[cma-l] Offensive language on radio - how to avoid the pitfalls

[sandra.martin at saintfm.org.uk]

Agree entirely with Julian, without someone who's sole responsibility it is to
maintain the music library, be responsible for uploading, editing and scheduling
the music daily the community world is at a disadvantage.  We have to rely on
our volunteers and our training, consequently with the best will in the world a
non radio edit occasionally slips through the net.
 
SANDRA AMEY-MARTIN
STATION MANAGER
SAINT FM 94.7

01621 787829
07988 986975
www.saintfm.org.uk

  
 

On 19 September 2011 at 11:11 Julian Mellor <julian at 10radio.org> wrote:


> This has already raised some issues and concerns for us.
> Underlying it is I think the whole regulatory setup of radio i.e. everyone
> plays by the same rules.  In itself there's nothing wrong with that, but when
> the rules are written by organisations with professional and paid capacity,
> those rules can easily be blind to the challenges that they pose to
> organisations running under limited volunteer steam.
> At 10Radio we have a huge music library gleaned from our members' and
> volunteers' personal collections.  Over the years we have weeded that to take
> out the explicits, but the occasional blip does still happen on our sustaining
> service (and results in immediate deletion).  We encourage people to add new
> tracks and keep the collection alive (and we give them guidelines), but we
> don't have the capacity to supervise or double-check everything that has been
> added.
> Furthermore, we don't insist that people only play from our own music library,
> so many bring in their own tracks.  Again, we train presenters so that they
> know not to play explicits especially when children are in the likely
> audience, but some people may innocently play something that is deemed
> offensive (look at the words to almost every Amy Winehouse track!).  A
> professional station may have the capacity to make sure that that doesn't
> happen.  We simply don't.
> We have even had an instance where someone with a grudge against us sent in a
> request to a new presenter for a particular track.  When it was played they
> complained about the explicit references.  Again, we don't have studio
> producers weeding out that sort of sabotage.
> I know that we have signed up to Ofcom's regulatory framework and that is
> fine.  But I would hate to think that this furore about offensive language
> ends up with more layers of regulation that we will simply be unable to
> implement.  Some commercial stations would probably love to see the back of
> the pesky community sector ("they can't meet comply with the code, therefore
> they have to go"), but if we are to continue providing the local and
> accessible community service which we are committed to then at the meeting in
> October the CMA must fight for a realistic approach which accommodates all
> sectors of the radio industry, and not just the big boys.
> toodlepip
> Julian
> 
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> 
> ................................................................................
> 10Radio: community radio for the 10 parishes
> 1 Croft Cottage, West St, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, TA4 2JP
> Hear us on 105.3fm & www.10radio.org
> 
> 
> JM tel: 01984 623 104
> Studio and office tel: 01984 624 137
> For details of our training, team building, hire and broadcast services,
> please go towww.10radio.com
> 10Radio CIC 
> Registered Office: 1 Croft Cottage, West St, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, TA4 2JP
> Registered in England and Wales Number: 6004252
> 
> 
> On 19 Sep 2011, at 10:24, Jaqui Devereux wrote:
> 
> > Dear all in radio
> > 
> > As you will be aware, Ofcom informed broadcasters in a ‘Note to
> > Broadcasters’ (in Broadcast Bulletin 188
> > -http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/enforcement/broadcast-bulletins/obb188/obb188.pdf)
> > of their concern about offensive language in radio programming.  This
> > concern arose from a number of Findings, published in Broadcast Bulletin
> > 188, which
> > featured offensive language in sound recordings and live music performances
> > broadcast on radio services, especially those broadcast when children were
> > particularly likely to be listening.
> > We strongly suggest that you read Ofcom's note, and we will be attending a
> > special meeting in late October called by Ofcom to discuss the issue, we
> > will feed back the outcomes from the meeting
> > 
> > Best wishes
> > 
> > Jaqui
> > 
> > --
> > Jaqui Devereux
> > Director, Community Media Association
> > Community Media Association
> > http://www.commedia.org.uk
> > 
> > t: 0114 279 5219
> > 
> > Canstream Internet Radio & Video
> > http://www.canstream.co.uk/
> > 
> > http://twitter.com/community_media
> > https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > 
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