[cma-l] FW: Weekend Digest

Tue Mar 8 20:03:42 GMT 2011

Seems like a great idea to me.  Although some people think it's a "paltry
sum", it would take our advertising a team a long time pounding the streets
to raise £2k.  That amount could go a long way to paying some of the fixed
costs.

Regarding the "never happen" comment, the same could arguably said about
creating a larger fund!

Glyn

On 8 March 2011 16:33, Murray Dawson <murray at shmu.org.uk> wrote:

> I think we'll have to agree to differ on this one Nick/Trevor.
> It'll never happen.
>
> Let's move on and concentrate on creating a larger fund.
>
> Murray
> --
>
> Murray Dawson
> Project Director
> Station House Media Unit
> Station Road, Woodside
> Aberdeen AB24 2WB
>
> t +44 1224 515013
> e murray at shmu.org.uk
> w www.shmu.org.uk
>
>
> Office - ccr-fm <office at ccr-fm.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>  Looks like one or two are starting to drift round to my way of thinking
>> ??        quite interesting really. Get your 2K and THEN go back to your
>> local MP and ask the question     ‘’is someone taking the Michael
>> ??’’                he might take you seriously …………….. however, with some
>> getting £30,000 and others getting sod-all our whole ethos and the very
>> basis of us pleading poverty all the time goes out the window.
>>
>>
>>
>> Have some faith in your whinging Uncle Nick ………….. at least try it for a
>> couple of years ……………. Anything is better than the shambles we’ve got at the
>> moment.
>>
>>
>>
>> The pot would grow of course by at least £100,000 coz’ you wouldn’t need a
>> grants panel !    just a monkey with a cheque book …….. monkeeeee magic !
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards
>>
>>
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>>  ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:
>> cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] *On Behalf Of *Ian Hickling
>> *Sent:* 05 March 2011 16:34
>> *To:* cma-l
>> *Subject:* [cma-l] Weekend Digest
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Whilst I appreciate Trevor's desperation to get things done, sharing a
>> paltry sum equally is no solution.
>> The only sensible way to allocate a given sum is as at present - by
>> application stressing need.
>> But - as he says - we do need vastly more funding in addition to that
>> which is available if you look - and fight - really hard.
>> All the CR stations we deal with need to enhance their transmission
>> systems to capture more listeners and thereby attract more funding.
>> That would require a lot of money but it also needs Ofcom to clear every
>> single new transmission application.
>> Ofcom has said it cannot even consider any such applications at present
>> because it has over 200 new potential stations to process and
>> new broadcasters  have precedence over existing licencees.
>> That's another very real need that CMA needs to address please.
>>
>>  ------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> Weekend Digest
>>
>> It's been a busy week, and I have some comments to make. I must stress
>> they are my personal opinions, and do not reflect the views of the Council,
>> of which I am an elected member.
>>
>> This week Nick said that he believed the Community Radio Fund money should
>> be shared equally. Whilst it remains at under £500K that gives each licensed
>> station about £2k. At my station it means that our 100 volunteers can expect
>> a cup of coffee occasionally. In any case we give £850 to OfCom just to hold
>> a licence so the nett cost, after 20% VAT, will be marginal.
>>
>> Importantly it means we can tell all our listeners (is that an estimated
>> 13 million) that we only receive £2K. I think the BBC's 44 stations spent
>> over £600 million last year. So who gives value for money? We should
>> tell our listeners how we are treated.
>>
>> If everyone gets the same money there will be no need for a committee to
>> decide (I wonder what that costs in coffee and biscuits?). It will certainly
>> save OfCom money.
>>
>> That anyone should judge whether a licensed station is more worthy than
>> another is not a valid argument. OfCom issued the licence - so we are all
>> worthy until exposed as charlatans.
>>
>> Such a paltry sum can be turned into a lever to make the government
>> recognise our value. We can provide services they require - all they have to
>> do is recognise our existence.
>>
>> This raises a much wider problem. We are all scrabbling around to find
>> funders. Many stations employ full-time fundraisers, when it would be more
>> productive to recognise the value of community media, and to allow us to
>> take over some of the functions of local BBC, and to relax the restrictive
>> practices that discourage entrepreneurship within our sector.
>>
>> CMA should
>> consider employing outside expertise, and carefully chosen some of those
>> could also provide funding. Advertising agencies, IT and equipment
>> suppliers, joint licensing and many other options could be considered.
>>
>> We have the opportunity to create a real sense of national pride, to build
>> local communities, to train and support local talent. We just need to be
>> given a modicum of support.
>>
>> Such financing can arise through providing services. One significant
>> example is that we should be the first suppliers to the Central Office of
>> Information. We know we can provide services at a competitive price and we
>> have a deeper reach into society than any other media.
>>
>> I believe we should use the BSkyB decision to further our aims and
>> aspirations. A significant portion of the media is now in the hands of one
>> Australian and his son. That helps my sense of national pride, but
>> importantly offers us all an opportunity. We can provide local news, and we
>> can supply real information about the mood of our people. Increasingly
>> other media are separated from the people. Commercial radio agglomerates,
>> newspapers and satellite stations are monopolistic.
>>
>> We are the only media in touch with real people.
>>
>> I'll repeat these are my opinions - not those of the Council.
>>
>> Trevor
>>
>>
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