[cma-l] DCMS Written answers and statements, 19 October 2010 - Local Broadcasting: Radio

Mon Oct 25 07:45:13 BST 2010

Good morning,

I have watched this strand with some interest. Here's a thought this Monday morning, with the huge re-alignment of the independent radio sector, some would say its collapse ahead of a pre-emptive strike to go fully national by the back door, the CR sector is very well placed to be the BBC's best ally and therefore our bargaining position in any bidding war is strengthened not weakened.

Are we clever enough to position ourselves as the only source of good, accurate, well focussed community/local radio with a distinctive voice serving the particular and very individual needs of the audience rather than being bland, uniform and homogenous? Remember Gillard.

Our call, not the BBC's, I think.

Andrew David
Managing Editor

SIREN FM - the home of internationally recognised award winning documentary radio, without any annoying bells and whistles. We're proud to have great music, enthusiastic presenters and the odd surprise or two!
www.sirenonline.co.uk <http://www.sirenonline.co.uk/> 
01522 886001

Siren FM and Samantha Pidoux won the Radio Television Digital News Association's Edward R Murrow Awards (International region), which recognise 'outstanding achievements' in electronic journalism in "News Documentary" and "Feature Reporting". This is stunning news for Sam and her family, those who mentored her in the LSJ, and also for Siren FM.
The documentary was aired Christmas 2009 and was called "Letters of Love from Home"

Please note, I am no longer on Twitter and only glancing at Facebook once a month or so - and it feels SO GOOD!

________________________________

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk on behalf of mark polden
Sent: Sun 24/10/2010 11:50
To: admin at londonhuayu.co.uk; stevensuttie at aol.com; office at ccr-fm.co.uk; cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] DCMS Written answers and statements, 19 October 2010 - Local Broadcasting: Radio

What is this kowtowing to the BBC about 

The BBC hate us, we are stealing their listeners

The best thing the government could do would be to sell off the BBC not sell off our forests

On this board I have seen a considerable amount of deference to the BBC when I and others have suggested things like the 1%

The sooner this socialist BBC License Tax is repealed the better it will be for the community sector.

We should as the community sector in the CMA should put a proposal to government to take over the radio PSB remit for the UK

Mark Polden
Flame CCR

________________________________

From: admin at londonhuayu.co.uk
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:17:19 +0100
To: stevensuttie at aol.com; office at ccr-fm.co.uk; cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] DCMS Written answers and statements, 19 October 2010 - Local Broadcasting: Radio

I agree with Nick and Trevor, that our sector is not assertive enough. 
I remember the thread earlier this year when we were talking about asking for 1%. Even then there were those saying we were asking too much, and that we would never get it... for over 200 licensed radio stations, and only asking 1%!

The impression I get is that community media representatives are worried about damaging their relationships with the BBC by asking too much. But from what I can see, there is no relationship to damage! They are laughing at us behind our backs for sure!

eg: "I know, let's get everyone to send their FM radio's to Africa for recycling (read: landfill), and then later we can have another meeting with the CMA about how we can improve our working relationship"..... what a joke!

A couple of years ago, after protracted negotiations with the BBC, the community sector got .... wait for it.... a legal training DVD. Whoopidoo!
(OK, I know I didn't get the whole story on this one, but .... - at least that's all I've seen come out of it)

Other members speak up in support of the 50% rule, as if we need this nanny imposition to help us run our budgets! 

As for internet radio., ok maybe I'm biased here, but last week people were writing in saying their listeners can't hear them because of neighbouring commercial stations drowning them out, or because of local topography. Hello!!! Give out some internet radios as prizes...!
The Beeb and the commercial stations are really spooked by the internet....10 years ago they had a monopoly over the airwaves, and now the carpet is being pulled from under their feet. Advertising is moving to the internet and people are watching YouTube for entertainment. 
So now they are trying to knock up some new radio player which they are hoping to become the default viewing/listening device, in attempt to claw back their listening stats. And of course, they get to decide who can and can't join the club. 
I really hope it fails, I really do. The internet is the most democratic thing that has happened in a very long time, it has shaken the music industry, the government, and the media industry and empowered more people than anything else via delivering information. It has enabled thousands of small businesses to start up and reduced distribution and transaction costs. 
I think their player is doomed to fail and I hope it will, because it is anti-democratic, and aims to stifle and exclude minority voices, or anyone they decide they don't like. I think CMA members should stay away from the dark side. We don't need them anyway.

'nuff said...(I'm becoming outspoken recently...),  just need to conclude, with suggestion that we are a lot of people putting a lot of very hard work in, and are the most exciting part of radio happening in the UK and anywhere else for that matter. We really need to bear that in mind and stand up proud when we are negotiating for money or support for the sector.

Peter
(sorry about the long rant....... internet provides this cheap therapy too!)

On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 5:40 PM, Steve Suttie <stevensuttie at aol.com> wrote:

	Hi Nick,

	Nice to see you are maintaining your trademark passion and enthusiasm for the continued development of the sector.

	We all know that the fund is inadequate, and that achieving sustainability whilst maintaining social gain is a massive difficulty. Add to the mix poor transmission power and lack of access to concrete listening figures to publish... It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see how hard it is to make community radio stations work. Indeed the only reason the sector is surviving at all is due to the passion that you and everybody else applies to your work!

	In theory the £500,000 spread out amongst the licensed stations would work and could be a lifeline for many stations such as yours... But lets not forget that £500,000 was agreed by DCMS before the first round of licensing in 2004/05. It should have increased as the shocking number of stations came on air. But this is when the enthusiasm for CR was lost by the politicians I believe.

	After speaking to Soo Williams at OFCOM a few weeks ago, I learnt that another 200 stations are awaiting a third round of licensing...

	So my point is simple. This £500,000 is not going to provide a very useful spread across 450 stations. Thats if a third round is announced of course. OFCOM can't commit to a third round until they know the severity of the cuts on their own organisation.

	So its a bit more complicated than the simplistic approach that you are suggesting. Shame! Its about time the CR sector was treated with a bit of respect and dignity from the powers that be... After all, we've all been working on austerity measures since long before it became the fashion!

	With best regards
	Steve

	Sent from my iPhone

	On 22 Oct 2010, at 16:02, "Office - ccr-fm" <office at ccr-fm.co.uk> wrote:

		Trev and all

		I ain't arguing with anyone, I am simply standing by what I believe in. I was the one 18 months ago who said we are wasting our time pussyfooting around MP's ....... Furthermore, there is no argument whatsoever against everyone receiving the same amount.

		It ain't difficult and it's fair.

		No one has posted anything yet .......................... ?????       everyone must agree with me !              if that's the case, let's get on with it.

		Whack it out evenly and cancel the next round of applications.

		Regards

		Nick

________________________________

		From: trevor at felixstoweradio.co.uk [mailto:trevor at felixstoweradio.co.uk] 
		Sent: 21 October 2010 22:14
		To: Office - ccr-fm; 'CMA-L'
		Subject: Re: [cma-l] DCMS Written answers and statements, 19 October 2010 - Local Broadcasting: Radio

		Nick

		I cannot argue with your proposition. It's easy to implement and fair.

		Rural stations do not get any substantive support, that I really do know.

		£500K is peanuts - but we must ask ourselves why we are so disregarded. Every presentation about UK broadcasting fails to recognise community media. Given that we have 600 members, 235 with FM licences, all involved with broadcasting then we are doing something wrong. We have power, we have influence, we also have an attitude of subservience, like poor peasants pulling at our forelocks, cap in hand, grateful for the scraps thrown at us by our masters.

		Someone amongst us must be capable of producing a 10 minute audio/video that we can all broadcast, and keep broadcasting (with variations) until all our listeners understand how we are treated.

		We don't have to argue amongst ourselves - we need to motivate our audience to apply pressure upon the government. We do that by broadcasting. Sending pleading emails or letters to MPs do nothing. 

		Please agree with me. I'd do it myself but I'm trying to raise funds to keep our little station going, and as we are all volunteers life ain't easy.

		Whatever, let's keep smiling and making sure we give our audiences what they want. We need thm all to remain on our side.

		Trevor Lockwood
		Felixstowe Radio

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