[cma-l] 4ZZZ accounts (?)

Tue Dec 8 14:45:25 GMT 2015

Good points, well made Ian, but IMHO, there is an open door that could give
space for new thinking - namely the FM spectrum used by the BBC.

   - BBC National radio on DAB is already fairly national AND is is mid-way
   through an upgrade to deliver even more coverage - can't remember the
   numbers, but I recall it is to deliver "equivalence" to FM.
   - BBC is also under constant political challenge to reduce its costs.
   Sooner or later you've got to question the wisdom of maintaining a national
   FM network transmitting a gazillion megawatts simulcasting to ensure there
   is always a signal available to the odd corner of the country that cannot
   receive DAB.
   - BBC could be "leant on" to lead the changeover to DAB in a way that
   commercial stations could not.  Especially if they have equivalent DAB
   coverage.
   - A well advertised "switchover campaign" could persuade people to buy
   DAB radios to continue/extend their BBC listening - certainly more feasible
   than forcing commercial stations.

IF (big if) one or more national BBC stations vacated FM, there would be
loads of spectrum available for all sorts of new initiatives.

Then there is the question of the BBC local stations - again I wonder about
their cost-benefit ratio, and again there is an argument to reduce costs by
reducing simulcasts (like they are doing with AM currently).

When/if the FM spectrum gets vacated, I think there is a reasonable window
of opportunity for FM to deliver a renaissance in radio broadcasting.  More
CR stations yes, more ILR's yes, but also my favourite would be a 1 MHz,
perhaps less, released for light-touch regulation to allow a more flexible,
less paternalistic/traditional approach to community radio.  In the 1980's
in Ireland they had such light touch regulation (precious little to be
honest!) and the result was a lot of very good ultra small commercial
stations that served their communities really well.  Granted there were
probably some awful ones as well, but can we honestly say all current,
heavily licenced stations are perfect?!

They do "Light touch licencing" in the 5.8GHz band, and unlicensed in 862
MHz, 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, probably lots more too.  I know broadcasting is
different, but it needn't be so heavy.

I don't know if the CMA is doing it already, but I hope they are, or will,
paint a compelling picture to the DCMS of what the future could look like
and point out some options that Government quangos might not see/understand.

Glyn

-- 
Glyn Roylance - Principal Consultant
Associated Broadcast Consultants <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/>

On 8 December 2015 at 12:19, Ian Hickling <transplanfm at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Oh - come on fellas - that's never going to happen - is it?
> As long as we have the WTA and some form of BA, there's always going to be
> regulation - and so there should be.
> "Light touch"?
> Depends on who's doing it and who's on the receiving end whether it's seen
> as "light" or not.
> CR stations get it slightly wrong with their KCs and get a whopping (for
> them) fine.
> The commercial giants do more or less as they like - and threaten Ofcom if
> they don't get their own way.
> Why otherwise would we have stupidly low powers for CR stations -
> restriction on advertising - and some areas designated as "no go" because
> there's a resident ILR that doesn't want competition.
> It's all around you if you look.
> The CMA isn't in a position to bid for spectrum - even if there were a
> segment available.
> The BBC isn't going to give up any of its heritage and random FM occupancy
> voluntarily and I can't see Ofcom or any possible successor making it
> happen.
> So - the solution?
> Radical changes to Regulation.
> Details confidential at the moment - but the DCMS is at least listening.
>
> *Ian Hickling*
> Partner
>
> <http://www.transplanuk.com/>
> *Office: 01635 578435  (7am-11pm UK time)*
> *Carphone: 07530 980115 (only responds when driving)*
> *6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS*
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2015 10:52:44 +0000
> From: info at a-bc.co.uk
> To: cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] 4ZZZ accounts
>
> Thanks for that Tony.  So just a mere 800watts ERP in the rural areas then!
>
> Even though we'd like to think that way, I don't think 800w could work in
> UK - far more densely populated than France.  A more flexible approach up
> to say 200w would be welcome though.  Also consideration of some "light
> touch" licences below 25w might be good too.  Many rural villages would
> probably only need 1watt - but that would only be viable with far less
> red-tape.
>
> Glyn
>
>
>
> On 8 December 2015 at 10:08, Tony Bailey <ravensound at pilgrimsound.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
> Just picked this up after returning from overseas:
>
> I think Paris was something of a special case when they re-assigned the FM
> band Glyn.  A typical French FM community station in the sticks would have
> a 200 watt linear feeding a stack of four dipoles.  In Paris they assigned
> all 50 channels to the National and commercial stations including a few
> community slots which I think were all shared by the dozen or so
> interest/ethnic/religious bodies.  I don't remember there being any that
> did not cover the whole city, hence the unusually high power.  That was all
> many years ago, but it was interesting to us because all the original local
> French FM stations were pirates since only medium and long wave was then in
> use generally.
>
> Para 3 below: I've said this before: Radio Cracker!!
>
> Channel allocations: Actually now may be the time for the CMA to bid for
> this, if the authorities wish to devolve licensing?  For special events
> (JFMG) and radio amateurs (RSGB) are doing it already.  It's not a
> broadcasting issue since that would come under regulation, just radcoms.
> Why don't we bid for a community radio sub band and let the BBC and ILR do
> the rest?
>
> Tony Bailey
>
> On 05/11/15 12:34, Associated Broadcast Consultants wrote:
>
> Interesting James (your insights - not the document that is a boring
> financial statement).
>
> I recall seeing somewhere that all the community stations in Paris are on
> 6kW from very high tower blocks.  Alternative models for community radio
> can and do work, even in Europe.
>
> Personally I'd like to see a more flexible approach at both ends - ie:
> accommodate larger "community of interest" stations, maybe with stronger
> rules if needed and at other end of the scale also some smaller
> neighbourhood stations - say 1-5 watts with bare minimum light-touch
> regulation that prevents interference concerns  Maybe allocate a single
> channel to be used anywhere in the country, with no guarantees of coverage
> quality similar to WiFi unlicensed approach.  Or something else that
> embraces alternative approaches that others on this forum have alluded to
> rather than the current rather quaint, paternalistic approach.
>
> IMHO
>
> Glyn
>
>
>
>
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> Associated Broadcast Consultants <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/>
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