[cma-l] RadioCentre unimpressed with community radio changes

[Canalside's The Thread]

The discussions, debate and decisions get dafter by the hour !

 

“Community radio can perform a valuable complementary role to commercial
radio and the BBC, but it must offer something significantly different to
the communities it serves’’

 

We’ll offer something COMPLETELY different to commercial radio 24/7 and
NEVER go anywhere near a business if you pay us 

 Government money
(community fund)  (some of the licence fee ??)         we’ll even play a
Panpipes special at mid-day for 2 hours every Tuesday, we will Narrowcast 7
days a week if you wish. Isn’t the BBC also meant to be serving minority
groups as well. The interpretation of a minority group though by commercial
radio is ‘less listeners’     not particular audiences, but simply less
listeners, that is what constitutes to them as a minority. In otherwords if
we have all the restrictions in place and we have no listeners then fine,
community radio can be hunky dory. 
..God give me strength !

 

I told you it was a complete mish mash and still unclear. This proves it.
Even those who are arguing for the case AGAINST also have completely missed
the point and clearly don’t get it ? 

I think todays announcements leave us firmly in the middle ground 
. It can
now go either way and as mentioned in my previous e-mail, I think it is suck
it and see for everyone now. Commercial Radio as well.

 

In a small area under the 150,000, if £15,000 of advertising money is going
to cause a problem to a commercial station no matter how big or small they
are I think they seriously need a look at their strategy as something must
gone rather pear shaped over the licence period.

 

In all of this saga over the past 12 years, I was having a think at
dinner-time whilst I tucked into my Haggis and Vanilla slice 
.. has the
question ever been asked   ‘’How do we protect Community Radio ?’’      I
don’t think it has you know.

 

Try to view this as a bit of protection for us, things don’t look quite as
bad then if you do.

 

The mind boggles

 

Nick

  _____  

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Martin Steers
Sent: 22 January 2015 14:46
To: CMA-Mailing-List
Subject: [cma-l] RadioCentre unimpressed with community radio changes

 

Via Radio Today:
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/01/radiocentre-unimpressed-with-community-radio
-changes/

 

RadioCentre, the industry body for commercial radio, says changes to the way
community radio stations can fund themselves is a concern for commercial
stations.

The Government today
<http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/01/community-radio-order-updated/> said the
not-for-profit stations can now make the majority of its income from
advertising, rather than the previous 50% rule.

Siobhan Kenny, Chief Executive of RadioCentre said: “This is a disappointing
outcome and will be a real cause for concern for small commercial radio
stations where margins are already squeezed.

“The changes proposed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
risk blurring the lines between community and commercial stations and puts
them in direct competition for limited local advertising, alongside local
press, local television and online.

“Community radio can perform a valuable complementary role to commercial
radio and the BBC, but it must offer something significantly different to
the communities it serves. Any changes must be accompanied by a renewed
emphasis on enforcement and compliance with the key commitments of these
stations.”

The Government’s announcement follows a consultation carried out by the DCMS
launched in February 2013.
 
More details on today’s changes can be found
<http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/01/community-radio-order-updated/> here.



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