[cma-l] Paul McNally on Kevin Carey

[Karl Hartland]

http://mediareporter.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/community-radio-needs-more-money/

"The rapidly growing community radio sector needs more money from the
Government if it is to succeed, according to the chairman of the group
responsible for distributing grants to stations.

In his end-of-year report to Ofcom, the community radio fund chairman,
Kevin Carey, said it was becoming increasingly difficult to find enough
cash to satisfy all the requests received from stations each year.

Last year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport made £465,000
available for community radio projects. The money aims to provide
short-term support for "core functions" such as the appointment of a
station manager or administrator.

The fund said in its report that Ofcom had told the DCMS that "it did
not think a significant change to the scope of the fund would be useful
at this stage". A number of applicants were rejected last year because
of a lack of available money.

"Due to the growth of the community radio sector, it is difficult to
adequately fund stations' core costs given the current size of the
community radio fund," the report said. "The panel continues to believe
that it cannot fulfil its remit effectively unless the size of the fund
is increased.

"This year, at least two community radio stations are known to have
closed due to a lack of funds – TGR Sound in south-east London and Radio
Cardiff in the Welsh capital."

Karl