[cma-l] Offensive language on Radio

[Phil Korbel]

A great debate this...

Ian is right - we cant and should not make any plea for leniency from Ofcom
on account of being volunteer based or being skint.  We sign up to manage
our stations against a legal obligation to abide by the regulations -
whether fair or not.  If we dont have that capacity we shouldn't apply for a
licence, or expect to keep one.  We might be a third sector but we are not
third class. This does not require staff, it requires well delivered, common
sense training and support and something else...

For any station to thrive and fulfil the obligations that it took on to get
the licence, part of the volunteer induction and support HAS to be about
realising that being a community radio volunteer is, or should be, far more
than turning up and playing a few of your favourite tunes to your mates.
Volunteers have to realise, as many do, that they have an obligation to the
station to help it thrive - and if nothing else - comply with the
regulations.  If it is beyond the capacity of the volunteer or the station
to make sure that this is the case, then please dont drag down the sector by
turning 'volunteerism' into a by-word for amateurism.  Indeed, most thriving
stations that I know have a substantial number of volunteers engaged off air
- in the management and administration of the station.

Of course scarce resources are a major issue - all I'm saying is that
stations who find regulatory compliance a problem should do all they can to
cut their cloth to fit in terms of who they let on air.  The risk of not
doing so is all too clear.

OK - I'm a tad biased but there is some good advice on this issue here
http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-five/managing-volunteers/and
here
http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/the-toolkit-handbook/toolkit-chapter-ten/volunteer-support/
(requires a login)

As a sector we make extraordinary radio that does fantastic things in our
communities (often with sod all resources), please let's try to avoid giving
our detractors ammunition...

Over and out

bests,

Phil

-- 
Phil Korbel
Director
0161 237 5454

Radio Regen is a community, media and urban regeneration charity
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