[cma-l] Local TV and the CMA brand

[Ian Hickling]

I'm sorry to appear cynical about this, but if we and our various Governemnts have so far failed to get Local Radio (in the form of the current Community Radio format) working anything near properly, how the heck are we going to be able to put a similar TV service in place when we have HMG coming up with one philosophy and us proposing something totally different?
Please - let's get to grips with one major problem before we even think about taking on another even bigger one?
 


 
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:06:36 +0000
> From: phil at somersetfilm.com
> To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> Subject: [cma-l] Local TV and the CMA brand
> 
> To try and be clear about how things stand with local TV. Jeremy Hunt wants
> it to happen and his speech yesterday is to be welcomed as a commitment to
> plurality of voices on - and potentially unparalleled access for communities
> to - broadcast spectrum. However the model he appears to be favouring - a
> national network affiliate channel at the spine with guaranteed local opt
> outs - is not one most us signed up to ULTV feel confident about. If a
> spine is non negotiable then there are big issues around who operates that
> spine and on what basis. If it's not-for-profit then we are in with a
> chance, I'd say, but that is unlikely to be the government intention. They
> are still talking about auctioning all the spectrum. So while it's a
> confused picture there is still much to play for right now, and in answer
> to Alan's question, yes, I believe it is absolutely worthwhile to be
> pursuing this opportunity and to take as much public opinion with us as
> possible - towards our charter commitment 'to encourage creative expression
> and to contribute to the democratic process and a pluralist society' Where
> are we as a community media organisation if we do not seek to secure our
> place on one of - if not the most powerful platforms around - namely
> DTT/Freeview. 
> 
> Let's be clear about the BBC £25,000,000 earmarked for local TV - this was
> agreed as part of the BBC licence settlement and is specifically for the
> purpose of enabling a new network of local TV to be set up. There is no
> possibility that this money or any part of it would be re-directed towards
> community radio and CMA would have absolutely no chance of winning that
> argument.
> 
> Of course the radio sector badly needs more central government support and
> CMA is making that case on a daily basis. But let's keep our discussions to
> achievable ends - we do not live in an ideal world, and we need to be both
> realistic and circumspect in our demands.
> 
> Finally, on the subject of the jingle. I think it's a great idea - because
> it builds brand awareness around the principles of why we do what we do. We
> would need to generate a short piece of generic content to go with it
> explaining what CMA is - for the station website and for occasional
> (weekly?) broadcast. I think we need to be asking 'in a multi platform
> universe how do we distinguish community friendly, accurate content
> generated with integrity from the plethora of information and opinion out
> there?' One way is to promote CMA as a brand of integrity - not to promote
> membership, although that may prove a positive spin-off, but as an end in
> itself, as a way of saying 'this is the kind of work we make, it has a value
> and comes from a place you can trust.' That is of course if we have all
> actually read the charter when we signed up and have imbued its values in
> our work! I have to say when I last raised this on these lists the response
> was very limited and seemed to me to miss the essential point, but here's
> hoping this time round!
> 
> Best wishes to all
> 
> Phil
> 
> 
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