[cma-l] Changes to S-RSL applications for radio

[Ian Hickling]

Looks awfully like Ofcom cutting back still more on its support for small-scale radio.I had to stifle a hollow laugh on two counts:
"To ensure that our S-RSL licensing processes remain fair, robust, and that the available spectrum is used optimally......" -  Sorry - I seemed to have missed that particular thing happening. "Fair" - no. "Robust" - not from our viewpoint. "Spectrum used optimally" - when will that happen I wonder?
'Trial’ S-RSL broadcasts will only be granted in areas where new permanent analogue licences (i.e. FM and AM) are due to be advertised by Ofcom. Er - There aren't any commercial ones - are there? And you won't be able to do a CR trial now unless your area is open for Licence Applications.
Come on Ofcom - you're being even more restrictive and even less willing to look for frequencies for short-term use than you were before.
Ed - are you reading this?

Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 11:52:04 +0000
From: marc.tierney at btinternet.com
To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: [cma-l] Changes to S-RSL applications for radio


  

    
  
  
    Taken from the Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 275,
    Page 8/9, 16 March 2015

    

    Changes to short-term Restricted Service Licence applications
      for radio

    

    We currently grant short-term Restricted Service Licences
      (“S-RSLs”) on the AM and FM wavebands for:

    
      coverage of special events (including festivals such as
          Ramadan and Christmas);
      other special projects (e.g. training); and
      trial services (e.g. in preparation for applying for a
          community radio licence).
    
    Within the context of our duties to ensure a wide range of
      radio services, and to manage and use radio spectrum efficiently,
      we limit licensees to:

    
      a small geographical coverage area (typically a two mile
          radius in an urban area, or a three to four mile radius in a
          rural area);
      a usual maximum of 28 consecutive days; and
      a maximum of two licences per year, with a minimum
          four-month gap between the end of the first broadcast and the
          start of the second (although only one licence per year is
          permitted in the area within the M25).
    
    To ensure that our S-RSL licensing processes remain fair,
      robust, and that the available spectrum is used optimally, we are
      planning to make the following changes:

    

    1) ‘Trial’ S-RSL broadcasts will only be granted in areas
      where new permanent analogue licences (i.e. FM and AM) are due to
      be advertised by Ofcom. For clarity, our S-RSL guidance notes will
      contain links to the web pages which list our forthcoming licence
      advertisements in commercial and community radio.

    

    2) The duration of any ‘event’ S-RSL broadcasts will need to
      broadly reflect the duration of the event. While we may permit the
      service to broadcast some days pre- or post-event, it is likely
      that we will reject applications where a short duration event
      (e.g. a weekend) has been used to justify a full 28-day S-RSL. A
      letter of corroboration, confirming the event’s duration, will be
      required from the event organiser.
  


_______________________________________________

Reply - cma-l at commedia.org.uk

The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk
Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media
http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation
Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/
_______________________________________________

Mailing list guidelines: http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/
_______________________________________________

To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit:
http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l 		 	   		  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/pipermail/cma-l/attachments/20150317/9376c6c1/attachment.html>