[cma-l] FW: free ads

[Office - ccr-fm]

Dear All

 

I sent this to Soo ready for tomorrow.

 

I'm not sure as to whether our wonderful chappies are aware but we are in a
rather bizarre situation as far as Ofcom are concerned, and some of you may
have had this experience yourselves.

 

Ofcom clearly state that they are not an 'advisory' institution. They are
regulators / referees ..... however, there is a slight issue here. Whilst
trying to hold a debate, make observations and indirectly invite 'advice'
the situation appears to have drawn a blank. Ofcom appear to have remained
'schtum'

 

So my conclusion is this :-       a number of things could happen

 

1)       Nothing

2)       Notification that all is in order and there are no problems

3)       Notification that rules have been breached

4)       The heavy mob turn up to turn off our transmitter

5)       The postman turns up with a fine

 

If nothing happens, are we to surmise that the rules allow for 'manouvre'
if we receive notification will we be told directly that we have broken the
Law, and of course how>??

Surely, the sensible thing to do would be to warn the mischief makers first
and to have the debate before the event and not after. This isn't a
criticism of Ofcom as I truly believe they are in a strange situation. This
is a new situation isn't it ?           or                  can they not do
anything until the local commercial chaps officially complain. In fact, the
best thing for us to do would be to ring them and tell them what we've done
and ask them to complain.

 

We have one problem ....... if we get a yellow card, we don't at the moment
have a Plan B ...... has anyone any suggestions apart from 'carry-on
regardless   :-(   oh dear.

 

No turning back now

 

I'll keep you posted .......         boing !   time for bed ! :-)

 

Nick

 

  _____  

From: Office - ccr-fm [mailto:office at ccr-fm.co.uk] 
Sent: 24 October 2011 20:43
To: Susan.Williams at ofcom.org.uk
Subject: free ads

 

Soo

 

At the moment we only have Henshaws, Church House and Ukash. These were test
adverts that we had done six months ago for our cy4y station. These are the
only ones we can use until others are done. Six months ago Central Tyre and
Auto and MRI Polytech were approached, they still haven't sent anything
through. Others haven't even been notified yet as it all takes time.

 

These on-air adverts are free ...... the contracts remain the same with
nothing added and nothing taken away. The people are on exactly the same
off-air deal and price as they have always been on. In fact, most of our
prices have actually gone down ..... They had to due to the fact that we
couldn't give on-air ads (paid for)      we have left the prices alone and
there they will stay.

 

It has been a main conversation over the past week with our volunteers and
people from the general public. The overall consensus is that under the
current programming and off-air activities there is no proof of paid for /
not paid for etc etc              it is a grey area
our concern however is which side of the line does a grey area fall ???

 

Time will tell ........ I am around tomorrow so I await the e-mail / phone
call       whichever ??

 

We do wish to see this through as 4 years of it is not acceptable and with
no common sense in sight, we need to do at least something.

 

No not-for-profit Community group should be placed in this type of
situation, it is totally unacceptable and if legalities do come into it the
DCMS need to be sure they have there facts right. I have done a hell of a
lot of homework and they may find that it is they who have been breaking the
Law all this time and not us.

 

There is an argument that hoping this bolts people on . it indirectly
becomes part of a contract ......... actually it doesn't. I'm also
interested to find out at what stage could a free advert be chucked into the
mix ??

1 week after the contract ?       2 weeks ?      3 weeks?     1 Month?
3 Months?     6 Months?     1 year?             there doesn't appear to be
anything in the rule book?   And I have read it twice,                  we
don't really care as long as supporters / donors / sponsors    don't wander
off as the other 19 have done.

 

Regards

 

Nick

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