[Community Radio] Grants for Community Radio: tell Ofcom what you think

[Ian Grey]

> Ofcom has just published its consultation document on the Community
> Radio Fund, which was the subject of much debate in this list. The
> document contains Ofcom's views on the size of individual grants,
> the purpose of the grants, who shall administer them etc. The
> closing date for responses is 3rd March - this is the only
> dedicated fund for community radio at the moment (the CMA is still
> lobbying for an expanded Community Media Fund with a wider remit)-
> we need to make it work as well as we can for the sector - send
> your views to this list or directly to me at the CMA, and, of
> course, to Ofcom.

I actually stumbled across the press release in my day job this afternoon, I keep an eye on them for Telecommunications regulation. Seeing your post has prompted me to actually open the PDF and read it!

I have been taking a look at the 192 applications received by OfCom, one thing I have been trying to work out is where some of the other Yorkshire stations will be and whether they might be overly close to Morley. The names sometimes give a clue, as do the contact phone number area codes. I reckon there are seven nearby potential stations in the Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield areas so I am contacting them individually to see if they will tell me their transmitter location.

We have been offered a suitable location for a studio but it is a mile or two to the south east of our ideal transmitter location which would be on the prow of the hill in Central Morley. Whilst we could get ourselves a microwave link it will be a while before we could justify and afford that.

>From my Ham Radio days I seem to remember Aerials can be made directional with careful design comparatively easily but the OfCom guidance seems to assume an omnidirectional transmission in a five mile radius. Does anyone know if such an arrangement will be acceptable?

Something else I was wondering about was whether OfCom were going to publish the full submissions of the 192 applications received, that might be a boon for those of us intending to apply this year!

Happy New Year all,

Ian Grey