[cma-l] Ofcom extends Susy Radio's licence until 2022
Cal McLean
mail at callum-mclean.co.uk
Sat Dec 31 04:09:18 GMT 2016
Ian,
Forgive me for going off-topic with a technical query, but I'm curious:
You say that the Ofcom 5km number was only ever a suggestion, and that
the 25W H/V power limit may not have been stated as concrete or may not
even be a rule at all - is there anything that, in terms of TX coverage,
limits a CR station?
I was always under the impression that a CR station was defined by its'
licence and social obligations, rather than any technical limitation
(encroaching on other existent CR stations' coverage notwithstanding?)
I'm too young to be fully aware of the vagaries of Ofcoms' licencing
requirements when Halton CR started in the early 2000s (I was part of
the station, but not in any technical capacity!) As a result, I'm always
curious to see how the ever-shifting sands of Ofcom regulation (and
whichever other factors may have come into play) have created this
curious situation where some members feel hard done by, where there
seems to be a mix of company structures (some of which were not allowed
to run CR stations at various points in time) and where there doesn't
appear to be a clear picture of what's going on in the CR sector, as
opposed to the closely-scrutinised commercial sector. Surely there must
be more of us than them?
Cheers all, and congratulations to Susy!
Cal McLean
Halton Community Radio
On 30/12/2016 16:54, Ian Hickling wrote:
>
>
> Nick
>
> I think we may have had this conversation, but as an exponent of
> thissubject in a practicalsense can I explain what happens in real life?
>
> Th "5km radius" was always the example used by Ofcom to give
> Applicants a typical range for a Community Radio operation.
> It was never a rule or a limit.
> For some time recently it has seemed that Ofcom has been expressing
> 5km as some kind of limitation or norm - but I have always opposed
> this as wrong and indeed impractical whenever it has cropped up with
> our Clients.
> There is a parallel "non-rule" of power being limited to 25W vertical
> plus 25W horizontal,
> As I'm sure I've pointed out before - out of the 303 CR stations
> licensed, 38 (16% of those currently on air) have been allocated more
> than that "norm" - because they have shown Ofcom that it was necessary
> to fulfil their business model.
> The rest presumably haven't bothered - have been too scared to put
> their case - or have thought just 25W was enough or all they would get.
> And an amazing 85% of stations are not using the other half (the
> horizontal component) of their allocated power - effectively throwing
> away around 40% of their licensed coverage.
> Why would you want to do that?
> From the outset the premise from Ofcom was "Tell us your Community -
> and tell us how you propose to cover it"
> Your situation Nick as we have discussed is a little different.
> There are (or were) other outside reasons why you are being prevented
> from serving audience demand and I think now is the right time to put
> some more weight behind your very just cause.
>
>
> Ian Hickling
>
> Partner
>
> <http://www.transplanuk.com/>
>
> /Office: 016 3557 8435 (07h to 22h GTS)/
>
> /Car: 075 3098 0115 (only responds when driving)/
>
> /6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS/
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> <cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk> on behalf of Canalside's The
> Thread <office at thethread.org.uk>
> *Sent:* 30 December 2016 12:11
> *To:* 'The Community Media Association Discussion List'
> *Subject:* [cma-l] FW: Ofcom extends Susy Radio's licence until 2022
>
> *From:*Canalside's The Thread [mailto:office at thethread.org.uk]
> *Sent:* 30 December 2016 11:56
> *To:* 'Canalside's The Thread' <office at thethread.org.uk>
> *Subject:* RE: [cma-l] Ofcom extends Susy Radio's licence until 2022
>
> Neil et al
>
> It’s not a scream, it is as always with moi an observation to facts.
> The fact (s) being that either the rules are 5km or they are not. For
> some their hats have been nailed on, for others there has been
> flexibility and for others it appears as if there has been a free-for-all.
>
> Knowing all the problems (dare I say ongoing problems) you would have
> thought a simple explanation could have been given as to what process
> and what rules we are working to.
>
> Why doesn’t anyone listen to the facts ? the facts are we were told
> this was a rule --- others have said it isn’t a rule it is an
> advisory, others have said it now doesn’t exist and is what you put
> down on your application. Too late of course for the rookies who had
> their original dabble over ten years ago.
>
> The official folk on this matter ie:- Mr and Mrs Ofcom state it is
> a rule ………… well that’s gone bon voyage and straight out the window
> when you look at what is going on ……………. Hence confusion abound.
>
> For example :- if it is a nailed down, no questions asked 5km ruling,
> then we may as well all go home and chuck all the kit on the fire and
> throw the towel in as we will never be able to survive. It is clear
> common sense (there’s that word again) that we rely a little bit on
> luck in the fact that our transmitters ‘bleed-out’ slightly for
> another 2 or 3km so that we can at least hook in a few just outside
> the official area.
>
> Our problem of course is that where we (Canalside) are based you have
> to travel at least 1 and half miles N / S / E / W before you reach
> people again outside of Bollington or else all we are broadcasting to
> are sheep and cows ………………. This has been explained a hundred times,
> but to no avail.
>
> You (Neil) mentions topography etc etc once again we have
> missed the point ……………. Either we operate to a 5km system or we don’t.
> The moment Ofcom/DCMS start shuffling things around and giving lee-way
> to some who are down a ditch or behind a tree then what’s good for the
> goose is good for the gander kicks into gear.
>
> The whole thing is a cock-up ……………….. however, the ‘’’cock-up’’’ can
> easily be rectified if people are permitted to discuss and then tweak
> what is necessary so that a Community Radio Station can cover the
> Community it is meant to be serving.
>
> Common sense (there’s that word yet again) is then applied once more
> so that ‘some’ Stations don’t start getting carried away with
> themselves bearing in mind that we are LOCAL Radio and not REGIONAL
> Radio. You don’t have to be an expert to work this out. Some people of
> course would like to split hairs on this matter in order to put a
> pointless case forward or to get what they want. They may fool some
> people but they certainly don’t fool me and never have.
>
> It’s very similar to the discussion I had with Martin re:-
> restrictions. We simply lift all the restrictions and
> let everyone ‘’’get-on-with-it’’’ if all of a sudden Station ‘A’ that
> has been operating on £55,000 per-annum suddenly goes up to £130,000
> per-annum with 6 of the Trustees Holidaying in the Maldives for 8
> weeks then the alarm bells start ringing. Hence why I have always
> said ‘’regulate the SPEND’’ and not the earn’
>
> Not difficult, but made difficult by people who want it to be difficult.
>
> That leads me finally onto Davids observation regarding the
> ‘’’consultation’’’ I think the reason why there’s only 14
> Stations as opposed to 250 commenting is because everyone has malaise
> and has basically ‘given up’
>
> My personal feelings on all these matters have been expressed via
> message boards, via consultations, via meetings with CMA / Ofcom /
> DCMS / Politicians ……….. the problem is if you are dealing with people
> who simply won’t play ball you are always going to be up against it.
>
> The only option we have is to soldier on and do something yourself
> ---- in various quarters I/We have done this --- it would of course be
> more effective if we actually did something about it as a group
> instead of having consultations.
>
> I have over the years taken a good long hard look at myself and my
> observations … I have done it to try and make myself back off and
> convince myself that actually I am totally wrong and that all the
> rules and regulations and processes are correct. I have searched in
> every nook and cranny and sadly I actually don’t think I am wrong ---
> I actually think I am spot on and that’s why I don’t shut up. I would
> not be doing our fraternity justice if I did roll over and died.
>
> So to conclude I don’t scream nor do I rant, I merely make
> forthright observations that looking Back over the years 9 times out
> of 10 are correct --- I just wish someone would take the Bull by the
> Horns and sort it all out ….. then tell me that I was wrong …… sadly
> they won’t be able to.
>
> I have even done the ultimate bit ‘’put the money where the mouth
> is’’ let’s do it the way I have suggested, give it a try, if it
> doesn’t work (which it only won’t work if it is not regulated
> correctly) and see what happens.
>
> Happy New Year everyone onwards and upwards to Dumptyland
>
> Nick
>
> *From:*Neil Munday [mailto:neilm at susyradio.com]
> *Sent:* 30 December 2016 10:20
> *To:* The Community Media Association Discussion List
> <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> <mailto:cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>>; office at thethread.org.uk
> <mailto:office at thethread.org.uk>
> *Subject:* Re: [cma-l] Ofcom extends Susy Radio's licence until 2022
>
> Rather than scream about it on here if you would like a conversation I
> will explain our restrictions and our topography which cause this
> against our official coverage area if which some we don't cover
> effectively.
>
> Call me 07767767689
>
> Neil Munday
>
> Operations Director
>
> Susy Radio 103.4
>
> On Fri, 30 Dec 2016 at 10:17, Canalside's The Thread
> <office at thethread.org.uk <mailto:office at thethread.org.uk>> wrote:
>
> Reigate, Redhill, Horley, Crawley, Gatwick ??? Good Lord
> ! that’s the largest 5km I’ve ever seen in my life !
>
> If someone could explain this process (as in from the outset) I
> would be very grateful.
>
> I know we have been here before with this discussion, but along
> with other issues you can see surely why people get frustrated.
>
> Owing to restrictions we (Canalside) are OFFICIALLY on 5km -----
> and NO !! we didn’t ask for it, we were led up a garden path
> which clearly was wrong. All we are asking for is a small ‘tweak’
> because the rules have now changed.
>
> Is anyone asking the necessary questions in the correct places ?
> or are we just drifting along aimlessly ?
>
> Please please explain to me why some have 5km and some have 10km
> and some have 15km and the answer dare not be
> ‘’Because they asked for it’’ as far as I am
> aware everyone asked originally to ‘cover’ their Community we
> certainly did but were told ‘’you’re not allowed because????’’
>
> And the circus continues with everyone operating under different
> rules ??
>
> It’s bonkers ! these so called
> restrictions have got a hell of lot to answer for along with the
> clots that dreamt them up in the first place
>
> Well done though to Susy on the extension to the licence
>
> Onwards and Upwards for 2017
>
> Nick
>
> *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
> <mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk>] *On Behalf Of *CMA-L
> *Sent:* 23 December 2016 11:58
> *To:* cma-l at commedia.org.uk <mailto:cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
>
>
> *Subject:* [cma-l] Ofcom extends Susy Radio's licence until 2022
>
> Susy Radio is pleased to announce that the station's licence has
> been officially extended for another 5 years until 2022. Susy
> Radio, broadcasting on 103.4FM and online from its studio in
> Merstham, Surrey, came on air as a fully licensed 24/7 community
> station in July 2012 following many years of occasional broadcasts.
>
>
> Susy's Programme Director Geoff Rogers said "I'm so pleased that
> Susy Radio is going to be given the opportunity to continue its
> work as the official local community radio station for East Surrey
> and North Sussex. We look forward immensely to the new
> opportunities to work with and serve the community in the next
> five years."
>
> Chairman Alan French noted "This reflects so well on all who have
> been involved with Susy Radio from its beginning to the present
> day and made it the great community radio station it has become
> today. Thank you to all the volunteer staff.”
>
>
> *Further information*
>
>
> Susy Radio 103.4 is the official Community Radio station covering
> Reigate, Redhill, Horley, Crawley and Gatwick with all places in
> between. Susy Radio is run entirely by volunteers and has a
> excellent working relationships with many local community groups,
> local authorities, other broadcasters and journalists.
>
>
> Susy Radio is funded by a split between grants and donations vs
> advertising and operates as a "Not for Profit" Limited company.
>
>
> More information:
>
>
> Neil Munday
> Operations Director
> Susy Radio 103.4
> neilm at susyradio.com <mailto:neilm at susyradio.com>
>
>
> \\
>
> Community Media Association
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