[cma-l] DCMS Consultation on the Deregulation of Commercial Radio

[CMA-L]

The DCMS response has now been published:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/commercial-radio-deregulation-
consultation.

*Community Radio*

Q20. We would welcome views on whether the same arrangements for extending

the duration of analogue commercial radio licences (see Q13) in the run up
to a

future radio switchover should also apply to community radio.


*Summary of consultation responses*
109. The majority of respondents agreed that a flexible period should be
introduced
for analogue licences leading up to switchover and this includes extending
licence durations. A small number of respondents did not agree with this
proposal, and a further small number of respondents offered additional
recommendations. Of those who supported the proposal, the respondents
consisted of service providers and organisations. Respondents said that
community radio should be treated equally and that these services should
also be given certainty leading up to a digital switchover.

110. The Community Media Association, the representative body for the
community radio industry, welcomed the proposals to extend licences and
also argued for a longer fixed period in order to preserve resources:
“Licence renewal places a huge administrative burden on stations that
are already underfunded and diverts resources away from delivering
the business of the station. It is therefore only reasonable that the
length of community radio licences is extended to at least 8 years and
possibly up to the full 12 years permitted for local commercial analogue
radio stations.” [The Community Media Association]

111. However, some respondents disagreed with this proposal and said that
the
current licensing system based on five year terms should remain for
community radio. The respondents included service providers and members
of the public. One respondent, citing the differences between commercial and
community radio, explained that licence extensions would not be appropriate
for community radio due to funding arrangements and their reliance on
volunteers. Some respondents also said that there should be a clear
distinction between commercial and community radio and therefore the
licensing system should not change.

112. A further number of respondents suggested additional recommendations,
such as: community radio should be able to take up DAB carriage on the
relevant local multiplex, community radio licences should be synchronised by
area so that they expire at the same time, and community stations should be
free to be licensed as commercial services.

113. While Radiocentre did not oppose further licence renewals for community
services, they did warn that:

“this should be on the requirement that community radio stations are
required to provide social gain and are compliant with the regulatory
framework and key commitments they are obliged to deliver”.


*Government response*
114. The government will support all service providers leading up to a
digital
switchover, and respondents have demonstrated that a flexible period in the
transition up to a switchover will be a welcome measure to the radio
industry.

115. Community radio has a different objective to commercial radio and
offers a
meaningful contribution to the communities that they serve. While community
services are currently able to take up DAB carriage if they wish, the
introduction of small scale DAB will increase accessibility to the platform
for
these services.

116. We therefore believe it would be useful for Ofcom to be able to set
flexible
periods for all analogue licences in the run up to a future switchover
(subject
to the two-year notice period in s97A of the Broadcasting Act 1990), and
intend to introduce powers to be able to extend similar arrangements for
community radio services services in order to be able to smooth the process
of licenses expiring in the run up to a future radio switchover.

\\

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

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