[cma-l] Frustrated campaigning

Sun May 16 12:25:51 BST 2010

Hi Phil,

Perhaps it might be easier to gauge if there was a breakdown of what  
is happening in each 'region' already.

I can see how strategic alliances could be formed to lobby regional  
bodies, arts councils, screen commissions, economic development bodies  
etc, those bodies that have a regional or nation set up but there are  
hidden dangers in this because what you really need is a national (UK)  
recognition of the importance of community media... these bodies all  
have differing policies and criteria already, none of this is uniform  
when it comes to community media and quite a lot of times community  
media does not figure in any of this, and/or is not understood very  
well.

Does community media not need to be accepted as an 'activity',  
'sector' call it what you will, the same way independent film or  
literature or drama or even community development is and with a  
funding stream, preferably a dedicated funding stream.

One area we have plugged for a long time is Lottery but no one in CMA  
has thought it important to take up. A unified policy and criteria  
with Lottery for community media as a good cause would help, similarly  
with Skillset, Arts Councils, economic development boards ... though  
easier if this was agreed with DCMS and filtered down to these bodies  
as a directive rather than a massive undertaking by a sector lobbying  
in their own areas and already under pressure?

The other area is the Digital Switchover fund ... again surely best  
done on a UK basis? Where is the strategy on this, does this not need  
to be sorted pretty sharply?

All the best,
Marilyn

On 16 May 2010, at 12:02, Phil Shep wrote:

> Hi Marilyn
>
> I take your point and like the idea of communitiesof interest. I  
> think the regional thing I'd important too though -when regional  
> events have occasionally taken place they have always proved  
> valuable - asides and information exchanges, as sources of  
> inspiration for the embattled - inculcating a sense of engagement  
> and ownership which us important in a membership organisation. I  
> think this feeds back to the centre too, active support on the  
> ground manifesting for example through joined up approaches to MPs  
> surgeries etc. It's about the local agenda too, not just because our  
> new gov tkd about it but because it has to be the future surely.
>
> It's not an either / or - communities of interest would certainly be  
> good.
>
> Phil
>
>
>
> On 16 May 2010, at 11:02, Marilyn Hyndman  
> <marilyn at northernvisions.org> wrote:
>
>> Whilst regional and local strategy is important, the CMA is a UK  
>> organisation and is it not the strategic development between  
>> government and organisations nationally which has stalled and  
>> caused so much frustration?
>>
>> Would it not be better for us all to understand why that is and if  
>> anything could be done better ..... before going off in other  
>> directions which may lead us up blind alleys?
>>
>> For example, how do regional strategies key into the big picture if  
>> the big picture is not understood or is failing?
>>
>> All you would be doing in that scenario is adding another layer of  
>> frustration as the centre fails to deliver with far more chance  
>> that the sector will fracture?
>>
>> I wonder if it would not be better to have communities of interest  
>> rather than a regional structure which given the nature of the  
>> sector will surely be very uneven across the country.
>>
>> Groupings which take up issues important for the whole UK sector  
>> and put their energies into that?
>>
>> M
>>
>>
>> On 15 May 2010, at 09:51, Phil Shep wrote:
>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Dear all
>>>>>
>>>>> There has long been a need for more joined up regional working  
>>>>> within CMA and this fact has not been lost on staff and council.  
>>>>> Our great frustration in recent years has been a lack of  
>>>>> capacity to do more to make this happen on the ground. Jaqui and  
>>>>> the team go well beyond the call of duty on a daily basis to  
>>>>> hold the line for the sector, to make sure we are represented at  
>>>>> the key conversations, to provide the tech and information   
>>>>> support which is so useful to us all. But holding the line is  
>>>>> necessarily where we have been at for quite a while and as a  
>>>>> sector we need to look at how we can work more effectively  
>>>>> together to addresss this - and for me the key is in regional  
>>>>> working.
>>>>>
>>>>> Again, capacity rears its head - yes we're all busy - but also  
>>>>> at times we are short-sighted when we build alliances with  
>>>>> others and fail to key in our collective strength to the bigger  
>>>>> picture .
>>>>>
>>>>> As has been observed, there is too often a disconnect between  
>>>>> the passionate ideas expressed and the ability of the tiny over-  
>>>>> stretched core to follow up the ideas - the ones couched in  
>>>>> reality at least!  If we were meeting regularly at a regional  
>>>>> level we could do much more to mobilise grass roots campaigning.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just here in Somerset we have at least six CR stations and other  
>>>>> CM projects within a fifty mile radius and while there is at  
>>>>> times I know, good and positive communication flowing between  
>>>>> projects this rarely translates into joined up campaigns which  
>>>>> key into the bigger picture.  Let's really tackle this one at  
>>>>> the AGM this year - it's overdue and would I think obviate some  
>>>>> of the frustrations expressed recently on this list.  I've got a  
>>>>> year left at most as Chair and would like to to do as much as  
>>>>> possible in that time to put the beginnings of a working  
>>>>> regional structure in place.   Let me know what you think.
>>>>>
>>>>> And yes to echo others, if you've got time and energy to  
>>>>> give,please do consider standing for council.  We need all the  
>>>>> expertise and energy we can muster to help take us all forward.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best wishes
>>>>>
>>>>> Phil
>>>>> Chair of Council
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
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>>>
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>>
>> Marilyn Hyndman
>> Northern Visions/NvTv
>> 23 Donegall Street
>> Belfast
>> BT1 2FF
>>
>> Tel: 028 9024 5495 ext 207
>> Fax: 028 9032 6608
>>
>> NvTv
>> Belfast Community Television
>> Free-to-Air on Channel 62/Freq:799.276MHz
>> Live on line: www.nvtv.co.uk
>>
>> www.northernvisions.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Marilyn Hyndman
Northern Visions/NvTv
23 Donegall Street
Belfast
BT1 2FF

Tel: 028 9024 5495 ext 207
Fax: 028 9032 6608

NvTv
Belfast Community Television
Free-to-Air on Channel 62/Freq:799.276MHz
Live on line: www.nvtv.co.uk

www.northernvisions.org

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