[cma-l] CR and the 50%

["Paul Scarth"]

I've been kicking back and reading through some of the comments made
about the balance between on-air advertising and aditional revenue.
My views are...

I can see Ofcom's need to look at drawing a balance between commercial
input and other revenue streams.  Take a look at short term RSL's and
how many are funded through local businesses.  A large amount of
revenue is often generated over a short period of time causing most
stations to fall foul of the 50% rule when they suddently thnk they
can sustain a five year community radio license.

The community sector as a whole has been suffering for the last 10
years.  Having worked in community media I've seen the likes of the
local council, goverment and european funding being cut back to levels
where you're getting no more than pocket money to support community
based projects.  People need to remember that although these pots of
money come around, and sometimes in large amounts, they'll only be
offered once every so many years.  Seeing more than one station
applying for a licence in the same area to me is nothing short of
commercial suicide...

Although stations need to diversify and look at different revenue
streams I think it's going to be difficult, to darn right impossible,
to look at sustaining a community radio station purely on "funding"
opportunities.  I can see stations needing to break the rules and look
at "other mean" of bringing in money just to stay afloat...

All this said...  I'm waiting to hear if we get a licnese soon...
Eeeek! :)

Paul Scarth
Harmony FM, HUddersfield.