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

Wed Sep 21 18:27:59 BST 2011

Peter n' all

I think all in all Peter is correct ... infact a lot of people chipping in
their threepennith have been right .... however I would like to correct one
thing (yep !   here I go again)

Peter states ''the rules are the same for everyone''                er ?
no they ain't ?                  and it is because some of the rules are
different as to why some of the stations can't afford to have more hands on
deck which would thus reduce the probability of music getting through that
shouldn't.

The rules are not the same and that is basis of all of my whinging. The
playing field isn't level with the commercial boys, and to rub salt in the
wounds it ain't level within our own fraturnity either.

Regards

Nick

  _____  

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Richard Berry
Sent: 21 September 2011 15:50
To: 'CMA-L'
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Offensive language on radio - how to avoid the pitfalls

Without risking repeating what's been said already, the message here from
ofcom is quite clear: swearing on the radio is not acceptable. However, you
will notice that in 2 of the cases the matter was seen as 'resolved' due to
the efforts made by the station to ensure compliance. 

Those looking for conspiracy will no doubt see it here and complain that
community radio is been beaten with a stick and those who get paid to do
radio have escaped. But the point to see here is actually that if you have
robust and appropriate compliance systems ofcom will recognise what you've
done. 

Part of the deal of taking on a licence is you follow the rules and those
rules are the same for everyone. Obviously, by its nature community radio
takes more risks. Capital will only play around 140 different tracks at any
one time and it those are picked very carefully indeed by their music team.
Community stations will play much more than that and so the risks are
increased of playing something a bit naughty. 

You could tackle this in one of a number of ways. Insist only tracks on a
playout system are played and these can only be added by a single person. or
presenters can add tracks but won't be released for automation until they've
listened to and approved. Presenter contracts emphasising their compliance
role may also be a useful check. You may of course be of the view that the
important part of what you do as a station is what the presenters say and
where they come from - not the music they play - and so a locked-down
schedule of music is not only useful but sometimes desirable. As you will
note that the live swearing on Radio 1 escaped sanction because they had
audit-able evidence of the steps they took to ensure compliance. 

This goes back to my often made point in this field that if you make the
effort to ensure compliance and something goes wrong then ofcom will be more
understanding. Training and development is at the heart of this. This may be
time consuming and generally a pain but it's what we're all about - or at
least it should be. 

Richard Berry

Senior Lecturer in Radio

University of Sunderland

Tel: (+44) 0191 515 2239

Social: @sunderlandradio

From: Office - ccr-fm <office at ccr-fm.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:35:43 +0100
To: 'Julian Mellor' <julian at 10radio.org>, 'CMA-L' <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Offensive language on radio - how to avoid the pitfalls

Dear All

Could I go back to my absolutely square one, point one, the beginning etc
etc and point out that if weren't scratting our backsides for funding
because of the restrictions we could lighten the load of the unemployment
service / job seekers by about 600 persons and knock all the skittles down
with one bowl by having one or two more hands on deck (possibly
professionals) (which = better training)

This I believe is the point ...... we will never find the remedy if we don't
understand the symptoms. The symptoms are VERY IMPORTANT .... If they are
caused by and created by us (Community Radio) then we have to take it on the
chin when the big chiefs come down on us .... if however they are part of
theblame (which the restrictions are)      then a re-think needs to happen.
Preferably sooner rather than later.

Everyone is trying to do their best under the circumstances, us included. I
personally think we all deserve a medal operating in the main very good
services with little help from people who live in Ivory Towers and have no
idea of what is actually going on. These people get my gander right up and
one day very soon I shall bump into one or two of them and they will not
like it up em' Mr Mainwaring !       :-)     LOL

Regards

Nick

Soldier on chaps and do your best !

  _____  

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Julian Mellor
Sent: 21 September 2011 12:31
To: CMA-L
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Offensive language on radio - how to avoid the pitfalls

Interesting debate.

It does seem that there are two models of community radio.

One is a radio station that happens to use community and voluntary
resources.  The operational style is probably very similar to commercial
radio.

The other is a community project that happens to produce radio.  

It's not to say one is better than the other, and I'm sure some stations
combine both.  But we very much fall into the second model.

Hardly anyone had previous radio experience before we setup six years ago,
but we had lots of community development experience.  We setup primarily to
do community development.  In that context, we're not going to be negligent
and we're not going to ignore what we have signed up to do. But we are going
to be realistic about what volunteers can be expected to do, and what they
can achieve and deliver in the absence of full-time hands-on management.
>From the conversations I've had, people from the more commercial and
possibly top down model really struggle with this approach.  But it works
for us, it works for our community, and from what Ofcom have said having
monitored our output, it works for them as well.

So getting back to the original point, a regulatory system which relies upon
stations having fully resourced staff and management teams presents extra
challenges for volunteer run stations such as ours.   If, at the meeting in
October, Ofcom seem inclined to move towards increased regulation or
expectations, I would ask that the Jaqui and the CMA represent the
difficulties that this will pose for stations operating with minimal
resources.

Julian

............................................................................
....

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 to www.10radio.com

10Radio CIC 

Registered Office: 1 Croft Cottage, West St, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, TA4 2JP

Registered in England and Wales Number: 6004252

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