[cma-l] demise or opportunity

[Ian Hickling]

Bob
 
There's a bit of sense in what you wrote, but unfortunately the rest to me is just ineffective hot air.
I suggest that if you formulated it positively and sent it to the right people it might achieve something.
 
However, I'd like to correct you on one point:
 
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. 
 
Ofcom policies are dictated by Poiticians and administered by Engineers under the very concise regulations put in place by the ITU which are effectively ignored by most other broadasting regulators.
It's these regulations which need to be brought up to date - and it's the Politicians who need to be told what should happen by us - the people who have put them in place to fulfil our wishes.
 
I'm about to do my bit on behalf of the 68 CR stations and projects where we have some form of input.
 
My question is:
What are the rest of us doing?
Apart from having a jolly good old moan that is?

 


Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:08:16 +0000
From: bobtyler at btinternet.com
To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: [cma-l] demise or opportunity






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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