[cma-l] Region 10 Licensing

[lolgellor]

Alex
Yes it goes to show how the picture is different in different places - notably a station  going in the community direction. 
The crazy demand in cities certainly makes for the most competitive of environments and with it demonstrable need for anything to stack the odds in ones favour, whether commercial or community. As a sometime consultant I would have to say that expertise is often key in these situations though and quite often you have to have the money to access not only the expert but a team that comprises those with the skillset to deliver - unless you are very lucky with dependable volunteer expertise to hand.
Our strength and weakness as a sector is probably that we inhabit the broadest of churches. 
C'est last vieAll bestLol 
Sent from my Samsung device

-------- Original message --------
From: "Alex Gray, Two Lochs Radio" <tlr at gairloch.co.uk> 
Date: 08/02/2016  17:28  (GMT+00:00) 
To: 'The Community Media Association Discussion List' <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk> 
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Region 10 Licensing 

Lol Just to add to the picture, in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland numerous communities found that it was perfectly practical to apply for the commercial pathway to gain local commercial licences, even though actually operating the stations on a not-for-profit basis. Seven stations went down this route (one has since converted to a community radio licence). I guess the problem is not directly the financial or expertise difficulty in applying for commercial licences, but that in more financial attractive urbanized areas, there is a lot more competition for spectrum from mainstream commercial licence applicants leaving little space for community-based commercial applicants. Alex From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of lolgellor
Sent: 08 February 2016 16:41
To: The Community Media Association Discussion List <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Region 10 Licensing Hello Ian As someone who has been, and remains, involved in legal broadcasting over a number of years I'm not unsympathetic to your passionate position regarding "Pirates". I feel an aspect of the problem both historically and currently is that there has never been a realistic pathway into local commercial broadcasting for those without immediate access to the necessary finances or expertise. Indeed some of the established legal commercial stations have their origins as pirates. Transition facilitated usually once popularity had been established and they could then attract the money people to legally bid. Usually with a blind eye position from the authorities regarding their history. The aspirations of licensed community stations are required to be not for profit and quite rightly in my view but that does not accomodate for those that identify a community/market that is not served and with whom they wish to commercially engage. Notably in London and other cities there are communities with culture and language not addressed by the mainstream or legal local broadcasting. They are ostensibly required to become the selfless sausages that comprise most involved in community radio or engage in illegal activity. I remember well campaigning for community radio legislation and it is with some regret we were not able to fend off the resistance of the commercial radio lobby to anything but not for profit aspirations. Clearly this does not apply in lots of cases of pirate activity but this absence of a pathway onto local commercial radio still remains a contributing factor. I say this in an individual capacity and it does not reflect the position of any organisation with which I may be associated.  More power to your elbow and I look forward to your always sterling contribution to this list. All bestLolG
 
	
		
			
		
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