ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the establishment and growth of 3CW Melbourne Chinese Radio, which has been broadcasting 24 hours a day since 1999. It has become one of the most successful business ventures by new migrants from mainland China and a highly influential institution in ethnic Chinese communities in Melbourne and beyond (Jiang 2003; Xiang 2003). Migrant community associations, newspapers and schools have long been regarded as the ‘three pillars’ supporting the transnational life of Chinese migrants (Li 1999: 10), but the role of Chinese migrant community media has often been limited to newspapers and magazines, while other widely utilized media such as radio have largely been ignored in the literature. This chapter is based on a continuing multi-method longitudinal study of the new mainland Chinese migrant community in Australia. In this chapter, 3CW is used as a case study to examine the community radio broadcasting service as both profitable business and new institution in the migrant community and its role in community-building and influencing the lives of Chinese migrants in Melbourne.
