[cma-l] Community Radio Future In Doubt?

Tue Dec 7 11:08:30 GMT 2010

Alan

I agree we should be defining our own future. But I am not sure about your first proposal. The coverage area for "local" DAB services is far larger than for CR stations. For example the "local" DAB service for us (licenced years ago but still not actually built because of the costs!) covers the whole of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire with nine transmitters, effectively providing coverage from London to Birmingham on the M1. We don't want to serve this area even if it was offered to us for free (and it was offered to us at 64 kb mono for several times our annual turnover!). I discussed with both the multiplex operator and OFCOM's Head of Engineering the option of including us on the nearest two transmitters and other CR stations on some of the other transmitters but was told this was "not possible". I am quite sure that it would be technically possible but the idea simply doesn't fit into the existing system of licences and spectrum management for DAB.

So I don't really think the future of CR on a digital platform involves DAB or DAB+ and I expect it to be closed down within the next few years anyway.

But your third suggestion is along the lines of a suggestion I have already made to the BIS/DCMS. I have suggested a pilot using DRM+ for a number of CR stations on the existing "FM" Band II, funded by the Government of course (Note incidently that DRM+ is not just an extension for VHF frequencies but is also a multiplexing system so could offer two different services). At present the only DRM experiment was at BBC Radio Devon on MW and the BBC has officially rejected DRM as an option ever since (although of course the World Service do use DRM already). BIS have told me they will consider this in due course after the work has been done to decide what DAB infrastructure would be needed to "match" the existing FM coverage of the whole UK (so a couple of years from now!).

But let us also be clear that the main "digital" platform  (although not a broadcasting technology) is Internet streaming and most of us are already doing this. Within a very short time this will make us available "digitally" in vehicles as well as on computers, mobile phones and "internet radios" and is clearly the consumers' choice for new radio technology. So maybe all these discussions about platform choices will be redundant anyway!

regards,

Clive Glover

On 6 Dec 2010, at 23:59, Alan Coote wrote:

> Hi Jaqui,
> 
> I don't believe there is another media outlet in the country which would
> 'ask' the government for a roadmap for their industry. Surely we are clear
> about the way forward? 
> 
> It's in everyone's interest; government, commercial, BBC and Community Radio
> for there to be a single platform. Logically this must be digital. The
> replanning  of DAB is an ideal time to be very clear about our needs as a
> sector. 
> 
> May I suggest as a starter for 10; 
> 
> a) That as a minimum all current community stations should have access to a
> FM quality stereo  DAB+ multiplex channel within their current licenced
> period. I believe the average person in the UK can receive 25 - 30 radio
> services (excluding digital set-top and satellite). DAB+ provides around 18
> services per multiplex and with two or three multiplexes per region there is
> enough room for community radio. 
> 
> b) The funding should set at an achievable level and be split between
> government and individual community radio stations, with a change in the 50%
> rule enabling stations to find the extra money. 
> 
> c) As for areas that DAB+ is not a viable alternative, then there should be
> a 10 year plan to enable DRM+ to be used within the UK. This would be used
> in a subpart of the current band II (VHF) spectrum. This then would enable
> the other part of Band II to be auctioned off, thereby paying for the DRM+
> introduction.    
> 
> 
> Regards 
> Alan
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jaquicma at googlemail.com [mailto:jaquicma at googlemail.com] On Behalf Of
> jaqui devereux
> Sent: 06 December 2010 10:09 AM
> To: Alan Coote
> Cc: cma-l
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Community Radio Future In Doubt?
> 
> Dear Alan
> 
> Absolutely - we are asking for a roadmap for community radio, just to let
> you know too that we attended the first Digital Radio Ministerial Group and
> will continue to press for the needs of community radio and other small
> radio both to keep FM in the medium term and to migrate for those that want
> to.
> 
> The "at the moment" quote means that FM to be retained for a very long
> foreseeable future (2025??)
> 
> We will keep you all posted on progress,
> 
> 
> Best wishes
> 
> 
> Jaqui
> 
> --
> Jaqui Devereux
> Director, Community Media Association
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 6 December 2010 08:46, Alan Coote <alan.coote at btinternet.com> wrote:
>> Surely this sounds alarm bells at the CMA?
>> 
>>> From the Independent News Paper this Sunday.
>> 
>> "The DCMS spokeswoman said there were no plans for a sell-off  [FM
> Spectrum]
>> "at the moment", but did not rule it out. "We may come to a situation
> where
>> a proportion of bandwidth is no longer required, and will consider
> possible
>> other uses for it."
>> 
>> With an estimated £100M - £200M going into the proposed DAB upgrade,
> should
>> we not expect space for Community Radio to be included then we're all
> happy
>> that FM can be switched off?
>> 
>> Full story here:
>> 
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/so-who-thinks-dab-is-the-fu
>> ture-not-enough-of-us-to-make-it-so-2151512.html
>> 
>> Alan
>> 
>> Alan Coote
>> Managing Director
>> The Bay Radio
>> Office 01202 580200
>> Studio 01202 571028
>> Mobile 07801 518858
>> 
>> Email alan.coote at thebayradio.com
>> Web www.thebayradio.com
>> The Bay Radio, 25B Elliott Road, Bournemouth, BH11 8LQ
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Jaqui Devereux
> Director, Community Media Association
> 
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