[cma-l] Bad news on the DDR?

[Peter Reid]

Hi.

I don't think this is particularly bad news at all.  It merely reinforces and magnifies what we already knew and in so doing strengthens the already unanswerable case for universal access to broadcasting for communities still further.

Yes, digital switchover will be a beanfest for private broadcasting interests resulting in a greater flood of junk tv and an even larger swelling of HM Treasury's coffer, but that just makes the case for a small portion of the spectrum being made available to communities all the more stronger and pressing.

This, along with yesterday's publication of the results of Ofcom's second round of consultations on DDR, which confirmed their previous findings that there is a high degree of public interest in and support for local television, continues to bolster the community media sector's case.  It may be my motivated perception but I think I even detected a warming of tone towards local broadcasting in the Ofcom documents.  They can be found here:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ddr/documents/research07/   

Whatever Ofcom finally proposes it is of course the goverment who will decide how  the spectrum is administered post-switchover, and will not necessarily be bound by Ofcom's findings.  The aims and objectives of community media are perfectly in tune with goverment policy on cultural development, community development, local democratisation and support for the third sector and Gordon Brown is thought by many to be a supporter as well.  The case for community media, properly put, simply cannot be rejected.

So, as with my previous email, I look forward to the development of a national network of community television channels commencing soon.

Regards,

Peter.




----------------------------------------
> Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:23:46 +0000
> From: jaqui.devereux at commedia.org.uk
> To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> Subject: [cma-l] Bad news on the DDR?
> 
> Dear all
> 
> Below a link to the article in the Times today - not good reading!
> 
> http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2917615.ece
> 
> We need to mobilise again on this!
> 
> Best wishes
> 
> Jaqui
> -- 
> Community Media Association
> http://www.commedia.org.uk/
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