[comradio-l] [cma-l] Avoiding sexually-explicit songs

Tue Nov 1 14:00:17 GMT 2011

Yep - even better.
The "Fine" idea was obviously intended as a deterrent, but an allegation of spoiling others' fun might make more impact!

------------------------------------
Ian Hickling
Partner
transplan UK

Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2011 11:21:41 +0000
From: adavid at lincoln.ac.uk
To: ian at transplan.uk.com; martin at martinsteers.co.uk
CC: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: RE: Avoiding sexually-explicit songs

Interesting idea – actually rather than the £200 fine, which none of my vols could pay, how about “damaging the reputation of the station and prejudicing its relicensing”?  Lose you radio station, lose your fun!

Andrew

(Please note that there may be a delay in answering your email as on air matters have to take priority)

Andrew David

Managing Editor

Council Member for the Community Media Association (http://www.commedia.org.uk/)

SIREN FM - simply the home of fantastic radio, just great music, enthusiastic presenters and the odd surprise or two!
www.sirenonline.co.uk
01522 886001

From: Ian Hickling [mailto:transplanfm at hotmail.com] 
Sent: 01 November 2011 11:19
To: Andrew David; martin at martinsteers.co.uk
Cc: cma-l; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: Avoiding sexually-explicit songs
Importance: High

Experience shows that you can't trust a "Radio Edit" endorsement - so don't!
Easy solution - get the people who want to play tracks from suspect artists (and anyone in that sector of the Industry knows how to identify them) to do all the hard work - audition the music themselves - and prove to you that it's acceptable.
You might want to suggest that there could well be a £200 fine for the station and instant dismissal for any offender who gets it wrong.
Perhaps that might focus the mind?
------------------------------------
Ian Hickling
Partner
transplan UK

Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2011 10:55:23 +0000
From: adavid at lincoln.ac.uk
To: ian at transplan.uk.com; martin at martinsteers.co.uk
CC: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: RE: [cma-l] Avoiding sexually-explicit songs

Dear All,

The mood of the Ofcom meeting was very clear – ‘fess up to a problem and they’ll be as helpful as possible, so long as you can show that you’re trying to fix the issue and put robust but simple systems in place.  It was interesting that the mainstream commercial and BBC representatives are also experiencing the same sorts of dilemmas that CR is facing.  So, having paid people to check compliance of songs, doesn’t always work.

Siren FM’s policy (with a 9-24 year old focus in the KCs) is, LEGAL, DECENT and HONEST and for safety’s sake we do not have a watershed.  It’s always (streaming) before 9.00pm somewhere.

We have a Head of Music who does his level best either to only load Radio Edit tracks or to down load the song lyrics and check them through.  This is time consuming and we’re looking at ways of developing a team around him to divide this out to other volunteers.  They will, of course, undergo relevant training.

Andrew

Andrew David

Managing Editor

Council Member for the Community Media Association (http://www.commedia.org.uk/)

SIREN FM - simply the home of fantastic radio, just great music, enthusiastic presenters and the odd surprise or two!
www.sirenonline.co.uk
01522 886001

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk [mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Ian Hickling
Sent: 31 October 2011 22:41
To: martin at martinsteers.co.uk
Cc: cma-l; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: [cma-l] Avoiding sexually-explicit songs

Sorry Martin - and everyone else - but if, as you say, you haven't the the staff or volunteers to pre-check all music that's played, then you should simply not be using anything - or anyone - that you are not prepared to personally guarantee as socially acceptable.

You are leaving yourself wide open to very serious social and litigious action and in my view you should not risk operating a freely-available public service under those conditions. 

------------------------------------
Ian Hickling
Partner
transplan UK

From: martin at martinsteers.co.uk
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:26:27 +0000
To: ian at transplan.uk.com
CC: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Radio stations to get new guidance on avoiding sexually explicit songs

Ian / All, 

I think the guidance is a good thing, I dont under stand how any community station wouldnt want more guidance or support in what they are doing in any or all areas lol.. and these are for all broadcasters not just community, even commercial stations get in trouble over language..

What your suggesting is an interesting one, we have a playlist that certain shows have to follow and music on that is checked.. but even we dont have the staff or volunteers to pre check all music thats played, we train and advice volunteers and we hope for the best..

Martin

On Mon, Oct 31, 2011 at 3:18 PM, Ian Hickling <transplanfm at hotmail.com> wrote:

  For Heaven's sake - how much molly-coddling do we need?
The answer's simple.
We don't need Government or Regulator guidance.
Common sense and experience will tell a responsible Licensee what's permissible in Law and acceptable to the station's audience.
Nothing is played or allowed on the playout system until it's been auditioned by the PC or equivalent.
You do not let all and sundry play what they like.
How hard can that be?
------------------------------------
Ian Hickling
Partner
transplan UK

> From: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
> Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:37:04 +0000
> To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
> Subject: [cma-l] The Guardian: Radio stations to get new guidance on avoiding sexually explicit songs
> 
> Ben Dowell, guardian.co.uk, Monday 31 October 2011 12.18 GMT
> 
> The BBC and commercial radio broadcasters will have to take more care
> with sexually explicit music lyrics, particularly in songs by rap
> artists, as part of a continuing crackdown by media regulator Ofcom on
> content that is inappropriate for children.
> 
> UK radio broadcasters are to be issued with new guidance by media
> regulator Ofcom to address the problem of broadcasting sexually
> explicit music lyrics at times when children are listening.
> 
> Following a meeting last week between representatives from the
> commercial sector as well as the BBC's editorial policy unit, Ofcom
> has promised to issue new and detailed guidance by the end of the
> year.
> 
> Of particular concern to Ofcom are offensive music lyrics aired at
> times in the morning and early evenings when children are often in the
> cars with the radio on as they are being taken to and from school.
> 
> This follows the issuing of stricter guidance to TV broadcasters last
> month on airing such material before the 9pm watershed and signals a
> growing desire by the regulator to combat the problem.
> 
> Current rules enshrined in the Ofcom broadcasting code prohibit the
> broadcast of inappropriate or offensive material when children may be
> listening. But Ofcom says that the rules are flouted too often,
> particularly in the playing of rap music and that it has run out of
> patience.
> 
> Among recent examples of breaches of these rules was the airing by
> Scottish community radio station Brick FM of the song More Punany by
> reggae artist Dr Evil at 3pm. It contained the lyrics "last night I
> had a crazy threesome" and "I like to see the girls in the sexy bikini
> ni ni/Want to take my chilli and push it between ni ni", as well as "I
> like pun-na-na-na-ni even if it's a virgin".
> 
> The broadcaster claimed that "punany" referred to a sandwich – a
> panini, a claim that was roundly dismissed by the regulator, which
> said it was slang for a woman's genitalia.
> 
> In May Radio 1 broadcast an expletive-strewn concert by the band the
> Black Eyed Peas at the station's Big Weekend event in Carlisle. During
> the broadcast the lead singer shouted "What the fuck's going down" and
> introduced their second song with the words "This song‟s for all the
> fucking crazy people".
> 
> An Ofcom spokeswoman said: "Ofcom takes its role in protecting
> children from offensive language on the radio very seriously. We are
> concerned that there have been a number of recent cases where
> offensive language was broadcast, some at times when children were
> particularly likely to have been listening. That is why we held a
> meeting with the radio industry this week to discuss the issues. We
> intend to publish guidance by the end of the year to clarify the rules
> in the broadcasting code."
> 
> A BBC spokesman added: "The BBC, along with all radio broadcasters,
> sent a representative to discuss the matter and, while we have had no
> complaints upheld for bad language for more than three years, we will
> work with Ofcom to ensure we continue to deal with language in a
> responsible way."
> 
> Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/oct/31/radio-stations-sexually-explicit-songs
> 
> \\
> 
> Community Media Association
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