[cma-l] Cut local shows debate

[CMA-L]

Fwd:

From: Stevensuttie at aol.com

Dear all,

I must say I find this request by the major commercial operators hard to
comprehend. These media giants have been allowed to systematically
destroy the
once thriving independent local radio industry by acquiring station after
station, defragging their identity and making them sound identical to
their  other
stations, indeed even using the same logo in many cases. In the late 70's
and most of the 80's ILR was king, but Radio 1 breakfast still got the
bigger
audience. However ILR delivered the local content, and the stations were
extremely well respected in their areas. They had identity, and
Piccadilly Radio
meant Manchester, Signal meant Stoke, Red Rose was Lancashire. Those
days are
long gone now...and I am incensed that the very businessmen who have
created
such a soul less and bland commercial radio landscape across the UK  are
now
complaining that they can't compete with the BBC! D'oh!

All ILR stations applied for a local license to serve a specific area. If
they no longer wish to serve that area with local news, views, articles,
 sports
and travel reports...along with local voices that make the area  unique
then
I think they should be forced to hand the license back and free up  some
spectrum for the passionate people, ie the community radio brigade. But
of  course
this will not happen.

Sorry to go on, but this is an important issue to community radio. If
OFCOM
agree to these proposals then I think it would be only reasonable for
them  to
review the 50/50 public versus commercial funding rules. Furthermore, if
the
radio giants are set to gain financially from networking 10 stations for
21
hours a day - then surely a healthy chunk of their profits from not
delivering local radio could be taxed and used to form a much needed
community radio
fund?

Kindest Regards
Steve Suttie
Station Manager, Salford City  Radio
0161 793 2939 (Office)
01200 444089 (Home)
07772  355852 (Mobile)

check out http://www.salfordcityradio.org/