[comradio-l] [cma-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

Tue Apr 5 10:52:01 BST 2011

I'd like to second what Alan says. We did a mass survey before we started to help support our licence application, and then several in the years since. Our surveys have consistently shown a 70% or so weekly reach locally (ie 70% of respondents saying they listen to us every week), which is a superb result.

With a small coverage area we are also able to achieve a far higher proportion of the population sampled than RAJAR or other mainstream surveys, so the statistical significance of the results is very high.

Alex
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Alan Coote 
  To: martin at martinsteers.co.uk ; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk 
  Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 9:15 AM
  Subject: Re: [comradio-l] [cma-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

  Hi Martin,

  We've employed an independent local company to do our research. 

  I would encourage EVERY station to research their audience because; 

  a)      it helps advertisers know what they are paying for

  b)      it helps know how successfully (or not) you're hitting the target audience. 

  Our research showed that we have TWICE the local audience than a large regional station! Needless to say they have applied to Ofcom for a change of format. 

  RAJAR

  We seriously have considered RAJAR but decided not to for numerous reason which weren't just financial. 

  When we get asked about RAJAR its usually from a media buyer who doesn't understand the data or how it's collected. I'm not a statistician, but it doesn't take too much to see how fragile RAJAR research can be. 

  Alan

  From: martinsteers at gmail.com [mailto:martinsteers at gmail.com] On Behalf Of Martin Steers
  Sent: 04 April 2011 4:45 PM
  To: Alan Coote
  Cc: Office - ccr-fm; CMA-L
  Subject: Re: [cma-l] [comradio-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

  Hi Alan,

  I dont 100% agree as radio listenership as a whole is growing year on year, but you are right that most advertisers will normally pay more the more people that listen.

  The problem is, how do community stations prove their listenership when rajar is either to expensive or wont cover for the station.

  It would be useful for ofcom or maybe the CMA or RAB to conduct some audience research around the quality of listenership / numbers and its effect of advertising. (maybe listeners are more attentive with community stations and thus advertisers will get more out of it???)

  Martin

  On Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 9:19 PM, Alan Coote <alan.coote at btinternet.com> wrote:

  Chris,

  I would be very surprised if the CR Fund even existed in a few years - no doubt it will be eroded each year until its next to nothing anyway.

  The (Cake) economics are simple - 91% of the UK listen to the radio each week. That's been a constant, so has (roughly) 50% l istening to a non BBC station.

  New stations don't magic up new listeners (ethnic minorities excepted) it's still 91%. Therefore every new station has to take listeners from an existing station. 

  If each listener is given a nominal value the more listeners you have the higher the value of your advertising spots. The converse is true - the fewer listeners the less an advertiser will be willing to pay in relation to other stations in the market. 

  Some agencies look for a cost per thousand so they can compare station's spot rates.

  Alan 

  From: Office - ccr-fm [mailto:office at ccr-fm.co.uk] 
  Sent: 01 April 2011 5:03 PM
  To: 'Alan Coote'; 'CMA-L'
  Subject: RE: [cma-l] [comradio-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

  Alan n' all

  I thought I would suggest something that no one appears to have thought of ??      it has been on my mind for two years now.

  These cakes !?                    would it not be true that the GRANTS cakes are turning rapidly into FAIRY CAKES as well !?

  In fact, we've been lucky to get a few LEMON FONDANTS ....... everyone needs to look at the wider picture. There is a decision to make and it needs making quickly ....... Either we are in competition or we are not .. We can't be both.

  All I will say is that if it has anything to do with our area . the commercial crew treat us as competition and yet we are not permitted to compete (certainly not on a level surface)

  It's like getting in the boxing ring with David Haye and having your boots nailed to canvas .. !   we can't even bob and weave.

  I'm not complaining about others getting licences .. As in my last post .. good luck to everyone ...... but that grants cake has now become a plateful of crumbs.

  Everyone start licking .........mmm                             So where does the money come from ??               &nbsp ;        dunno' ?    do you ?

  Regards

  Nick

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  From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Alan Coote
  Sent: 01 April 2011 15:33
  To: ian at transplan.uk.com; 'cma-l'; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
  Subject: Re: [cma-l] [comradio-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

  Ian,

  Unusually, I find myself 100% agreeing with Ofcom.

  Firstly, the situation of available frequencies is a difficult one. I know that interference from other coast European countries is a very significant factor. 

  Secondly, Ofcom has rightly suggested limiting advertising income to new stations where there are other community stations / small commercials. This is because the limited commercial revenue cannot be split any further - the cake is really only so big. Anyone running a station CR or commercial will tell you the same.  We have even had a very large regional station beat us on price!

  Finally, in the South East, stations are still only now coming on air. The gestation period is a long time anyway, 18 - 24 months it seems the norm. So there should be no issue those in the final region of the round 3 having plenty of time to prepare.     

  Alan

  Alan Coote

  Managing Director 

  The Bay Radio

  Office 01202 580200

  Studio 01202 571028

  Mobile 07801 518858

  Email alan.coote at thebayradio.com

  Web www.thebayradio.com

  The Bay Radio, 25B Elliott Road, Bournemouth, BH11 8LQ

  From: comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:comradio-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Ian Hickling
  Sent: 01 April 2011 1:17 PM
  To: cma-l; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk; Bill Best; Jaqui Devereux
  Subject: [comradio-l] New round of Community Radio licensing

  This is a certainly a welcome announcement but in my view would trigger several points where action is required of existing and prospective licence-holders and hence of the CMA:

  1 - This programme is far too lengthy and must be drastically shortened by the employment by Ofcom of more staff to cope with the clear and obvious demand for licences. Applicants in SE England - where demand is very high - have to wait for a totally impractical 3 yea rs before they know if they even have a chance.

  2 - We should strongly contest Ofcom's assertion about there being no available FM frequencies in a large number of areas. Those of us on the ground that deal with this problem contuinually know that it is simply not true and is indicative of Ofcom neither having the manpower nor the motivation from above to change the suituation. It is far from irrelevant that hundreds of illegal broadcasters are not taken out of operation because they are not actively interfering with licensed operators and are hence occupying a channel usable by a new broadcaster.
  3 - We should capitalise on the reported statement of Ofcom's Head of Broadcast Licensing and make it very clear to him that while his words are welcome, he needs to back them up with an immediate and very substantial funding scheme for existing and incoming broadcasters who are all struggling and are seen to be falling in number month by month.

  ------------------------------------

  Ian Hickling
  Partner

  transplan UK

  > From: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
  > Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2011 10:45:09 +0100

  > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradi o-l at commedia.org.uk

  > Subject: [cma-l] Ofcom launches new round of community radio licensing
  > 
  > Ofcom has today opened the door to a fresh intake of applications for
  > community radio licences. This comes in response to significant
  > interest expressed by more than 270 individuals and community groups
  > wanting to take to the air and provide services for their local
  > community.
  > 
  > Community radio stations typically cover a small geographical area
  > with a coverage radius of up to 5km and are run on a not-for-profit
  > basis. They reflect a diverse mix of cultures and interests. For
  > example, you can listen to stations which cater for urban or
  > experimental music, while others are aimed at younger people,
  > religious communities or the Armed Forces and their families.
  > 
  > This is the third wave of licensing since the first community radio

  > station took to the airw aves in 2005. Since then, a new community

  > radio station has launched, on average, every 10 days. To date, 228
  > community radio licences have been issued and around 11 million people
  > are now able to tune into community radio stations across the UK. This
  > figure is up 17% year-on-year and an increase of more than a third
  > (36%) since 2008.
  > 
  > Ofcom Director of Radio Content and Broadcast Licensing, Peter Davies,
  > said: "Over the past six years community radio stations have provided
  > a voice for hundreds of local communities across the UK. Our postbag
  > has been inundated with a high level of interest for new licences,
  > which gives a strong indication of the likely level of demand in this
  > licensing round."
  > 
  > Applications process
  > ++++++++++++++++
  > Applications for new licences will open on a region by region basis,
  > starting today with Wales and south west England. There are seven
  > regions in total. Scotland is second in the process, with applications
  > opening before the end of 2011. This will be followed by Northern
  > Ireland in the first half of 2012 and then four English regions - one
  > every six months - that finish with the South East (see table below).
  > 
  > Potential applicants should note that there are large parts of the UK
  > where there are no suitable FM frequencies available. This is mainly
  > in major towns and cities.
  > 
  > Small scale radio is highly valued
  > +++++++++++++++++++++++++
  > Recent Ofcom research reveals that these stations are highly valued by
  > listeners, offering unique benefits that cannot be delivered through
  > other media. According to listeners, being informed and keeping
  > up-to-date is one of the most useful things about small scale local

  > radio stations. They are the prefer red source for local information,

  > with 8 out of 10 listeners tuning into their local radio station first
  > before any other media to find out what is going on in their local
  > area.
  > 
  > Regions and timetable:
  > +++++++++++++++++
  > 1 South west England and Wales
  > Open: Friday 1 April 2011
  > Close: Thursday 21 July 2011
  > 2 Scotland
  > Open: End of 2011
  > Close: 3 months after opening date
  > 3 Northern Ireland
  > Open: First half 2012
  > Close: 3 months after opening date
  > 4 Northeast England and Cumbria
  > Open: Second half 2012
  > Close: 3 months after opening date
  > 5 Yorkshire and the Humber and the north west of England
  > Open: First half 2013
  > Close: 3 months after opening date
  > 6 West Midlands, East Midlands (including Lincolnshire) and the east
  > of England
  > Open: Second half 2013
  > Close: 3 months after opening date

  > 7 South east England

  > Open: First half 2014
  > Close: 3 months after opening date
  > 
  > The full statement is available here:
  > http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-broadcast-licensing/community-radio/apply-for-licence/
  > 
  > Source: http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2011/04/01/ofcom-launches-new-round-of-community-radio-licensing/
  > 
  > \\
  > 
  > Community Media Association
  > -- 
  > http://www.commedia.org.uk/
  > http://twitter.com/community_media
  > https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation

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