<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><br></div>Saturday's Guardian included an article about British Forces Radio being put out to tender with "concerns that large military contractors with no experience of objective news reporting or radio and television production could bid to run the service as a money-making scheme. Critics of the decision expressed concern that the values and ethos of the broadcasting station would be lost. Contractors thought to be interested in bidding include Babcock, Serco and BT.<div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/25/fears-objectivity-british-forces-contract">http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/25/fears-objectivity-british-forces-contract</a></div><div><br></div><div>Can't find anything on mod site but there's discussion here:</div><div><a href="http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=48415445">http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=48415445</a></div><div><br></div><div>The service is currently provided by <a href="http://www.ssvc.com/">http://www.ssvc.com/</a>, a charity who, some say, are lining themselves up to get the tender (in which case the Guardian article is just a bit of slightly alarmist reporting). Or maybe not.</div><div><br></div><div>But given that community radio has strong (maybe shared) "values and ethos", what chance of a collaborative tender between various stations & the CMA?</div><div><br></div><div>Have to admit I know next to nothing about forces radio, and looking at their website makes me think 'ooh, way too big', but nevertheless, it felt like it's a thought worth sharing.</div><div><br></div><div>Comments?</div><div><br></div><div>Julian</div><div><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div><div><div>................................................................................</div><div><br></div><div><b>10Radio: community radio for the 10 parishes</b></div><div>105.3fm</div><div><a href="http://www.10radio.org">http://www.10radio.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>West St</div><div>Wiveliscombe</div><div>Somerset</div><div>TA4 2JP</div><div><br></div><div>JM tel: 01984 623 104</div><div>Studio and office tel: 01984 624 137</div><div><br></div><div>10Radio CIC </div><div>Registered Office: 1 Croft Cottage, West St, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, TA4 2JP</div><div>Registered in England and Wales Number: 6004252</div></div></div></div></div></div> </div><br></div></body></html>