[cma-l] Local radio stations frozen out.

Wed Jan 13 13:25:08 GMT 2010

Inclined to agree on that.  I think digital swtichover will be the  
death of local radio.  As soon as the Beeb and national commercial  
broadcasters switch to digital, anyone buying a radio will be pushed  
to digital only.  You can imagine the scenario in Currys/Dixons/ 
wherever "FM? Oh no, that's not used anymore, what you need is this  
great all singing DAB radio blah blah"  Quite quickly local residents  
will be telling community stations "sorry, I can't get you on my new  
radio" and that, dear listeners, will be the end of us!

On 13 Jan 2010, at 13:07, Ian Hickling wrote:

>
> This is yet another example of the uninformed misleading the unaware.
> There is no "Digital Switchover" for radio.
> There is no need for "Digital Switchover" for radio.
> There is little demand from smaller operators for "Digital  
> Switchover" for radio.
>
> Why don't these people talk to those in the know before they sound  
> off?
>
> Ian Hickling
> Partner
> transplan UK
>
>
> > From: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> > Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:28:52 +0000
> > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
> > Subject: [cma-l] Local radio stations frozen out of digital  
> switchover debate, says MP
> >
> > Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/13/local-radio-digital-switchover
> >
> > John Plunkett, Wednesday 13 January 2010
> >
> > Future of more than 100 local stations uncertain, claims Liberal
> > Democrats' Alistair Carmichael
> >
> > Local radio stations fear they are being frozen out of the digital
> > radio switchover debate, with the future of more than 100 of them
> > still uncertain, an MP has warned.
> >
> > Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on Scotland and
> > Northern Ireland, led a debate about the government's plans for the
> > future of local radio in Westminster Hall in the House of Commons
> > yesterday.
> >
> > "There are a lot of radio providers who feel there voice hasn't been
> > heard yet," he told MediaGuardian.co.uk.
> >
> > "There has to be some sort of mechanic for getting people rounding  
> the
> > table and letting them have their say. That's not to say that we can
> > always give them what they want – the nature of government is that  
> you
> > have to make hard choices and you can't please everyone – but it's
> > important for people to feel that their views are being heard."
> >
> > Carmichael said there was "widespread concern" from small  
> independent
> > stations that the digital economy bill would leave them facing an
> > uneven playing field.
> >
> > "Over 100 local stations still do not have a clear digital migration
> > path and are likely to be consigned to an uncertain future on the
> > analogue spectrum once digital switchover has occurred. It is
> > important the government addresses this matter before committing to
> > analogue switch-off."
> >
> > Carmichael said he had been inundated with responses from the  
> industry
> > which he said was split into two opposing camps on the issue, and
> > warned that small radio operators still felt that their voices were
> > not being heard.
> >
> > "The response I got was absolutely fascinating," he said.
> >
> > "I have had about an inch of briefings from different radio  
> companies
> > and pressure groups from around the country. They are all either
> > telling me that this is a pointless debate and everything is hunky
> > dory, or they are saying that this is the end of local radio as we
> > know it. There doesn't seem to be an awful lot in between."
> >
> > According to proposals in the digital economy bill currently going
> > through parliament, the radio switchover process could begin as  
> early
> > as 2015. But the two-year timetable will only begin when digital
> > accounts for more than 50% of all radio listening. It currently
> > accounts for 21.1%, with the majority on digital audio broadcasting
> > (DAB) radio.
> >
> > The radio industry is divided over how quickly it should switch to
> > digital. Its industry body, the RadioCentre, and Global Radio, which
> > owns Heart and Classic FM, reacted positively to the mooted 2015  
> date,
> > assuming listening targets are met. TalkSport, which split with the
> > RadioCentre over the issue, has said the 2015 target is a non- 
> starter.
> >
> > "My main concern is how you actually roll out DAB provision in a way
> > that gets to all those hard to reach parts of the country,"  
> Carmichael
> > added.
> >
> > "What is the government doing about moving to DAB+, and will the
> > market be structured in such a way that you can maintain proper  
> local
> > radio which is not concentrated in the hands of two big players
> > [Global Radio and Bauer Media]?
> >
> > "Local radio has a real role to play in providing and maintaining a
> > focus and identity for local communities."
> >
> > There is currently no DAB multiplex in Carmichael's constituency of
> > Orkney and Shetland, which has two commercial radio stations,  
> although
> > Orkney has been included on a list of regions which may get it, he
> > said.
> >
> > \\
> >
> > Community Media Association
> > --
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> > http://twitter.com/community_media
> > http://photo365.commedia.org.uk
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