[cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA
Ian Hickling
transplanfm at hotmail.com
Tue May 17 10:55:15 BST 2016
BillThank you for your usual comprehensive analysis of the situation.I don't think we should be diverted here by what the BBC is doing with money from its allocated funding.
I do resent the insinuation of a mentality associated with my use of the terms "begging bowl" and "handout" Ron.
Asking for open-ended funding to run an organisation - albeit with specific good intentions - which is not tied to the value of the product delivered does I submit certainly fall under those general descriptions.
A centrally-allocated Government subsidy is a different matter.
But an equal cash contribution at whatever level regardless of audience size or performance would be illogical and most unfair - and who is going to formulate the mathematical distribution model I wonder?
The CMA?Bill - you use phrases "The CMA would like to see....." and "The CMA is looking at...." (twice).
Our Clients in a hard commercial world won't accept this sort of statement from me without some hard facts.We need to know what where why and when.As you know, I have several on-going lines of enquiry open with Ofcom on technical matters that concern our business and which are seriously limiting the operation of the stations we serve.I'm doing this because the CMA isn't - probably because I can see the need much clearer first hand.
"A touch more robustness is required ......."?Understatement of the year I respectfully suggest.
Ian HicklingPartnerOffice: 016 3557 8435 (07h to 22h GTS)Car: 075 3098 0115 (only responds when driving)6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS
On 16 May 2016 at 20:50 Ron Millet <ronm at bridging-thegap.co.uk> wrote:
A few basic points.
1) For the very small stations, automatic funding of all licence and Royalty fees would be a good start.
3) "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. "
Are they serious? What sort of never never land is this? A public body giving public funds to support private commercial organisations that are going to die anyway as social and internet media become evermore sophisticated and pervasive!!! They have to be joking! I look forward to the CMA campaigning vigorously on this piece of nonsense.
3) Finally we should not think in terms of "begging bowls" and the mentality that goes with it. Otherwise the licence fee for the BBC should be considered a begging bowl along with many grants to foreign industry to establish production units in the UK.
4) What is happening in other "industries" where a significant social content is perceived viz. green energy, the arts, Citizens'Advice Bureaux etc etc. Can we learn something from them?
5) Finally... a touch more robustness is required in the confidence that we all have in our case...
Regards to all
Ron MilletRadiojcom Leeds
Sent from my iPad
On 17 May 2016, at 04:00, Bill Best <bill.best at commedia.org.uk> wrote:
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. 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
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 HicklingPartner
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
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 SharpStation Manager105.9 Academy FM FolkestoneMobile: 07811 407635Folkestone office: 01303 721059 (Ext.4)Internal Folkestone Academy: x2499dave.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 HicklingPartner
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 Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk
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>
> _______________________________________________
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