[cma-l] Ofcom publishes reasons for the award of four new community radio licences

[Karl Hartland]

Hi

If you want to know how a station copes under the full force of these
draconian and near-sighted panderings to commercial outfits then come to
Cambridge.

The short answer is we don't. It is painful and scary and undermines
everything we do. Community Radio is only here in Cambridge because some
of us are mortgaging our own personal medium term futures.

I constantly take phone calls from people who want to advertise with us
and I have to turn them away - money down the drain.

Here's a thought experiment:

*Newspaper headline: Local Radio puts limit on turnover of local
charity/charitable org*

If it were anyone but a C/R station then it would be instant torches and
pitchforks from everyone in the local VCS, people would be picketing
outside their grubby little waste of money outfit.

I'M SOOO ANGRY ABOUT THIS TODAY

K

Karl Hartland
209radio Station Manager
Voluntary and Community Sector Project Manager

105 FM in the Cambridge City Area
http://209radio.co.uk everywhere else!

Citylife House
Sturton Street
Cambridge
CB1 2QF

01223 488418
07968 898254

Phil Korbel wrote:
  but the sad thing there pop pickers
  >
  is not only the expected bar on Canalside Radio getting any
  commercial revenue but also the limit of 15% put on the Merseyside
  group - because they could be a threat to the little commercial
  station on their patches.
  >
  I'm one of the folk that thinks there should be a limit on
  advertising revenue for community station but this is too tragic for
  words.  The revenue needs of good community projects are being
  hindered because dull commercial stations are need their profits
  protecting.  I think that if commercial stations like these paid more
  attention to their own communities they simply wouldn't be so
  unpopular.
  > come on - let's have a debate - and maybe the lurkers from the
  commercial sector could also chip in...
  >  bests
  >  Phil