[cma-l] Breakfast Show

[Paul Golder]

> I'm getting sick and tired of hearing people whitewashing failed stations
as mis-managed.

I don't see anyone saying all failed stations are mis-managed, which I
assume is what you're saying.  I did say "Stations have closed because they
have been mismanaged", which is true.  I can recall the station which
closed less than two months after going full time (you can't really blame
the economy for that), the station which was selling a year's advertising
for £100 before it folded, the stations which won a licence and didn't have
the team or equipment to start at all ...

> The stations that survive the longest are those who are already
subsidised by someone with the capital to invest in the project (because
it's their passion/toy) and those that don't have to have to fund premises
or transmission site rates. Even our minimal budget was too high in
hindsight.

We've been full time for over 8 years and we don't have anyone subsidising
us - our biggest contributor pays us the equivalent of 8% of our running
costs.  We pay rent for our premises and sites too.

Regards
Paul




On 19 May 2015 at 12:04, @CatLakeUK <connect at catlake.uk> wrote:

> I'm getting sick and tired of hearing people whitewashing failed stations
> as mis-managed.
>
> We worked 155 hours a week between my partner and I to keep the startion
> ticking over. Volunteers had constant training and guidance but in some
> cases were only interested in doing their two hours and leaving again. We
> probably ran our station at the worst point of the recession when
> businesses saw radio advertising as a luxury/gamble, even at a local level,
> so refused to spend any money on it. We also found that local authorities
> were happy for someone else to launch a station but wanted to do little,
> even free and in kind, to help get the message out to a wider audience and
> help ensure the station's future.
>
> It was never mismanagement on the stations side ... it was complete apathy
> and selfishness in the local community we were trying to serve.
>
> The stations that survive the longest are those who are already subsidised
> by someone with the capital to invest in the project (because it's their
> passion/toy) and those that don't have to have to fund premises or
> transmission site rates. Even our minimal budget was too high in hindsight.
>
> We learnt a great many lessons from trying and failing, but at least we
> tried and now I share that experience with the stations I work with on a
> consulting/engineering basis - proud of what I achieved in the past.
>
> Regards,
> Cat Lake
>
> *Social Technologist, Writer & Broadcaster*
> * e-Commerce <http://www.artinet.co.uk/>* • *Broadcasting
> <http://www.artisanbroadcast.uk/> *• *Transmission
> <http://www.transplanuk.com/>*
>
> Tel: 0333 37 00 250 • Mobile: 07973 400 423
> On-line: www.catlake.uk • Twitter <https://www.twitter.com/CatLakeUK> •
> Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008671474506>
>
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