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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'><font size="3">DCMS maybe cannot overrule Ofcom’s statutory duties and principles Alex – which as you say could well take a change of legislation - but it can and does exert influence on Ofcom when it is persuaded that this is necessary</font><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-size: 14.6667px;">. <br></span>All the same - I'd like to see the relationship clearly set out in words we can all see and comprehend as this determines such a high level of all our business activities.<br><br><div style="line-height:21.3px;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);font-size:15px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height:22.72px;font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-size:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial;"><b style="line-height:22.72px;"><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Ian Hickling</span></b><span style="line-height:17.9867px;font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></p></div><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height:22.72px;font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);background-image:initial;background-attachment:initial;background-size:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial;">Partner</span><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;"><br style="line-height:22.72px;"><br style="line-height:22.72px;"><a href="http://www.transplanuk.com/" target="_blank" style="line-height:22.72px;font-weight:inherit;color:blue;cursor:pointer;"><span style="line-height:22.72px;color:rgb(17, 85, 204);text-decoration:none;"><img border="0" id="ecx_x0000_i1025" src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/2SkDsnIzSZgRbNnNKBSiwxiFhFQWRGV55mTjVL23fulnJpstZmYxeKrrYefY4qxiSgkMrAETld64XINLXCsujE_zI5gAsQyWeCWvHixcrNYtar3Sij4YlVBgN2NSQ-n2DsgZvrnpWZlfwCQ=s0-d-e1-ft#http://www.transplanuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/transplan_UK_weblogo_190x60.png" style="line-height:22.72px;border:none;"></span></a></span></p><div style="line-height:21.3px;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);font-size:15px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height:22.72px;font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="line-height:22.72px;"><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Office: 016 3557 8435 (07:00 to 22:00 GTS)</span></i><span style="line-height:17.9867px;font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></p></div><div style="line-height:21.3px;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);font-size:15px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height:22.72px;font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="line-height:22.72px;"><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">Car: 075 3098 0115 (will only respond when driving)</span></i><span style="line-height:17.9867px;font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></p></div><div style="line-height:21.3px;color:rgb(68, 68, 68);font-size:15px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="line-height:22.72px;font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="line-height:22.72px;"><span style="line-height:22.72px;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;color:rgb(34, 34, 34);">6 Horn Street, Compton, NEWBURY, RG20 6QS</span></i></p></div><br><br><div><hr id="stopSpelling"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>On 8 March 2016 at 11:32, Alex Gray, Two Lochs Radio <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:tlr@gairloch.co.uk" target="_blank">tlr@gairloch.co.uk</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="ecxgmail_quote" style="border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div lang="EN-GB"><p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">That may be so, but as they are always telling us, DCMS cannot overrule Ofcom’s statutory duties and principles – that takes a change of legislation. The station’s concerned will now be given two-year DAB licences based primarily on criteria that are not those currently applicable to licensing of new ongoing radio services.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">Whether the maltreatment has been by DCMS or Ofcom, or the two in consultation and mutual agreement, it doesn’t change an outcome that has clearly aggravated many of those who responded to the original terms of the trial in good faith.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><br>Alex</span></p></div></blockquote></div><div><p class="ecxMsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> </span></p></div><div><div class="ecxgmail_extra"><br><div class="ecxgmail_quote">On 8 March 2016 at 11:29, Ian Hickling <span dir="ltr"><<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=transplanfm%40hotmail.com" target="_blank">transplanfm@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="ecxgmail_quote" style="border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div><div dir="ltr">The DCMS "instructing" Ofcom?<div>Are you sure Martin?<br><div>That doesn't seen to happen anywhere near often enough.<br>I can think of quite a few more "instructions" that are long overdue.<br><br><div><hr>From: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=martin%40martinsteers.co.uk" target="_blank">martin@martinsteers.co.uk</a><br>Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2016 11:11:18 +0000<br>To: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=cma-l%40mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a><div><div class="h5"><br>Subject: Re: [cma-l] Ofcom: 10th March, DCMS: 11th March<br><br><div dir="ltr">To clarify really.. this was not ofcoms decision, it was the DCMS who have instructed Ofcom to extend the trials, it wouldnt be fair to hold criticism against Ofcom for this as they are simply following instructions<div><br></div><div>They have also stated that post the 9 month "trial" period they wont provide any more technical support.</div></div><div><br><div>On 8 March 2016 at 10:59, Alex Gray, Two Lochs Radio <span dir="ltr"><<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=tlr%40gairloch.co.uk" target="_blank">tlr@gairloch.co.uk</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote style="border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div lang="EN-GB"><div><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">James<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">What you say about Ofcom’s role regarding choice and plurality is of course true for duly-licensed regular broadcast services. However, Ofcom also has a duty to observe transparent and equitable treatment of stakeholders, and this is where it appears to be falling short in this case.<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">Despite what you say, we are not talking about intended ongoing programme services – this was strictly a technical trial for a limited period – Ofcom was a great pains to make this very clear to all applicants, regardless of what nod or wink you feel it gave at a meeting. The criteria for selection of participants was also only to a limited extent based on extending choice – most are simulcasts and there was only a requirement to carry a minimum of two services. The primary criteria for awards were to do with achieving a spread of different technical scenarios for transmission, relays and programme feeds.<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">In fact, Ofcom’s selection criteria for the trial included about 60 specific technical criteria and just 12 programming/service criteria.<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">It would have been reckless of a community radio station to base plans on anything other than the strict 9-month technical trial, which meant most, including ourselves, had to rule themselves out, even where they could have offered a very useful additional technical challenge to evaluate the system (such as our mountainous terrain), but Ofcom is now giving a distinct advantage to those who took a gamble with their station’s resources. Ofcom has also paid for a substantial amount of equipment for what is now an ongoing service, and no longer qualifies as a technical trial. (NB those stations and Ofcom should really now be recording that as ‘state aid’ which may affect other grant applications.)<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">Whether or not Ofcom has taken the right decision at this point, I don’t see how you could be surprised that the decision might aggrieve some who took Ofcom at its word and based their own decisions on goalposts that it has retrospectively moved a very significant distance.<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);">Alex<u></u><u></u></span><BR><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125);"><u></u> <u></u></span><BR><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=cma-l-bounces%40mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a> [mailto:<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=cma-l-bounces%40mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l-bounces@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>James Cridland<br><b>Sent:</b> 08 March 2016 02:26<br><b>To:</b> <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=martin%40martinsteers.co.uk" target="_blank">martin@martinsteers.co.uk</a>; The Community Media Association Discussion List <<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1&to=cma-l%40mailman.commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk</a>><span><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [cma-l] Ofcom: 10th March, DCMS: 11th March<u></u><u></u></span></span><BR><u></u> <u></u><BR><div>In a stakeholder meeting, I asked (when these were first advertised) whether they'd really be pulled off after nine months, denying audiences the additional choice they may have become accustomed to. Ofcom wriggled a bit in their answer, but seemed to say "we'll look at that when the time comes". There was a clue there.<u></u><u></u><BR></div><span>>As this is a technical feasibility trial how is extending it to 3 years going to give a significantly better outcome?<<u></u><u></u><br>It isn't. The actual technical feasibility trial is over; at least, without making a few changes to the multiplexes, Ofcom won't learn more over the next two years. That's not the point really.<u></u><u></u><br>It's worthwhile examining why Ofcom exists. <a href="http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/statutory-duties-and-regulatory-principles/" target="_blank">http://www.ofcom.org.uk/about/what-is-ofcom/statutory-duties-and-regulatory-principles/</a> - it is there to ensure a wide range of services and a plurality of providers. Turning off services while men in suits look at broadcast law and at broadcast field strengths is against Ofcom's statutory duty. More to the point, it is also unnecessary.<u></u><u></u><br>So, Ofcom has elected not to remove the additional choice to listeners that these small-scale multiplexes offer. They now have two years to look at the results of the data and then at the legislation. It's the right choice for the listener, and I'm surprised that anyone would want anything else.<u></u><u></u><br>J <u></u><u></u><br></span></div>
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