[cma-l] FW: update

Mon Dec 12 15:39:28 GMT 2016

Sorry I forgot to add

PRS/PPL should be setting fees on two issues only, in relation to Community
Radio :-     allow me to bang my head against the proverbial again

1)      The fact that none of us have Pot to pittle in and at the end of
each year we end up with a big fat Zero. This equates to (I would have
thought?)   the authorities/bosses/big chiefs treading carefully for a
reasonable FIXED Fee.

2)      How many songs we play per-hour ?                in fact, I have
never received any information nor figures on what this equates to ??

That’s it really.

If I was to state what my biggest irritation has been over the past 14
Years, I would have to say it is the frustration of dealing with
Organisations and Folk who don’t appear to make decisions on what is right
and what is wrong or dare I say what is plain common sense, it appears to be
‘’’whatever suits’’’ and I have never seen goalposts being shunted around so
many times ?   I thought they were on castors !

The trouble is, the very fact that folk do this, is almost an admittance
that just perhaps they’ve gotten it wrong, and we, just might have it
correct. Of course a lot of the rules have been fudged and influenced by the
wrong people. As I have said before, it all started going off-piste the
moment we left the starting blocks. It never stood a chance after that first
regulation meeting at the Mad Hatters Tea-Party

:)      LOL

Onwards and Upwards, tooooo infinity and beyond

Nick

From: Paul Pennington [mailto:paulpennington at btconnect.com] 
Sent: 09 December 2016 17:22
To: office at thethread.org.uk; 'The Community Media Association Discussion
List' <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Subject: RE: [cma-l] update

Thank you Nick for continuing to be the voice of common sense.  

For me the one thing that stands in the way of the future development of
community radio is proving how many people are listening – how can you
demonstrate to government/funders/sponsors/advertisers the impact and value
of the work everyone puts into each station, without it? How can the likes
of PRS/PPL set appropriate fees/reporting structures without this data? This
is a situation that needs to be urgently addressed – it doesn’t need another
consultation, it needs action. 

P

Paul Pennington

Word On Health

 <http://www.wordonhealth.com> www.wordonhealth.com

 <mailto:paulpennington at btconnect.com> paulpennington at btconnect.com

@wordonhealth

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
<mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Canalside's The
Thread
Sent: 09 December 2016 14:55
To: 'The Community Media Association Discussion List'
Subject: [cma-l] update

Dear All

In response if I may please to an e-mail I received from a gentlemen last
week I would like to point something out that is very important.

Regardless how it may seem I am actually a very very positive person and
lend 100% of my energy and support to our great project that is Community
Radio. I merely point out the things that I see as wrong. To do this is not
wrong, it is in fact a duty.

In times when the other side of Road to Jericho is packed full, I think
focus should be given on how we can help each other and especially how those
in authority can also lend a hand as opposed to putting up barriers.

Key points :-   (that could be discussed next week)

1)      Pro rata the Radio Fund has plummeted over the past 8 years at a
rate faster than a greased Pig going down a Hill 
 to add to this, there has
been a golden opportunity to at least pop a token gesture into the Pot, if
nothing else. Instead, the 8 Million has gone elsewhere.

2)      Over a period of a number of years and many consultations it is now
technically taken ‘as read’ that to run the AVERAGE/GENERAL Community Radio
Station under AVERAGE/GENERAL rules we ON AVERAGE need around £80,000
per-annum. This is well known within and outside the sector. However, we
still have a 50% ruling (which I don’t agree with as know, nor do I agree
with any restrictions apart from targeting ‘the spend)      this 50% ruling
if applied correctly, surely should at least come out at an allowance fee of
‘’’half’’’     ie:- £40,000 Pounds as opposed to £15,000 which is the point
the restrictions kick in. At least what this would do is loosen the straight
jacket, and give plenty of room for manoeuvre 

 and still provide
protection to those about to throw their Toys out of the Pram.

3)      Tweaks (only tweaks) to Licences where both the Station itself and
Ofcom ‘got it wrong’            this in our case could simply be adding ONE
WORD to the Licence and where permitted allowing some Stations (as long as
it caused no one else a problem) a small power boost.

4)      An acknowledgement that Key commitments can actually change, and
change back again over a period as short as 12 months, sometimes out of
control of the actual Station itself, and waiting for a consultation to come
round again is not helping anyone.

5)      PRS/PPL actually doing the decent thing and acknowledging that ALL
OF US are not for profit, and although at the end of each year we may have
£5,000 - £10,000 in the account, this is in fact only a type of ‘float’ and
not profit. We are being asked to report on nothing. This is also a matter
of principal and not the amount of money. We report on how many songs we
play per-hour and then send the agreed average/minimum fee. Yet again it
seems we have had another process with opportunities missed, that in reality
would have pleased and sufficed everyone concerned.

There are others, but it’s Christmas and I won’t bore you. The gentleman in
question, please don’t shoot the messenger and don’t have a pop at those who
are trying to help, even if the method is a bit off-piste. My only crime is,
I just say it as it is, as pussyfootying around doesn’t bode well with my
make up.

I have always tried to remain polite, it has just been the odd time
frustration gets the better of all of us.

Is ones heart in the right place is the key question for all of us ???
---------- the answer to that is most definitely ‘’yes’’       I always try
to add a bit of humour to the observation to keep it light, even though it
may be mixed with a touch of sarcasm.

All Mariah Carey wants for Christmas is you, All Mr N H Dumpty wants is a
bit of common sense and all this nonsense gone by Spring 2017. Everything is
possible you simply have to have the get up and go and the will power.

Let’s have another go 

. Get a big meeting and get everyone in the same
room --- DCMS/Ofcom/PRS/PPL and Uncle Tom Cobbley

Onwards and Upwards

Feliz Navidad

Nick

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