[cma-l] If you thought Ofcom's RSL licence charges were too high.....

[Glyn Roylance]

Yes that's the point - they've reviewed their charges but strangely
forgotten to review the charges for RSL's!   So I thought I'd remind them!

Glyn

On 29 November 2010 12:44, Richard Hilton <Richard.Hilton at bitc.org.uk>wrote:

> I don’t want to pour cold water over this but I’ve done a quick search
> through the consultation paper and can’t see where it mentions RSLs.  Can
> someone post the relevant paragraph numbers / sections.
>
>
>
> Or are we meant to be using this process to have a go at Ofcom over their
> charges?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> *From:* cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:
> cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] *On Behalf Of *Glyn Roylance
> *Sent:* 27 November 2010 16:46
>
> *To:* cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> *Subject:* [cma-l] If you thought Ofcom's RSL licence charges were too
> high.....
>
>
>
> ….then there is a golden opportunity for you to make this point, as Ofcom
> are holding a consultation on WT Licence charges.  You can read about it and
> see how to respond here:
> http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/notice-proposals/
>
> I'd advise this really is an opportunity not to be missed.  We have
> responded by email, copied to our MP. You may also respond online or by
> post.  The text of our response is copied below.  Come on guys…!
>
>
>
> *Background **
> Severnvale Media CIC is a not for profit organisation that runs a community
> radio station in South Gloucestershire called GLOSS FM. Both Severnvale
> Media CIC and GLOSS FM are staffed entirely by volunteers. The station has
> operated two 1 month RSL broadcasts per year since it started in November
> 2005. In addition it broadcasts 365 days a year on the internet. *
>
> *
> Response to Consultation
> Severnvale Media CIC were disappointed to read that RSL licensing charges
> have not been reviewed in this consultation. As a voluntary organisation, we
> find that funds are extremely scarce, and so considerable time and effort is
> spent in attracting advertising revenue. This detracts from volunteer time
> available to deliver our social gain and community service objectives. *
>
> *Alongside music royalty fees, the RSL radio licensing costs are a huge
> burden to the station, so much so it almost seems like a penalty charge.
> We fully acknowledge that a contribution towards administrative expenses is
> required for RSL licenses. However given the scale of charges we have to pay
> for each broadcast we find it hard to believe that this accurately reflects
> administrative costs. If it does, then we ask an open question whether the
> administrative efficiency of the RSL licensing process should be reviewed.
> The costs seem even harder to understand when often we are asking for the
> same height and power from the same location as previous licences. We are
> also at a loss to understand an apparent 4000% pro-rata premium for RSL
> spectrum versus spectrum for full time Community Radio (CR) licences. *
>
> *Big Society **
> We have read about and broadly agree with the Government’s plans for the
> “Big Society”. However we find it hard to understand why a group of people
> like GLOSS FM trying to contribute to their communities have to pay such a
> high cost of entry which feels like a tax or penalty charge. *
>
> *Proposal **
> We propose that RSL radio licensing charges are reviewed for RSL stations
> that have a clear and measurable input to their local community that results
> in social gain and general community spirit. RSL’s with purely commercial
> aims should still pay the same or more than currently. The two types of RSL
> stations could perhaps be distinguished by requiring compliance to a
> suitable statement in the application form requiring community service, or
> alternatively through expectation of a kind of “lightweight key commitments”
> like full time community radio stations.*
>
>
> --
> GLOSS FM now broadcasting on 87.7FM across South Gloucestershire
> http://www.glossfm.org.
> Why not download the GLOSS FM browser toolbar for easy access to radio
> player, local information and more!
> http://GLOSSFM.Toolbar.fm/
>
>
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>
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-- 
GLOSS FM now broadcasting on 87.7FM across South Gloucestershire
http://www.glossfm.org.
Why not download the GLOSS FM browser toolbar for easy access to radio
player, local information and more!
http://GLOSSFM.Toolbar.fm/
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