[cma-l] UKRD wants public notice law change

[Martin Steers]

Afraid you might have gotten the wrong end of the stick, if as a public
service you are currently talking about public notices and road closures you
are doing nothing wrong..

What this is about is at the moment councils and companies HAVE to pay for
these notices to be printed in a newspaper, and UKRD are trying to get this
reviewed to enable them to use other media's (including radio).


M

On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 3:04 PM, Office - ccr-fm <office at ccr-fm.co.uk>wrote:

>  Martin n’ all****
>
> ** **
>
> Are we yet again talking about ‘’paid-for’’ notices and information or is
> it a free-for-all ??               the reason I ask is that only last year
> we had a huge debate on our station regarding planning proposals from a
> local firm. It was a hot potato in our community and we covered it in a fair
> and balanced way. The company applying for the land and building rights
> refused to comment after about 4 weeks and therefore ended up out of the
> debate. Not our fault of course as the airwaves were there for them should
> they have wanted to use them ………………. Also, we are constantly everyday
> talking about road closures ………… many of our listeners say this is very
> valuable part of our Breakfast and Drivetime programmes ………… they are not
> paid for by anyone …..****
>
> ** **
>
> We were asked at the outset by Ofcom to consult (there’s that damn word
> again)(consultation)      our communities and ask them what they wanted …….
> Seems odd that when you come back with the info’ some jerk has already made
> a law to prevent you from doing it. It gets dafter everyday ……. I wouldn’t
> change it for the world, you couldn’t write a script like this even if you
> tried.****
>
> ** **
>
> It looks like Canalside have been breaking the Law ………… LOL
> another Law obviously made by complete nongy-nongs !****
>
> ** **
>
> I could possibly announce this on drivetime in an hours time ……….   No more
> road closures and as of tomorrow all drivers will have to tootle along in
> their vehicles whilst reading a newspaper !          there may be a bit of
> windscreen showing if one is in a BMW, however you’ll be driving blind if
> you happen to own a smart car.****
>
> ** **
>
> I wonder how many Laws there actually are that our brotherhood have no idea
> of ………………. Plenty I reckon.****
>
> ** **
>
> Furthermore, in all the war and peace documents that we receive none of it
> is ever written in laymans english so one has to be the next rung down from
> a Professor to understand it. ****
>
> If you were stood in a pub with a guy who was talking the rhetoric of the
> rules and regulations, you’d walk off after two minutes.****
>
> ** **
>
> We promote lots of things on Canalside, and we embrace them. Road closure
> announcements help the environment and prevent traffic jams …… not a crime
> in my book ………… public notice Law my arse !            what a load of
> cobblers and a new one on us.****
>
> ** **
>
> Then again, as I always say ……….. perhaps I’ve got the wrong end of the
> stick?****
>
> ** **
>
> It does appear me though that as well as licking the backsides of
> commercial radio ‘they’ ‘ whoever’ ?      are giving the newspaper society a
> tickle as well …………  my word, there has been a lot of wining and dining
> going on …………… I didn’t get an invite though.****
>
> ** **
>
> Regards****
>
> ** **
>
> Nick****
>
> ** **
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:
> cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] *On Behalf Of *Martin Steers
> *Sent:* 28 June 2011 13:30
>
> *To:* CMA Discussion List List
> *Subject:* [cma-l] UKRD wants public notice law change****
>
>  ** **
>
> Certainly something to think about and discuss.. maybe consider action on
> your own (station and individual) or a CMA thing? This could be of huge
> benefit to community stations and the communities they serve.****
>
> ** **
>
>
> http://radiotoday.co.uk/2011/06/ukrd-wants-public-notice-law-change/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+radiotoday+%28Radio+Today+-+News%29
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> Local radio operator UKRD is calling for ministers to change the law which
> means public notices about things like road closures and planning
> applications have to be carried only in local newspapers.****
>
> The group’s Chief Executive, William Rogers, told RadioToday.co.uk the
> current legislation was ‘out-dated and very old fashioned’.****
>
> Along with the Managing Directors of UKRD’s portfolio of stations – which
> includes Pirate FM, Eagle Radio, Minster and 2BR – William is campaigning to
> open up the use of all media for public notices so that councils and
> government departments can choose the marketing solution most appropriate to
> get their information across.****
>
> William told us: “It is a reality in today’s world, that circulation of
> local newspapers has been falling and their effectiveness to deliver the
> messages various public bodies want to get across to communities they serve,
> has diminished as a result. Whilst they still provide strong local editorial
> content and are a valuable resource, it is clearly ridiculous that public
> bodies are not able to make a judgement about how best to deliver their
> messages to local communities and are restricted by law from making that
> choice.”****
>
> He added that he would like to see a change in the current law, so that
> web, local radio and local newspapers could all be considered. “This may
> seem like a small change but there is no question that local radio, along
> with other media, has been denied the opportunity to play a role in this
> area for far too long and should now be allowed to participate along with
> local newspapers and others,” said Rogers.****
>
> We’re told UKRD’s managers around the country are lobbying local MPs
> through letters and meetings, setting out the case for change and arguing
> that public sector organisations should be given ‘the widest choice to
> ensure effective and cost efficient delivery of their notices into local
> communities’.****
>
> Only last month<http://www.lgcomms.org.uk/blog/lgcomms-newspaper?blog=experts-call-for-200m-saving-on-public-notices> an
> organisation representing communications departments from local councils
> wrote to the Department for Communities and Local Government calling for a
> change to allow notices to be placed on their own websites to save £200m
> over five years in press advertising costs.****
>
> Previously, organisations like the Newspaper Society have called for the
> restrictions to stay in place<http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/2/jul/09/ns-raises-local-government-advertising-concerns> to
> support the local press industry. Many local councils began publishing their
> own weekly free newspapers as a way of reducing the amount spent on press
> advertising.****
>
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