[cma-l] Press release - Benefits of community media recognised in the New Year Honours

[CMA-L]

Press Release - 1st January 2018

Benefits of community media recognised in the New Year Honours

The importance of community media has been recognised in the New Year
Honours. Mary Dowson, of Bradford Community Broadcasting, and Martin Parry,
of Swindon Viewpoint were both awarded The British Empire Medal, a division
of the MBE, which is granted in recognition of meritorious civil or
military service worthy of recognition by the nation.

Martin Parry, one of the country’s longest-serving exponents of community
media, has been honoured for services to the nation in the fields of Film,
Media and Music, an accolade for work that includes rescuing and continuing
to maintain Swindon Viewpoint, Britain's longest surviving community
television service, as well as for wider media archive work. Martin also
served on the Council of the Community Media Association, the UK sector
body for community media, where he helped to raise the status of community
film and television.

Mary Dowson has been the Director of Bradford Community Broadcasting since
1997, steering the organisation to become the pioneering, full-time
community radio station that it is today. For 10 years she also served on
the Council of the Community Media Association with much of this time as
Chair. During this time, Mary was instrumental in lobbying for the
parliamentary legislation to provide a third sector of radio - community
radio.

Martin Parry, who was surprised and pleased to receive the award, says:

"It's heartening to see this national recognition of the value of community
media work, and hopefully will contribute to our long journey raising
awareness of the importance of the field"

Mary Dowson, agrees with the need for more recognition:

“It's taken a very long time and indeed a lot of hard work and tenacity to
get recognition for community media. Finally, it feels like our voices are
starting to be heard and our contribution recognised. This award is
testament to this and I accept it on behalf of all my colleagues at BCB and
throughout the community media sector.”

Lucinda Guy, Chair of the Community Media Association (CMA) says:

"Our congratulations go to both Martin and Mary for these awards, which go
some way towards recognising the huge amount of dedication, skill and care
in their work. Both lead projects that are wonderful examples of community
media at its best, where the worlds of media production and community
development come together, resulting in positive transformation for their
local areas and for those they support there."

Both Martin and Mary continue to work closely with the CMA, sharing their
extensive knowledge and experience with others in the community media
sector around the UK.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Community Media Association (CMA) champions access to community radio
and local television for all to change lives, build diverse participation
in social dialogue and give even the smallest communities a voice.

A non-profit membership organisation formed in 1983, the CMA leads advocacy
for and governance of the UK’s movement of community broadcasters, which
grew rapidly following a successful CMA campaign to establish community
radio FM licences in 2004.

The CMA supports its members to uphold the Community Media Charter
<http://www.commedia.org.uk/who-we-are/charter/> of best practice,
celebrates members’ achievement with the annual Community Radio Awards
<http://www.communityradioawards.co.uk/> and provides technical support
including an Internet media streaming service, Canstream
<http://www.canstream.co.uk>.

\\

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