[cma-l] Top slicing the licence fee - CMA policy

[Jaqui Devereux]

Dear all

We note the recent postings to the CMA list re pushing for a portion of
the television licence fee to be used to properly fund community media
in the UK.  We do agree entirely that the Community Radio Fund should be
significantly extended and be open to all community media practitioners
in the UK, whatever their platform for distribution.  We continue to
work with government, policy makers and other funding bodies on this and
other issues affecting the community media sector in the UK, also with
regard to the particular needs of individual parts of the sector (e.g.
community radio, community television).

However it is not the CMA's policy at this point in time to campaign all
out for use of part of the current licence fee for community media.  We
are of course open to the suggestions from all our members on ways
forward to increase the financial health of the sector.  As it happens,
there is a CMA Council meeting this weekend and we are very happy to
devote part of that to a specific policy discussion on the best ways to
achieve this, including possibly campaigning for a portion of the
licence fee.

If any of you have suggestions for this discussion, please do let us
know, either by emailing me directly or Council members.  We will of
course let you know the results of the Council's discussions.  In the
meantime, we do not think it tactically wise to have an all out
discussion on what is after all a public list, so please bear with us if
your post does not get through.

We will shortly be posting a template letter you can use to encourage
all the General and Local elections candidates in your area to support
community media whether they are elected or not.  However, beware if you
do on air campaigning - all broadcasting is now subject to Electoral
Commission rules (see Bill's earlier post).

I look forward to hearing from you all shortly!

Best wishes


Jaqui




-- 
Jaqui Devereux

Director
Community Media Association

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Sheffield
S1 2BX

+44 114 279 5219

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