[cma-l] Ofcom: 10th March, DCMS: 11th March

Alan Coote alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk
Tue Mar 8 10:35:34 GMT 2016 

Hi James,

Much of the qualifying criteria were technical and designed so that Ofcom could gain empirical data, therefore it’s a technical trial.

If it were a business feasibility study that would be structured very differently and it could be 90% completed without the need for a trial.

It's perfectly acceptable to run a trial and then have an assessment period to analyse the data. It’s also fully understandable to allow the existing services to continue; we wouldn’t expect anything less of course.

However, if your conjecture regarding plurality is right then the only reason for extending the trial is to stress test the stations and multiplex operators. Putting it bluntly, the actual reason for the trial is to find out how many will go bust.

Kind Regards

Alan

 

Alan Coote

Email - alan.coote at MonogramMedia.co.uk

Phone - 0800 949 6655

Mobile - 07801 518858

Twitter - @TheAlanCoote 



Twitter - @LTBShow

Web - http://www.LetsTalkBusinessOnline.com


From:  <cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk> on behalf of James Cridland <james at cridland.net>
Reply-To:  "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Date:  Tuesday, 8 March 2016 at 02:26
To:  "martin at martinsteers.co.uk" <martin at martinsteers.co.uk>, "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Subject:  Re: [cma-l] Ofcom: 10th March, DCMS: 11th March

In a stakeholder meeting, I asked (when these were first advertised) whether they'd really be pulled off after nine months, denying audiences the additional choice they may have become accustomed to. Ofcom wriggled a bit in their answer, but seemed to say "we'll look at that when the time comes". There was a clue there.
>As this is a technical feasibility trial how is extending it to 3 years going to give a significantly better outcome?<

It isn't. The actual technical feasibility trial is over; at least, without making a few changes to the multiplexes, Ofcom won't learn more over the next two years. That's not the point really.

It's worthwhile examining why Ofcom exists. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/statutory-duties-and-regulatory-principles/ - it is there to ensure a wide range of services and a plurality of providers. Turning off services while men in suits look at broadcast law and at broadcast field strengths is against Ofcom's statutory duty. More to the point, it is also unnecessary.

So, Ofcom has elected not to remove the additional choice to listeners that these small-scale multiplexes offer. They now have two years to look at the results of the data and then at the legislation. It's the right choice for the listener, and I'm surprised that anyone would want anything else.

J

On Tue, 8 Mar 2016, 3:51 AM Martin Steers <martin at martinsteers.co.uk> wrote:
Hiya all,
 
Going in everyone concerned knew and expected it to be a 9 month trial.
 
If anything this extension could be seen as a testament as to possible success and the future off it. The government is already considering the longer term implementation and don't want those current stations / multiplex holders to stop and have to restart.
 
At the stakeholder meeting I pushed the DCMS for an understanding of the timescales involved before legislation is in place to enable others to take advantage of the opportunity of small scale DAB. Whilst they wouldn't be held to a deadline or timeframe at that time, they confirmed to me that they / the government are keen to make it as quick as feasible. But we all know that these things can take as long as they take.
 
This is a matter that the CMA will be taking up and pressing the DCMS & Ofcom for a timetable, as well as consulting with members for the best outcome for the community media sector. I can confirm that the CMA has already started conversations both with PPL and PRS in regard to the music licenses for small scale DAB.
 
They are extending it by 2 years (so max would be 2 years 9 months), I assume (note I) because they believe they can get the legislation in place before then. They see it akin to the pilot project for community radio, which I believe the CR order was in place before the trial licenses expired? (a bit before my time).
 
Its worth mentioning most of this is in relation to the legislation involved with licenses multiplexes NOT services (eg stations), again if you have a small scale or even local / regional DAB service in your area or where you would like to broadcast you can already consider applying for that (if there is space).
  

On 7 March 2016 at 14:48, Alan Coote <alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk> wrote:
Martin, et al,

This decision affects the whole radio industry. 

Firstly, small scale DAB operations based their business model on a 9 month trial. The calculation of ROI over nearly 3 years is very different from 9 months. 

The delay puts the licensing of small scale DAB very close to a potential round 4. So unless community licensing is concurrent with small scale DAB, stations will have to choose their platform without full knowledge of the other.

There are a number of commercial analogue stations which would love to have an affordable DAB solution. This delay is costing them audience share and revenue.   
    
Finally, what were they thinking! As this is a technical feasibility trial how is extending it to 3 years going to give a significantly better outcome? There’s only 5 things you can do in project management; hire more people, reduce the quality, alter the scope, find another way to achieve the same result or extend the time. 

Anyone of the other options I believe is preferable to extending the deadline. 

Kind Regards

Alan

 

Alan Coote

Twitter - @TheAlanCoote 

Twitter - @LTBShow

Web - http://www.LetsTalkBusinessOnline.com


From:  <cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk> on behalf of "martin at martinsteers.co.uk" <martin at martinsteers.co.uk>
Reply-To:  "martin at martinsteers.co.uk" <martin at martinsteers.co.uk>, "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Date:  Monday, 7 March 2016 at 09:30
To:  "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
Subject:  Re: [cma-l] Ofcom: 10th March, DCMS: 11th March

Hi Ray,

I completely understand (and agree to an extent).

At its inception it was a 9month trail, and its DCMS who have decided to extend it for an additional 2 years.

This is more so that the current stations dont fall off the trail whilst the government puts the legislation together to enable Small Scale DAB to happen.

No new multiplex licenses will be issued until that time, HOWEVER new services (stations) can appear on multiplexes if they have the space.

I was recently at the Digital Radio stakeholder meeting representing the CMA and put some of these questions direct to the DCMS.

Martin

On 4 March 2016 at 10:26, Ray Godby <ray.godby at hcrfm.co.uk> wrote:

Just the fact that if we had known that the trial for DAB was going on for 2 year and 9 months we would have applied. It makes the costing more reasonable for us and i am sure many other stations and do they think that its working due to extending the trial. And is it really right that just a few stations will have nearly three years to the exclusion of others.

On 3 Mar 2016 19:02, "CMA-L" <cma-l at commedia.org.uk> wrote:
The Community Media Association is meeting with Ofcom on Thursday 10th March 2016. Please detail any specific issues that you would like the CMA to raise with Ofcom using the form below:

http://bit.ly/cmaOfcom

As well as the extension to the small-scale DAB trial, the CMA will also discuss training and education initiatives with Ofcom on key commitments as mentioned in their statement issued today:

If the sector thinks that there are benefits from standardised record-keeping beyond what is currently required by Ofcom, it remains possible for the sector to organise this, perhaps via an umbrella organisation such as the CMA. We welcome the suggestion from the CMA to contribute to the development of a number of training and education initiatives around record-keeping under the new Key Commitments, and will explore this further with the CMA as part of our regular engagement programme with them.

And on Friday 11th March 2016 the CMA is meeting with the Department of Culture Media & Sport . Please detail any specific issues that you would like the CMA to raise with DCMS here.

http://bit.ly/cmaDCMS

\\\

Community Media Association
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https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation

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http://www.canstream.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/canstream


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