[cma-l] comty radio and campaigning

[Richard Berry]

The key here is balance. Is your coverage, on the whole, balanced and  
fair.

So, you should do what you can in programmes as a whole to find out  
what people think and how it will affect them and make provisions to  
balance that: What arguments are being put forward to the closures? It  
may be nobody uses them, it could be costs etc. If the the council  
turn down an offer that may not be sufficient, so it falls to your  
presenters to offer balance.

However, if the local community step up and say we want to the library  
on (as has happened) then it would be fair and proper for you to get  
behind the campaign to raise the funds they might need. But supporting  
a campaign to stop the cuts could well be in breach of the rules

Richard


On 10 Jan 2011, at 15:31, Marilyn Hyndman wrote:

> .......you can't be expected to have 'balance' in every programme  
> but you can achieve 'balance' across a schedule. This need not  
> necessarily be focussed narrowly on an issue like libraries, you  
> could consider broader approaches such as a discussion of local  
> government priorities, residents priorities, national public  
> spending cuts effect on locale. I suspect you will always get into  
> diffs with single issues when those either for or against are poor  
> communicators but you could say on air that an invitation was sent  
> to the local county council and they did not reply, were not  
> available etc.... if a majority of people in your community are  
> opposed to library closures and those carrying out the closures have  
> a poor record of communication, that is not your fault. It is the  
> reality of what is happening in your community and you are  
> reflecting that .....discussing positive ways forward, opening up  
> dialogue and involving the community and its elected representatives  
> should help your listeners to see that you are attempting to be  
> impartial....
>
>
>
> On 10 Jan 2011, at 14:02, Julian Mellor wrote:
>
>> A question for you hive of minds:
>>
>> Under Ofcom rules we have to show due impartiality, give air to  
>> differing opinions etc.
>>
>> But how does that impact upon how we cover issues and decisions  
>> that will detrimentally impact upon the communities we serve?
>>
>> To illustrate this:  our local county council wants to close 20 or  
>> its 34 libraries, including the one in our town.  Via our website  
>> we have been very vocal in our opposition to the closures, although  
>> on air we are giving coverage to both sides of the argument  
>> (although the County are pretty hopeless at coming forth to  
>> communicate!)  Some of our Directors are a little bit twitchy about  
>> this, thinking that we shouldn't come out for one side or the  
>> other, whether on air or off air.
>>
>> Is there a definitive line on what we can / can't do in this multi- 
>> platform world?  And what do others do?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Julian
>>
>> ................................................................................
>>
>> 10Radio: community radio for the 10 parishes
>> 105.3fm
>> http://www.10radio.org
>>
>> West St
>> Wiveliscombe
>> Somerset
>> TA4 2JP
>>
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>> Studio and office tel: 01984 624 137
>>
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>> Registered Office: 1 Croft Cottage, West St, Wiveliscombe,  
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>>
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>
> Marilyn Hyndman
> Northern Visions/NvTv
> 23 Donegall Street
> Belfast
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>
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>
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>
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>
>
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