[cma-l] Sheffield MPs back community radio campaign

[Steve Buckley]

PRESS RELEASE:  7 August 2009

Sheffield MPs back community radio campaign

Sheffield MPs are getting behind a campaign for 
community radio to get a fair share of government 
funding arrangements for broadcasting. The 
campaign, launched in July to mark the fifth 
anniversary of community radio legislation, is 
led by Sheffield Live! 93.2 FM and by local 
community broadcasters throughout the UK.

Since legislation was passed, in 2004, more than 
200 community radio services have been licensed 
and around 150 are on air, creating around 400 
jobs, involving over 10,000 volunteers, and 
serving a potential audience of more than 10 million people.

But despite the widely acknowledged success of 
community radio, stations like Sheffield Live! 
93.2 FM are economically precarious with no core 
funding support. A Community Radio Fund, set up 
in 2004, has not been increased despite the rapid 
growth in the number of community radio stations. 
There is now less than £500,000 per annum to 
distribute to 150 not-for-profit stations.

Lib Dem Leader and Sheffield Hallam MP, Nick 
Clegg, who recently visited Sheffield Live! 93.2 
FM city centre studios, said: “I am happy to lend 
my support to your campaign and have written to 
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on your behalf”.

Sheffield’s Labour MPs have also voiced their 
support. Sheffield Attercliffe MP, Clive Betts 
said he is "happy to support the campaign”. 
Sheffield Heeley MP, Meg Munn and Sheffield 
Hillsborough MP, Angela Smith, both also 
confirmed they have written to the Government 
Minister responsible and are awaiting a response.

Sangita Basudev, Chief Executive of Sheffield 
Live! 93.2 FM said: “We are delighted our local 
MPs are with us on this issue. We have over 200 
volunteers involved in Sheffield Live! 93.2 FM, 
but it is a day to day challenge making ends meet 
in the current economic climate. The Community 
Radio Fund should support our core operating 
expenses, but with 150 community radio stations 
on the air there is just not enough to go round.”

-ends-

For further information contact:
Sangita Basudev (Sheffield Live! 93.2 FM)
Office: 0114 281 4082
sangita at sheffieldlive.org
www.sheffieldlive.org

Notes:

1. On 20 July 2009 a joint open letter signed by 
82 community radio leaders, media scholars and 
experts including Sheffield Live! 93.2 FM was 
sent to the Prime Minister. The letter is 
available at http://www.sheffieldlive.org/lettertogordonbrown

2. A petition to the Prime Minister has been 
launched which has already gathered over 800 
names. It is available at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/allthevoices/

3. The Community Radio Order 2004 came into force 
on 20 July 2004. A public consultation on the 
Community Radio Order 2004 was published by the 
Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 16 
June 2009, with a closing date of 25 August.

4. The government has also published, on 16 June 
2009, a separate consultation paper on plans to 
ringfence 3.5% of the television licence fee to 
fund local and regional news and other essential 
public service broadcasting content priorities. 
This separate consultation on funding closes 22 September 2009.

5. The Communications Act 2003 provides, in 
Section 359, for a Community Radio Fund. In a 
regulatory impact assessment paper at the time 
the government estimated this would not cost more 
than £3-4 million per annum. It commenced in 
2005/06 at a level of £500,000 and has not been 
increased since. The number of community radio 
licences has grown from 14 to over 200.

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             Steve Buckley, CM Solutions
              Email: steve at cmso.co.uk
                    Tel: +44 114 220 1426
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                        www.cmso.co.uk
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