Preamble
Christian Media and Arts Australia Limited (CMAA) represents and serves the needs of Christian broadcasters, content and culture makers.
CMAA and its members contribute to the diversity and plurality of media and cultural expression in Australia.
CMAA supports and celebrates the principles of diversity which are the hallmarks of Australian society and culture, including the free exercise of religion which is an essential aspect of Australia’s diverse democracy.
Serving our Community of Interest
CMAA’s members seek to provide unique content, programming and cultural artefacts aligned to the values, beliefs and tenets of the Christian faith.
Our members include Community and Narrowcast licensees who are, in fact, obligated by license conditions and/or their constitutions to specifically serve the Christian community interest.
The Christian Media & Arts Community – Core Beliefs
The community represented and served by CMAA derives its core beliefs from the Bible, and in particular the teachings of Jesus.
We believe:
- That all people are created in the image of God.
- That everyone is worthy of dignity and respect.
- That Jesus Christ died for all people to offer them grace
- That every person is to be respected, dignified and honoured as image-bearers of God himself.
CMAA is committed to following the example and teachings of Jesus who specifically reached out to those who were otherwise outcast among the people of his day – including the disabled, those of different races and other social and moral outsiders.
The CMAA membership is committed to likewise treating all people with respect and dignity, and moreover to working for beneficial outcomes for all.
Diversity Policy
With regard to its own operations and those of its members, CMAA will advocate outcomes such that:
a. All people will be regarded with respect and dignity as image-bearers of God himself, regardless of race, religion, sexuality, gender, marital status, or any other attribute.
b. In pursuit of a diverse community media sector, the right of faith-based organisations to make employment, programming and other decisions consistent with the tenets, teachings, beliefs and values of their faith will be supported and defended.
c. Members will retain the right to choose staff based on their capacity to serve the particular needs of the community served by the service, and
d. CMAA will likewise support and defend the right of other organisations to serve other faith positions.
e. CMAA recognises that in support of a pluralistic democracy specific choices must sometimes be made when appointing persons (paid or volunteer) to specific positions in faith-based organisations, such that adherence to the faith is an inherent requirement of the position.
f. CMAA advocates the right of all faith-based organisations to discriminate in favour of genuine adherence to their faith when making appointments for which adherence to the faith is a genuine requirement.