[cma-l] Ofcom Update: Community radio

[CMA-L]

Ofcom has published its reasons for the award of four community radio
licences announced on 17 June 2009.

The licences were awarded to:

•	Academy FM, Ramsgate, Kent

Academy FM will broadcast from the Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate and
serve the local communities in the surrounding area of Thanet. The
applicant has strong financial and organisational support from the
Marlowe Academy and also from an individual who has donated equipment
and funding to the project. Group members include people with business
and radio broadcasting experience, and links with the local community.
The applicant provided evidence of wide-ranging support for the
application, including external market research which demonstrated
local support for a community radio project. The provision of
education and training are key elements of the social gain provision,
and the group will work in partnership with several educational
establishments in the area.

•	Academy FM, Folkestone, Kent

This station will broadcast a community radio service to the entire
community of Folkestone. It has strong financial and organisational
support from the Folkestone Academy, as well as from an individual who
has donated equipment and funding. The proposed directors include
people who are experienced in radio broadcasting and business, and
also individuals with wide-ranging arts and business links in the
local community. Social gain proposals include plans to enable local
people to produce programmes with a range of local voices and
opinions. It will offer training to students and community volunteers
and also work with other local education providers and offer work
placements. An appropriate range of accountability mechanisms are
proposed.

•	Radio Sunlight, Gillingham, Kent

Radio Sunlight will broadcast to the people of Gillingham and
surrounding areas of Medway. The applicant is a successful social
enterprise with experienced personnel and good links with community
organisations. It has a good financial base and a track record in
generating income from a range of sources. The proposed output has
been developed with feedback from its target community and includes
community languages, specialist shows and a variety of musical styles.
The applicant demonstrated wide-ranging support for the application
via letters and emails as well as focus group research. The applicant
will offer training that takes account of diversity in terms of
literacy and learning difficulties as well as language barriers, and
is already an experienced training provider.

•	Rye FM, Rye, East Sussex

Rye FM will provide a community radio station for the town of Rye and
surrounding villages. While the applicant group is relatively new, the
founder directors and other members of the group have appropriate
broadcasting and technical experience. The group has some existing
assets. A service of broad appeal in daytime and specialist programmes
in the evening is proposed, which aims to reflect the interests of all
sections of the community with special attention paid to youth
inclusion and rural regeneration. Local schools will be involved in
the service, and some evidence of demand and support for the service
was provided. There is no existing local radio service for Rye and the
station will fill a gap in media provision for the area. The station
will work with a local partner organisation to offer training. It will
provide opportunities to local groups to publicise their activities,
and support local events with outside broadcasts.

The full statement can be found here:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/awards/jun09/

\\

Community Media Association
-- 
http://www.commedia.org.uk/
http://twitter.com/community_media