[cma-l] the Community Radio Toolkit Needs You!

Tue Sep 16 16:22:02 BST 2014

I said exactly that to Phil the other day.  I've been building and managing
online communities for about 16 years, from newsgroups and e-mail groups,
through web-based forums to social networking presences.

Cat

*Catherine Lake*
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On 16 September 2014 15:52, Paul Golder <paul at pvg.co.uk> wrote:

> I've set up lots of phpBB-type forums in the past - really popular 10
> years ago, but I think they've had their day now.
>
> What's wrong with setting up a Facebook Group?  Minimum of fuss / people
> familiar with the formats / probably not going to die out in the next few
> years etc
>
> Paul
> Phoenix FM
> www.phoenixfm.com
>
>
> On 16 September 2014 15:20, Associated Broadcast Consultants <
> info at a-bc.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> I agree to a certain extent - the problem occurred with the move to the
>> "new" format website.  From what I recall you had to re-register on the
>> site, and it seemed many active contributors were lost at that point.
>>
>> Another problem is the landing page on the new site after login.  Even
>> though you may have clicked on the Forum tab at the top, after login you
>> are redirected to another page called "Activity" which actually seems an
>> oxymoron because it does not seem very active!  At this stage I reckon new
>> sign-ups might give up - assuming the forum is not active.
>>
>> I agree there should be an active forum supporting people who do
>> community radio.  I have at times thought about setting one up myself, but
>> really I think it's best if such a forum is hosted on an independent
>> website like this one or CMA.
>>
>> Having said that, even the Media UK forum seems less active than it used
>> to be - maybe Forums are not "where it's at" nowadays?
>>
>> Glyn
>>
>> --
>> Glyn Roylance - Principal Consultant
>> Associated Broadcast Consultants <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/>
>> <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/index.html>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 15 September 2014 19:34, Bruce Rodger <bruce at celticmusicradio.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Phil,
>>>
>>> I hope my comments will be taken as constructive criticism - as you will
>>> remember I was a regular participant in the original toolkit forum, but
>>> since the re-vamp my contributions - and pretty much everyone else’s - have
>>> mostly dried up. We need to fix that, and I’m not convinced funding will
>>> resolve that.
>>>
>>> I do support what we’re trying to do with the toolkit - it’s a very
>>> worthwhile project (note the “we” there….)
>>>
>>> The one thing that surprises me about the community radio scene in the
>>> UK is that there is no active web forum. Think about just about any
>>> hobby/sport/pastime/activity, search around a bit, and you’ll find a wealth
>>> of volunteer-run web forums. Whether it’s Land Rover maintenance, or
>>> theatre technology, or skateboarding, or hillwalking, or photography, or
>>> people who live in a certain town, or one-legged blind naturists….. you get
>>> the idea.
>>>
>>> I’m involved with several, and they’ve grow from being initially a place
>>> where like minded people could chat, through being a repository of useful
>>> information and knowledge, to being the de-facto reference site for any
>>> technical or non-tech queries on that subject. In one that I am involved
>>> with, we have an active membership ranging from school kid know-it-all
>>> wannabe’s through to industry professionals at the apex of their profession.
>>>
>>> It’s not funding that makes these work - the web hosting is often paid
>>> by google adverts, or out of the pockets of the admin team. There are no
>>> paid admins, authors or moderators - it’s done by the community, simply
>>> because it’s THEIR community.
>>>
>>>
>>> The toolkit is never going to happen without formal funding - but what
>>> our community lacks is a community forum. Which is a bit sad, bearing in
>>> mind that community is what we’re all about! It doesn’t take money, it just
>>> takes a bit of time and some community buy-in.
>>>
>>> Bruce.
>>>
>>> (ps - I made up the bit about one-legged blind naturists. I don’t think
>>> it exists - unless one of you know different?)
>>>
>>>
>>> Bruce Rodger
>>> Celtic Music Radio 95fm
>>> bruce at celticmusicradio.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 15 Sep 2014, at 16:11, Phil Korbel <phil at radioregen.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Bruce
>>>
>>> The site is un-funded and we've not had the resources to support new
>>> content or the forum.
>>>
>>> Watch this space for the re-launch...
>>>
>>> Would hate to see you when you're being critical ;)
>>>
>>> best wishes
>>>
>>> Phil
>>>
>>> Phil Korbel FRSA - Director, Radio Regen, charity no. 1077763
>>>
>>> www.radioregen.org
>>> www.communityradiotoolkit.net
>>> www.connecttransmit.org.uk
>>>
>>> Please note that I work at Radio Regen under 2 days a week so responses
>>> might not be as quick as we'd like.  Many thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 15 September 2014 14:51, Bruce Rodger <bruce at celticmusicradio.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Phil writes: "...The much loved Community Radio Toolkit
>>>> <http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/> is re-launching soon "...
>>>>
>>>> I really don't want to be a wet blanket here - but I've got to ask. Is
>>>> it really "much loved"? The document itself is fine, but the website aint.
>>>>
>>>> The "Forum" section - which is potentially one of the most valuable and
>>>> useful areas - has had 3 posts this year, the last one 3 months ago. The
>>>> "News" section has had 3 posts this year, and the "Feature" section - which
>>>> claims "Every now and then we put the spotlight on a different community
>>>> radio subject. These features allow us to look at particular topics in more
>>>> depth, with articles, website links and interactive contributions from
>>>> members" - has not been updated in four and a half years.
>>>>
>>>> I don't find it a particularly user-friendly experience.
>>>>
>>>> Before the last "rebranding", it was quite a useful resource, with an
>>>> active forum. But I'm now just a very occasional visitor, and any time I do
>>>> visit, I get the feeling that the only footprints in the sand are the ones
>>>> I made last time I visited.
>>>>
>>>> It's a concept with great potential, but needs more buy-in and
>>>> participation from the community to make it work.
>>>>
>>>> Bruce.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 15 September 2014 11:04, Phil Korbel <phil at radioregen.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi colleagues
>>>>>
>>>>> The much loved Community Radio Toolkit
>>>>> <http://www.communityradiotoolkit.net/> is re-launching soon -
>>>>> allowing far easier access to our huge free library of 'how to' resources
>>>>> for the sector.
>>>>>
>>>>> As you'll know if you've delved there - it has a lot of writing in it
>>>>> - which looked great on the printed page and pdf's but frankly runs the
>>>>> risk of looking a tad dull on a web page so - we need more pictures!  If
>>>>> you'd like a name-check on the new site and have a photo or cartoon that
>>>>> really says something about community radio would like to share it with us
>>>>> - and the sector?
>>>>>
>>>>> No prizes - this is just about sharing.  Please send images by email
>>>>> to this address in the next couple of weeks along with a short caption and
>>>>> photographer credit if required.
>>>>>
>>>>> More news about the re-launch soon
>>>>>
>>>>> best wishes
>>>>>
>>>>> Phil
>>>>>
>>>>> Phil Korbel FRSA - Director, Radio Regen, charity no. 1077763
>>>>>
>>>>> www.radioregen.org
>>>>> www.communityradiotoolkit.net
>>>>> www.connecttransmit.org.uk
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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>
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>
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>
> The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community
> Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk
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