The Vision Australia radio studio in Bendigo could be one of ten stations to close in the coming months unless the organisation is able to secure $700,000 in federal government funding.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The radio service allows those who are blind or vision impaired to access a wide range of printed materials that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Vision Australia manager for government relations and advocacy Chris Edwards said changes to federal funding models since the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme have affected the organisation's ability to support the service.
"The NDIS has meant major changes to how disability support organisations are funded," Mr Edwards said.
"Unfortunately, those changes have severely jeopardised the future of Vision Australia Radio."
The Bendigo radio station is one of 10 national Vision Australia services. About 700,000 people listen to the programs around the country every month, with 12,000 of those listeners in the Bendigo region.
There are also up to 50 people who volunteer at the Bendigo radio studio.
Vision Australia have begun petitioning ministers and local MPs to see what can be done to secure the funding, Mr Edwards said.
"We haven't been able to secure a meeting with the Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher although we are hoping to get a meeting," he said.
"But we have spoken to local members of each of the sites where we have the radio services and explained the importance of the services."
"The programs allow people who are blind or have low vision to stay connected and access information."
The Bendigo station produces 15 hours of local content a week. The volunteers also read the Bendigo Advertiser at 1pm every day, as well as a weekly segment of other papers in the region.
One of the volunteers is Brenda Fielding, who reads the Bendigo Advertiser for listeners as well as presenting and working as a technical operator.
The Bendigo service was too valuable to lose, Ms Fielding said.
"I just think its really sad," Ms Fielding said. "I'm disappointed for the people who are blind or vision impaired who rely on the service.
"For many of those people, it's the one way they are able to keep up with what's going on in their community.
"I understand that everyone wants their share of the funding but it's just such a good and worthy cause. It would be terrible to lose it."
Mr Edwards has encouraged anyone who would like to help keep the service on air to head to visionaustralia.org/fundourradio
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.