[CMA_Radioforum] Funding access radio

[Nicky Edmonds]

 A request for your views and an update in what's been going on behind
the scenes


The issue of how community / access radio should be funded is a bit of a
political hot potato at the moment and I would be very grateful if you
had a few minutes to read this email and then send back your views.

As you probably know, the Standing Committee on the Communicatons Bill
is meeting at the moment. Steve Buckley (CMA Director) is working very
closely with one of the Labour MPs, Brian White, who will be tabling
amendments supporting community media.
However, CRCA  (the Commercial Radio Compnaies Association) are also
wishing to table an amendment that would conflict with our one .Brian
White has recommended we endeavour to negotiate a common position with
CRCA, as he has agreed to table CMA amendments and CRCA amendments but
he is reluctant to do so where they come into conflict. . This  conflict
applies to our replacement clause 254 (see below) and concerns the issue
of possible restrictions on advertising and sponsorship. Steve has sent
a copy today to CRCA and he will meet or teleconference with them on
Friday to see if we can find common ground. The debate on this is now
likely to be on 21 January.

Action
A. Please reply to this email with your views on the following options
for what, if any, restrictions should be placed on access radio carrying
advertising and sponsorship. It owudl be also useful to know if you
presently carry any advertising and sponsorship on your station or plan
to in the future.

Possible options:
1. No compromise - Access Radio should be allowed to carry advertising
and 
sponsorship on the same terms as commercial radio. (this is the obvious 
opening position for negotiation but it is not necessarily a desirable 
outcome as overdependence on advertising could reduce social purpose).

2. Restrictions on the percentage of advertising carried (eg maximum
50%).

3. Restrictions on the amount of advertising minutes per hour (eg 5
minutes).

4. Restrictions on the form of advertising eg sponsor announcements
allowed 
but product advertising not.

5. Restrictions on the source of advertising (eg local companies only).

6. One or more of the above but only in specified geographical locations

(eg areas in which there are existing small scale commercial radio
services).


B. Please contact your friendly MPs and let them know your views on this
issue. In particular, draw their attention to a meeting on Wednesday
22nd January on Access Radio. This is a joint meeting for MPs and Lords
orgnaised by the All Party Community Media Group and the All Party
Commerical Radio Group. Mary Dowson and Phil Korbel will be speaking at
this meeting. The issues of restricting funding for access radio and
perahps restricting rural licenses may be key to this meeting, so the
more friendly MPs who undertand the issues there the better. 

Please get in touch (0114 279 5219) if you have any questions 

Best wishes
Nicky

Clause 254

Leave out Clause 254 and replace with the following new Clause -

("Community radio

-(1) In subsection (2) of Section 84 of the 1990 Act after paragraph
(a)(iii) there shall be inserted -
		"or - 
		(iv) for the benefit of members of the public in a
defined geographical locality or of a particular community and not
operated by the BBC or for commercial purposes (a "community service")"

(2) In subsection (6) of Section 104 of the 1990 Act in paragraph (b)
after "satellite" there shall be inserted ", community".

(3) After that subsection there shall be inserted -

		"(6A) In determining whether or to whom to grant a
licence to provide a community service and the duration of such licence
OFCOM shall have regard to -

		(a) the extent to which the service would confer
significant benefits on the public or on the particular community for
which it is proposed to be provided;
		(b) the extent to which the proposed service is
supported by the public or the particular community for which it is
proposed to be provided;
		(c) the extent to which the proposed service includes
provision for public access to training, production and broadcast
facilities; and
		(d) the extent to which the proposed service includes
measures to ensure accountability to and participation by the public or
the particular community for which it is proposed to be provided."")





Visit the Community Media Association!
        http://www.commedia.org.uk

Telephone 0114  279 5219
Email nicky at commedia.org.uk

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