Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. What is the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association?
- 2. Can I join the CBA?
- 3. How is the CBA funded?
- 4. Am I a member of the CBA?
- 5. Is my organisation a member of the CBA?
- 6. How can I get training from the CBA
- 7. How can I find out about training opportunities?
- 8. Is there a fee for training?
- 9. Can I apply for an In-Country Workshop if I live in a different country to the one advertised?
- 10. How do I apply for a CBA Bursary?
- 11. Am I eligible to apply for an MA Bursary?
- 12. How can I track the status of my Training or Bursary application?
- 13. How do I subscribe to the CBA Update mailing list?
- 14. How do I get hold of your magazine and Directory?
- 15. Where can I find a list of upcoming events?
- 16. How do I buy a CBA Publication?
- 17. Can I work for the CBA?
- 18. How do I submit an entry for the Commonwealth Short Story competition?
- 19. When are the next CBA Awards?
- 20. When is the deadline for proposals for WorldView?
- 21. What do I do if I have a complaint to make?
1. What is the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association?
The CBA is a not-for-profit association that supports broadcasting across the Commonwealth and beyond. We have more than 100 members in over 50 countries, helping them with training and bursaries for their employees, offering tailored publications and material for broadcast, and providing them with a forum for the exchange of information.
Please note it is not possible for individuals to apply for CBA membership, only organisations.
CBA full membership is open to radio and television stations, both public and private, across the Commonwealth. Affiliate membership is available to any broadcast related organisation in any country, e.g. broadcasting regulators, non-commonwealth public service broadcasters and broadcasting industry companies. If your organisation is interested in membership, please contact us for an application form. The CBA committee will then decide whether or not to approve the application, based on a number of factors.
The CBA is funded by annual subscriptions from full members and affiliate members.
It is not possible for individuals to be members of the CBA.
5. Is my organisation a member of the CBA?
If you are unsure whether your organisation is a CBA member, you can view a full list here.
6. How can I get training from the CBA?
Any full time member of staff who works for a CBA member organisation may apply for training. Training is not available to individuals who are not part of a member organisation. If you are unsure if your organisation is a member of the CBA, please see our full list here.
Distance learning is the only exception where staff of non member organisations can be considered. Even if you work for a non-member organisation, you are eligible to apply for distance learning training, however a fee will apply. Please contact Jasmine Dhariwal for more information about this.
7. How can I find out about training opportunities?
All the latest training courses are advertised on our website. We also advertise them on our electronic newsletter, UPDATE. Before applying for any training, please read the requirements carefully. You can download application forms and find out more information about the the training courses we offer here.
8. Is there a fee for training?
Training is free for full time staff at member organisations.
9. Can I apply for an In-Country Workshop if I live in a different country to the one advertised?
No. In-Country workshops are only available to those from member organisations based in that country only. For example if the In-Country workshop is in India, you may only apply if your organisation is based in India.
10. How do I apply for a CBA Bursary?
The CBA has a number of Bursaries on offer. For a list of all CBA Bursaries, please click here.
11. Am I eligible to apply for an MA Bursary?
You are eligible to apply for a MA Bursary if you are a full time member of staff from a CBA Member organisation.
12. How can I track the status of my Training or Bursary application?
Because of the large volume of applications we receive it is not possible to respond to everyone. If your application has been successful you will hear from us in due course.
13. How do I subscribe to the CBA Update mailing list?
Update is the regular CBA Electronic Newsletter. If you do not receive Update, and would like to, please contact Adam Weatherhead, to add your email address to our list.
14. How do I get hold of your magazine and Directory?
The Commonwealth Broadcaster, CBA’s quarterly magazine, and the Annual Directory are distributed to members across the commonwealth. If you believe your organisation is not receiving any of these publications, or you would like further copies, please contact Adam Weatherhead.
15. Where can I find a list of upcoming events?
All upcoming events are listed on our website here. Alternatively, information on events will appear in our quarterly magazine, the Commonwealth Broadcaster, and our email newsletter, Update.
16. How do I buy a CBA Publication?
You can buy any of our priced publications from our website. Paypal is the most convenient way of payment. Alternatively you can send a cheque. Please click here for a full list of current CBA publications.
The CBA has a small secretariat, based in London. Because of its size, vacancies are rare. However, when we do have openings, they will be advertised on our website here.
18. How do I submit an entry for the Commonwealth Short Story competition?
As of 2010, the Commonwealth Short Story competition is administered by the Commonwealth Foundation. All entries must be sent to them. Please check the Commonwealth Foundation Website for more information regarding competition dates and submissions.
19. When are the next CBA Awards?
The CBA Awards are an annual event. Our website will announce when entries for the 2011 Awards can be submitted.
20. When is the deadline for proposals for WorldView?
WorldView, previously the CBA-DFID Broadcast Media Scheme, has different deadlines throughout the year; please check the WorldView section for the latest dates.
21. What do I do if I have a complaint to make?
Any complaint about the CBA should be directed towards the Secretary-General.