[cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA

Mon May 16 19:00:21 BST 2016

Thank you very much for your email Ian.

I don't think that anyone is asking for any "handouts" or "begging bowls"
for community radio - a baseline position is that the CMA would like to see
all community media projects fairly recompensed for their contribution to
social gain outcomes such as social cohesion, crime reduction, and local
democracy.

However it is worth noting that community radio was always intended to have
a mixed economic model distinct from commercial radio, and that grants from
the Community Radio Fund have assisted stations to raise additional
revenues from other sources.

In 2003 the pilot 'Access Radio' scheme was the subject of an independent
evaluation by Professor Anthony Everitt which formed the basis for present
legislation. Everitt proposed a mixed funding mechanism for community radio
that would assure its sustainability whilst limiting direct competition
with the commercial radio sector.

A central element of Everitt’s proposals was a funding mechanism that would
provide around £30,000 per annum (£42,500 at 2015 prices) per station
towards core operating costs such as the employment of a station manager.
The Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell, said at the time, in a letter to key
stakeholders: “I have now considered Anthony Everitt’s evaluation of the
access radio experiment and believe that it provides a sound basis for
taking the work on access radio to the next level”.

At the same time, the Government’s own Regulatory Impact Assessment stated:
“One possibility being considered is the creation by Government of an
access radio fund to support the establishment and running of access radio
stations. If it is decided to proceed with such a scheme the amount of
Government support is unlikely to be more than £3 to 4 million per annum.”
On 5 March 2004, the Secretary of State announced an intention to proceed
with an initial commitment to the fund of £500,000 for 2004/05. As we know,
the Community Radio Fund has not kept up with the explosive growth of radio
stations in the sector but the small uplift for 2016/17 is certainly
welcome.

Ofcom, in its regular reports on the Community Radio Fund, has shown that
the investment from the Fund has a significant multiplier effect,
increasing the income to stations from other sources. If this evidence is
to be believed, and we have no reason to dispute it, it follows that a
reduction in the Fund would have the opposite effect - that is to say, a
diminished CRF serves to attenuate the capacity of community radio stations
to find other sources of sustainable funding.

As useful as the Community Radio Fund is and has been, the CMA is looking
at whether a path forward might be to replace the current Community Radio
Fund with an improved mechanism to fund public service content and local
news created by community radio stations, fairly remunerating community
radio stations for content produced. This could be arranged along similar
lines to the settlement for local television content producers.

Furthermore, the BBC has recently announced that from 2017 they will fund
the costs of 150 journalists in private local commercial newspapers at a cost
of around £8m per annum
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-nma-partnership>. The
CMA will be looking to see how community media can be similarly supported
to serve local audiences.

The CMA is also looking into how best community media can work with
charities, social enterprises and the wider third sector encouraging those
organisations to use community media channels as a platform to create and
disseminate their campaigns. Additionally, there is a good case for
Government PSAs to not only be carried on commercial networks but on
community platforms as well.

To conclude, the single most important change that Government could make to
improve the viability of the community radio sector and its delivery of
public benefit would be to significantly increase the size of the Community
Radio Fund in line with the Everitt report.

Best regards for now

Bill
-- 
Operations Manager
Community Media Association
http://www.commedia.org.uk
https://twitter.com/community_media
https://facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation

Canstream Internet Radio
http://www.canstream.co.uk
https://twitter.com/canstream

*Book your tickets now for the Community Media Conference
2016: http://bit.ly/2016CMAConf <http://bit.ly/2016CMAConf>*

On 15 May 2016 at 11:07, Ian Hickling <transplanfm at hotmail.com> wrote:

> I don't wish in any way to detract from that proposition Donald -
> but should we not in addition be pushing for
> better opportunities to stand up for ourselves
> in enhancing our capability to make money from what we do - rather than
> what is in effect just looking for handouts?
> There are just a few CR operations that are being run as successful
> businesses and producing a respectable revenue stream.
> We must all learn from those - rather than proffering a bigger begging
> bowl.
>
> 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*
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Sat, 14 May 2016 16:49:48 +0100
> From: donald at donaldmack.co.uk
> To: cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
>
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA
>
> The CMA has no other option than to launch an all out campaign to promote
> Community Media locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. If e
> do not stand up and fight now our sector will be setback for a decade. We
> have mountains of positive outcomes to share and a political opportunity to
> push some proactive policies and mechanisms that can support our sector.
> I fully support the remarks made by Steve Buckley, we have to open up
> these funding streams for our sector and I urge the CMA Board to put
> together a major campaign.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> On 13 May 2016 at 15:55 Alan Coote <alan.coote at 5digital.co.uk> wrote:
>
> There can be little argument that every station should receive some money
> from governement when local TV and now local papers are being heavily
> subsidised.
>
> For example; Allocating £5,000 to each station would allow it to cover
> broadcast and much of the fixed running costs. Stations registered with the
> CMA could then afford to pay a few percent to keep it supporting the sector.
>
> A couple of ‘intended' consequences is that the government would recover
> some of the funds back in Ofcom fees and tax. The big plus is that the
> £5,000 would be a benefit-in-kind and therefore permit station’s to
> increase their own revenue by another £5,000.
>
> A £10,000 net benefit and surely a virtuous circle!
>
> Kind Regards
>
> Alan
>
>
> Dear all
>
> It is disappointing to hear DCMS stopped supporting CMA after over 10
> years of funding across two different governments. It is not an
> unreasonable demand that this funding should be reinstated.
>
> Meanwhile the CMA and its members should surely be doing more to press for
> an increase in public funding for the sector as a whole. With the DCMS
> announcement yesterday that the government plans to establish a £20m
> contestable public service content fund, and the BBC's announcement that
> they will fund the costs of 150 journalists in private local commercial
> newspapers at a cost of around £8m per annum, why not also replace the
> current Community Radio Fund with a better mechanism to fund public service
> content and local news carried by community radio stations?
>
> Culture Secretary statement on the BBC reforms
>
> https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/culture-secretary-statement-on-the-bbc-reforms
>
> BBC and the News Media Association announce ground-breaking plans for new
> partnership
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/bbc-nma-partnership
> From: <cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk> on behalf of "
> bill.best at commedia.org.uk" <bill.best at commedia.org.uk>
> Reply-To: "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
> Date: Friday, 13 May 2016 at 13:16
> To: "cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk" <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA
>
> Afternoon
>
> The CMA did not receive any funding from DCMS for 2015/2016 and looking
> forward there is currently no long-term funding agreement in place.
>
> Best regards
>
> Bill
> --
> Operations Manager
> Community Media Association
> http://www.commedia.org.uk
> https://twitter.com/community_media
> https://facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation
>
>
> Canstream Internet Radio
> http://www.canstream.co.uk
> https://twitter.com/canstream
>
> *Book your tickets now for the Community Media Conference
> 2016: http://bit.ly/2016CMAConf <http://bit.ly/2016CMAConf>*
>
> On 13 May 2016 at 13:06, Phil Gibbons <philjgibbons at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The CMA have been receiving funding annually from DCMS for many years.
>
> It was £20k in 2012, £19K in 2013, £19K in 2014 and £19K in 2015 and this
> year I believe was £19k again to go into the central core costs of the CMA.
> I'm sure Bill or Cathy can confirm this - but It is all published in the
> accounts.
>
> Phil
>
> On Fri, May 13, 2016 at 11:28 AM, David Sharp <
> dave.sharp at academyfmfolkestone.com> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> I agree that regular funding for the CMA would be a major benefit.
>
> I assume the CMA has to remain impartial of Ofcom / DCMS etc. If they were
> taking an important part of their funding from the latter, this could call
> into question any such impartiality.
>
> I'm not questioning their ability to actually be impartial, but how it
> could open them up to such criticism. However, despite this I would
> probably vote for such an idea personally.
>
> Dave 'completely unbiased coverage of all my major donor's events' Sharp
> --
> *Dave Sharp*
> *Station Manager*
> *105.9 Academy FM Folkestone*
> *Mobile: 07811 407635*
> *Folkestone office: 01303 721059 (Ext.4)*
> *Internal Folkestone Academy: x2499*
> *dave.sharp at academyfmfolkestone.com* <dave.sharp at academyfmfolkestone.com>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk <
> cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk> on behalf of Ian Hickling <
> transplanfm at hotmail.com>
> *Sent:* 13 May 2016 11:05
> *To:* The Community Media Association Discussion List
> *Subject:* [cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA
>
> Maybe I've missed something here -  but are we proposing asking the DCMS
> to give £25-30k to the CMA annually?
> I honestly don't think there's a hope in hell of that ever happening - but
> I'd be delighted to be proved wrong!
>
> 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*
>
>
> > To: cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
> > From: eddie at kcr.fm
> > Date: Fri, 13 May 2016 00:57:26 +0100
> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] feedback - Community Radio Fund & the CMA
> >
> > I'd certainly support a motion along these lines.....
> >
> > Eddie
> >
> > KCR broadcasts across Moray and beyond on 107.7FM
> > and to the world on the internet at http://kcr.fm
> >
> > KCR is the operating name of Keith Community Radio Ltd.
> > Registered in Scotland: No SC 173805
> > Registered Office: 59a Land Street, Keith, Banffshire, AB55 5AN
> >
> >
> >
> > On 11/05/16 14:02, Canalside's The Thread wrote:
> > > Dear All
> > >
> > > I am just interested in peoples feedback on this one. As you are aware
> I
> > > have been banging on about this for quite a while now and with current
> > > too-ings and fro-ings I think the time is right to pitch it again.
> > >
> > > We all know through our own experiences that one of the biggest
> problems we
> > > all face is the constant plate spinning. Obviously the running and
> chasing
> > > around for funding takes up about 5 wobbly canes, and all the other
> plates
> > > spin when we can get to them. Some as we know do fall off.
> > >
> > > We have each come to learn how to deal with this and 'manage' .....
> whether
> > > 'managing' is what we are meant to be doing I don't know ? but we won't
> > > trawl over the age old arguments again.
> > >
> > > Cutting to the chase, I don't believe the CMA (our representative body)
> > > should have to operate in this manner ..... it doesn't say a lot for
> us, nor
> > > does it help any of us if the CMA cannot represent us properly because
> they
> > > to are also spinning plates.
> > > We at least each have a Broadcasting platform to play around with,
> they (the
> > > CMA) do have canstreem, but that in itself is time consuming and
> doesn't
> > > leave a lot of time for the admin and the representation.
> > >
> > > I hope I am not speaking out of turn (Bill / Martin et al) but I
> believe the
> > > Community Radio Fund should automatically every year donate
> £25,000/£30,000
> > > to the CMA.
> > > I believe we would all benefit from it as the CMA would then be doing
> what
> > > it is meant to be doing as opposed to learning the craft of plate
> spinning.
> > > I suggest they leave that to us.
> > >
> > > Over the past few months I have been in liaison with David Rutley our
> Local
> > > MP and Ed Vaizey to get feedback from them and whether it could be
> done.
> > >
> > > Obviously the questions are :- can we have a mandate from members
> please
> > > to officially put this forward and can I/we get authority from the
> > > DCMS/Ofcom that this could be made possible.
> > >
> > > Thoughts ?
> > >
> > > This of course prevents us from going round in circles, or dare I say
> going
> > > backwards if people cancel membership because they feel they aren’t
> being
> > > represented. I'm not one for Chinese whispers behind closed doors as
> you
> > > know, and this should an open discussion. Do it now and then either
> throw it
> > > through the window at Conference or officially stamp it.
> > > I don't particularly fancy still discussing it in ten years time which
> tends
> > > to the norm in this game of Community Radio.
> > >
> > > The Right Honourable Sir Nicholas H Dumpty / Chairman and current Plate
> > > spinning World record holder
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
> > > Reply - cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> > >
> > > The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community
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> > > Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media
> > > http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation
> > > Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/
> > > _______________________________________________
> > >
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> > >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
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> >
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