I agree with Nick and Trevor, that our sector is not assertive enough.<div>I remember the thread earlier this year when we were talking about asking for 1%. Even then there were those saying we were asking too much, and that we would never get it... for over 200 licensed radio stations, and only asking 1%!</div>
<div><br></div><div>The impression I get is that community media representatives are worried about damaging their relationships with the BBC by asking too much. But from what I can see, <i>there is no relationship</i> to damage! They are laughing at us behind our backs for sure!</div>
<div><br></div><div>eg: "I know, let's get everyone to send their FM radio's to Africa for recycling (read: landfill), and then later we can have another meeting with the CMA about how we can improve our working relationship"..... what a joke!</div>
<div><br></div><div>A couple of years ago, after protracted negotiations with the BBC, the community sector got .... wait for it.... a legal training DVD. Whoopidoo!</div><div>(OK, I know I didn't get the whole story on this one, but .... - at least that's all I've seen come out of it)</div>
<div><br></div><div>Other members speak up in support of the 50% rule, as if we need this nanny imposition to help us run our budgets! </div><div><br></div><div>As for internet radio., ok maybe I'm biased here, but last week people were writing in saying their listeners can't hear them because of neighbouring commercial stations drowning them out, or because of local topography. Hello!!! Give out some internet radios as prizes...!</div>
<div>The Beeb and the commercial stations <i>are really spooked</i> by the internet....10 years ago they had a monopoly over the airwaves, and now the carpet is being pulled from under their feet. Advertising is moving to the internet and people are watching YouTube for entertainment. </div>
<div>So now they are trying to knock up some new radio player which they are hoping to become the default viewing/listening device, in attempt to claw back their listening stats. And of course, they get to decide who can and can't join the club. </div>
<div>I really hope it fails, I really do. The internet is the most democratic thing that has happened in a very long time, it has shaken the music industry, the government, and the media industry and empowered more people than anything else via delivering information. It has enabled thousands of small businesses to start up and reduced distribution and transaction costs. </div>
<div>I think their player is doomed to fail and I hope it will, because it is anti-democratic, and aims to stifle and exclude minority voices, or anyone they decide they don't like. I think CMA members should stay away from the dark side. We don't need them anyway.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>'nuff said...(I'm becoming outspoken recently...), just need to conclude, with suggestion that we are a lot of people putting a lot of very hard work in, and are the most exciting part of radio happening in the UK and anywhere else for that matter. We really need to bear that in mind and stand up proud when we are negotiating for money or support for the sector.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Peter</div><div>(sorry about the long rant....... internet provides this cheap therapy too!)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 22, 2010 at 5:40 PM, Steve Suttie <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:stevensuttie@aol.com" target="_blank">stevensuttie@aol.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>Hi Nick,</div><div><br></div><div>Nice to see you are maintaining your trademark passion and enthusiasm for the continued development of the sector.</div>
<div><br></div><div>We all know that the fund is inadequate, and that achieving sustainability whilst maintaining social gain is a massive difficulty. Add to the mix poor transmission power and lack of access to concrete listening figures to publish... It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see how hard it is to make community radio stations work. Indeed the only reason the sector is surviving at all is due to the passion that you and everybody else applies to your work!</div>
<div><br></div><div>In theory the £500,000 spread out amongst the licensed stations would work and could be a lifeline for many stations such as yours... But lets not forget that £500,000 was agreed by DCMS before the first round of licensing in 2004/05. It should have increased as the shocking number of stations came on air. But this is when the enthusiasm for CR was lost by the politicians I believe.</div>
<div><br></div><div>After speaking to Soo Williams at OFCOM a few weeks ago, I learnt that another 200 stations are awaiting a third round of licensing...</div><div><br></div><div>So my point is simple. This £500,000 is not going to provide a very useful spread across 450 stations. Thats if a third round is announced of course. OFCOM can't commit to a third round until they know the severity of the cuts on their own organisation.</div>
<div><br></div><div>So its a bit more complicated than the simplistic approach that you are suggesting. Shame! Its about time the CR sector was treated with a bit of respect and dignity from the powers that be... After all, we've all been working on austerity measures since long before it became the fashion!</div>
<div><br></div><div>With best regards</div><div>Steve<br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><div></div><div><div><br>On 22 Oct 2010, at 16:02, "Office - ccr-fm" <<a href="mailto:office@ccr-fm.co.uk" target="_blank">office@ccr-fm.co.uk</a>> wrote:<br>
<br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Trev and all</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">I ain’t arguing with anyone, I am simply
standing by what I believe in. I was the one 18 months ago who said we are
wasting our time pussyfooting around MP’s ……. Furthermore, there is no argument
whatsoever against everyone receiving the same amount.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">It ain’t difficult and it’s fair.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">No one has posted anything yet ……………………..
????? everyone must agree with me ! if that’s the case, let’s
get on with it.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Whack it out evenly and cancel the next
round of applications.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Regards</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy">Nick</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="navy" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</span></font></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Tahoma"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma">
<a href="mailto:trevor@felixstoweradio.co.uk" target="_blank">trevor@felixstoweradio.co.uk</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:trevor@felixstoweradio.co.uk" target="_blank">trevor@felixstoweradio.co.uk</a>] <br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> 21 October 2010 22:14<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> Office - ccr-fm; 'CMA-L'<br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [cma-l] DCMS Written
answers and statements, 19 October 2010 - Local Broadcasting: Radio</span></font><span lang="EN-US"></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Nick</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">I cannot argue with your proposition. It's easy to implement and fair.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Rural stations do not get any substantive support, that I really do
know.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">£500K is peanuts - but we must ask ourselves why we are so
disregarded. Every presentation about UK broadcasting fails to recognise
community media. Given that we have 600 members, 235 with FM licences, all
involved with broadcasting then we are doing something wrong. We have power, we
have influence, we also have an attitude of subservience, like poor peasants
pulling at our forelocks, cap in hand, grateful for the scraps thrown at us by
our masters.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Someone amongst us must be capable of producing a 10 minute
audio/video that we can all broadcast, and keep broadcasting (with variations)
until all our listeners understand how we are treated.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">We don't have to argue amongst ourselves - we need to motivate our
audience to apply pressure upon the government. We do that by broadcasting.
Sending pleading emails or letters to MPs do nothing. </span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Please agree with me. I'd do it myself but I'm trying to raise funds
to keep our little station going, and as we are all volunteers life ain't easy.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Whatever, let's keep smiling and making sure we give our audiences
what they want. We need thm all to remain on our side.</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Trevor Lockwood</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana">Felixstowe Radio</span></font><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Verdana"> </span></font></p>
</div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><font color="#666666" size="4"><span style="font-size:14px;line-height:22px"><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;line-height:28px"><h1 style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:4px;margin-left:0px;padding-top:4px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:0px">
<span style="font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:small"><font color="#666666">野火烧不尽，春风吹又生</font></span></span></h1></span></span></font><br>
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