[cma-l] Community Radio Fund & the CMA

[jeff.martin at erewashsound.com]

Hi Guys

 

Community Radio must be the only sector that has to operate with one
sometimes two hands ties behind its back. The BBC is funded through the
taxpayer. For that reason do not need to operate in a commercial sector. Yet
they pay through the nose for staff on their national networks. A report
recently showing what they pay presenters on their national network meant
that by saving a couple of staff on there would probably fund the Community
sector for a year or more. Commercial Radio can go out and sell air-time and
sponsorship to their hearts content.

Then there is us, the Community Radio Sector. Restrictions on the
advertising (is there any other sector in and out of radio where you are
penalised for being successful). Having to chase funding to keep you station
sustainable. If we can only make 51% the why don't we pay 51% music fees?

Everyone from councillors, to government ministers praises the work done by
Community Radio and say how the value it. If that is true then it's about
time they started to work on a mechanism to fund Community Radio fairly,
even if this is basic funding.

I am not calling for stations to be fully funded like the BBC, nice as that
would be. However we should at least be treated fairly and with basic level
funding it would be up to us then go out as we do already to make our
station both successful and serve our community.

This is not about a hand outs for me, it's about fair funding for a sector
that adds real value in so many ways. 

 

Jeff Martin -Erewash Sound

 

 

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