldn’t afford the $120,000 fee required to become involved in listenership surveys. Its reach is extensive enough for the state government, which has signed the station as its designated emergency response broadcaster for the area west of Melbourne city.
The crime prevention messages will be broadcast on high-rotation for a year from December. Mr Boyd said Brimbank council contributed $6000 towards the $30,000 project.
The not-for-profit organisation, which has been broadcasting across the west for 38 years, was one of 47 organisations to receive funding from Brimbank council’s 2016-17 community grants program.
