[cma-l] demise or opportunity

[ROBERT TYLER]

Nick

 

Good to
chat, I fully understand your problems.

 

You have
to understand that Ofcom are no longer regulating radio. They have given up
with large scale commercial radio and really the likes of community radio and
commercial small fry are keeping them in jobs. I do not agree with Steven,
Ofcom are to blame for this mess. I do not agree that nobody gives a
shit about CR.

 

The reason
why it is like it is is because it is under funded and underpowered. 

 

We are in
a changing radio landscape where it appears larger stations are changing
direction and business models. We have a situation were once well established
heritage stations are throwing away their names and history and becoming part
of semi national networks. We have regional services following in the same way.
We have the smaller scale commercial services co locating to form clusters,
meaning instead of being in the town they are 40 miles away. We have a scenario
where in many towns there IS NO LOCAL RADIO. This is a positive time, CR IS THE
NEW LOCAL RADIO. Should be, can be will be.

 

This is a
good time to set some targets for 2011 before it all goes fully pear shaped. 

 

The sector
needs to stop being nice. Stop listening to what they are told and ask
questions. The power/coverage problem is clearly the biggest issue and appears
only to be a recommended coverage, yet it appears the majority accept any power,
any restriction or waveband to get on air. Getting the license is easy getting but
staying on air is the real work, so why compromise your business? Yes I’m
afraid it is a business.

 

As I said
previously, the whole concept is 20 years too late and was the invention of a
failing Radio Authority in 2002 as some sort of legacy. It was designed not to
damage commercial radio services but in the then different media world and era.
The majority of legislation covering radio is 20 years old and the concept of
community radio a little over 10 years. Have times changed? Has the radio
industry changed?  

 

We appear
to live in times where local commercial operators are handing back licenses and
consolidating but community radio is still trying to motor along on the out of
date 2002 concept.  The commercial radio
sector used the opportunity to bulldoze their ambitions, taking advantage of a
weak Ofcom diminishing in power by the day. Yet community radio still goes cap
in hand for 25 watts. Wake up please. Dare I say, smell the coffee.

 

There are
many frequencies and opportunities for increased powers but Ofcom policies are
dictated to by engineers, not by commercial sense or social needs. It is the
same old same old. 

 

BSB –
invented by IBA engineers. DAB - invented by European public broadcaster
engineers. Commercial Radio – decided by IBA engineers. BBC local Radio – By BBC
engineers. ITV digital – ITC engineers. Community Radio - Ofcom frequency
planners. 

 

Say no
more…..

 

Ends

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