An enquiry into the funding of the arts and heritage was announced
recently by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select
Committee. The Committee has stated that it wishes to investigate the
following:

• The impact of recent as well as future spending cuts from central
  and local government on the arts and heritage at national and local
  levels
• The measures that arts organisations can take to work more closely together
• What level of public subsidy for the arts and heritage is necessary
  and sustainable
• Whether the current system and structure of funding distribution is
  the right one
• The impact recent changes to the distribution of National Lottery
  funds will have on arts and heritage organisations
• Whether the policy guidelines for National Lottery funding need to be reviewed
• The impact of recent changes to bodies of the Department for
  Culture, Media and Sport. In particular the abolition of the UK Film
  Council and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
• Whether businesses and philanthropists can play a long-term role in
  funding arts at a national and local level
• Whether there need to be more government incentives to encourage
  private donations.

The Select Committee is interested in responses from people within the
sector by 2 September 2010. For more information, visit the Arts
Council’s website here:

http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/inquiry-funding-arts-and-heritage-opens/

News Release, 22 April 2010

From the Council of the Community Media Association

Support community media and save double!

The Community Media Association calls on all prospective MPs to back the
community radio sector and other forms of community media in the new
Parliament by recognising the economic and social impact of the sector and
supporting strategies to increase the resources available.

For every pound put into the existing Community Radio Fund, the country
saves at least two pounds of spending by other government departments, in
particular communities, justice and education budgets.

The sector also delivers on a range of other government priorities including
encouraging democratic engagement, community cohesion, climate change and
green awareness, international development, increasing volunteering,
informal training, increasing employability and engagement and participation
in the arts.

Therefore the CMA calls on the new Parliament to redirect resources
immediately into the Community Radio Fund, from all government departments
and through other appropriate funding channels, and to review the wider
community media sector with a view to expanding the Fund to cover other
media forms, to enable this fast growing sector to play its full part in
meeting the economic and social challenges that face the UK over the coming
years.

More than 200 community radio stations have been licensed since 2005,
working across urban and rural Britain to boost community voice and deliver
local news, information, arts and other programming made by local people
themselves.

Sir Anthony Everitt, in his evaluation of the access pilot community radio
stations which led to the licensing of this sector in 2004, recommended that
the government fund for community radio should be at a level of around
£30,000 per station to cover core costs and to enable stations to lever in
further funds from other national and local funders.  It is estimated that a
Fund of £10,000,000 would save in the region of £20,000,000 of spending on,
for example young people not in education, employment or training, offender
rehabilitation programmes, and acute health interventions.  The sector also
attracts a large number of volunteers adding an economic value to the sector
of around £25,000,000.

-ends-

For further information please contact Jaqui Devereux on 0114 279 5219 or
email jaqui.devereux@commedia.org.uk

Notes to editors

1.      The Community Media Association (CMA) is the UK membership
association for community media.  Its mission is to enable people to
establish and develop communications media for cultural and creative
expression, community development and entertainment.  The CMA membership
consists of 300 community media organisations plus 300 individuals and
associate organisations. CMA members work throughout the UK in sound and
radio, television, video and new media.  The CMA is located in Sheffield.

2.      Community radio is a third tier of radio distinct from public and
commercial radio.  Community radio stations are locally owned and
accountable to their audience. They operate on public service principles for
community benefit and are non-profit distributing.

With the General Election taking place on Thursday 6th May, now is the time for CMA members
and our supporters to call on the major political parties to commit to increasing the Community
Radio Fund from its current level to the levels recommended in the Everitt Report that set the
framework for community radio legislation and was accepted by Government at that time.

Supporters of community media can contact their local prospective Parliamentary
candidates (PPCs) using the methods outlined below for the four major parties in England and
Wales – we do not currently have contact details available for the SNP, Ulster Unionists and others.

At this stage of election campaigning, PPCs will be more likely to read and take note of letters
sent to them from individual constituents than a national lobby effort from the CMA – our
overall message will therefore be more likely to get through to them via our grassroots
membership.  Furthermore, if you do establish a connection with a candidate who becomes
elected then they will be more likely to be receptive towards you later as your elected
representative.

So, please find your candidate here:

Conservative:
Step 1: Visit
http://www.conservatives.com/People/Prospective_Parliamentary_Candidates.aspx

Step 2: Find your local candidate by choosing “List by name” or
“List by constituency”.

Step 3: Choose from A to Z to locate the name or constituency for
which you are looking.

Step 4: Click on your local candidate’s name to see their contact details.

Labour:
Step 1: Visit http://www.labour.org.uk/ppc

Step 2: If you know the surname of your local PPC choose from A to
Z and then select your local PPC to see their contact details.

If you do not know the surname of your local PPC, click on browse
by parliamentary constituency to search by constituency and then
select your constituency to see your local PPC’s contact details.

Liberal Democrats:
Step 1: Visit http://www.libdems.org.uk/parliamentary_candidates.aspx

Step 2: Use one of the two search fields to search by postcode or
constituency name to be taken straight to your local PPC’s contact
details.

Plaid Cymru:
Step 1: Visit http://www.plaidcymru.org/content.php?nID=564;lID=1

Step 2: Please click on a constituency in the left-hand column to read more about your candidate.

Step 3: Email the candidate using the email address given.

Remember that PPCs will include those selected to replace a sitting MP
where they are retiring, as a large number are.  With boundary changes
taking effect at the election, look out for the changed names and
boundaries of some constituencies. Also, there are some completely new
constituencies whilst some will disappear altogether.

We have drafted a pro forma letter below, which you are free to edit as you
see fit, that calls for increased support for community media.  Please send
your version of the letter to your PPC and please contact the
CMA_L mailing list with any feedback received.

\\\

Dear XXXXXX (Election Candidate’s name)

I am writing to ask that you pledge your support for the
sustainability and growth of community media in the UK through a
substantial increase in the resources and scope of the current
Community Radio Fund, to include both licensed community radio and the
wider community media sector including community and local television.

The growth of community radio has been described by Ofcom as “one of
the great UK broadcasting success stories in the last few years”, yet
this new sector still remains economically very precarious.  Existing
community and local television stations are under threat through lack
of access to a proper digital distribution system e.g. on Freeview and
cable.  The UK is one of the very few nations in Europe not to support
local television, as a true provider of local news, information and
local debate.

The growth of the licensed community radio sector, from 14 stations in
2004 to more than 200 today, broadcasting to an estimated audience of
around 2 million citizens, demonstrates daily the appetite of people
in local communities for local news, voices and broadcasting in
community languages.  Its success could easily be emulated if the
growth of community television were to be facilitated by an incoming
government in the way that community radio has been since 2004.

As defined in the Community Radio Order 2004, community radio stations
are licensed with the following social gain objectives:

(a) the delivery of services provided by local authorities and other
services of a social nature and the increasing, and wider
dissemination, of knowledge about those services and about local
amenities;

(b) the promotion of economic development and of social enterprises;

(c) the promotion of employment;

(d) the provision of opportunities for the gaining of work experience;

(e) the promotion of social inclusion;

(f) the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity;

(g) the promotion of civic participation and volunteering.

Regulation of the sector by Ofcom ensures that the above social gain
objectives of all broadcasting community radio stations are met or
exceeded.

But despite the plaudits and awards for community radio, the UK
financial settlement compares poorly with our European neighbouring
countries. France, for example, provides around Euro 25 million per
annum for around 600 community stations, the Netherlands Euro 8
million for around 340 community stations. Community radio groups and
their supporters are calling on the Government to give a higher
priority to community radio with its real social and economic benefits
by substantially increasing the Government’s contribution to the
Community Radio Fund.

The Community Radio Order 2004 restricts community radio to a maximum
50 per cent of revenue from advertising and sponsorship and, in some
locations, advertising is prohibited entirely.

This arrangement was intended to be complemented, in part, by a
sizeable Community Radio Fund. The Government’s own impact assessment,
in line with the recommendations of the Everitt Report, suggested the
Fund would require £3-4 million per annum.

In its first year £500,000 was provided. Since then, annual spending
commitments to the Fund have not increased, while the number of
community radio licensees has grown from 14 to over 200.

A new Government must commit to a substantial increase in the
Community Radio Fund to support the long term sustainability and
success of community radio, in delivering real choice and community
benefit in some of the most deprived communities in the UK.

As a constituent, I would like to know that you and your Party are
committed to an increase in the size of the Community Radio Fund,
including extending its remit to other truly local broadcasting
services should your Party have sufficient influence in the next
Government.

I would also like to see your party publicly commit to support for
funding of local and community television projects on a similar basis
to community radio funding.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely

Community_Media_General_Election – Letter.rtf

Community_Media_General_Election – Letter.txt

The first round for funding applications to the Community Radio Fund in 2010/11 will be open from 14 April 2010 until close of play on 11 May 2010. The awarding Panel will meet on 28 June 2010 to consider the applications.

Grants can only be made to community radio licensees who are broadcasting under a community radio licence (and not an RSL, for example) and which are on-air by the time the Panel meets for the second round in January 2011.

The latest application form and guidance notes are available at:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/Communityfund/

Please also see statements detailing the outcome of previous Panel meetings.

For further information, please contact Ofcom’s Community Radio Team via email: community.radio@ofcom.org.uk, or by telephone 020 7981 3870.

Six community radio stations in Wales have received grants totalling
£100,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Community Radio Fund.

Every year applications are invited for a share of £100,000 from the
fund and this year’s recipients are:

• BRFM in Blaenau Gwent
• Tudno FM in Llandudno
• Afan FM in Neath Port Talbot
• Bro Radio in the Vale of Glamorgan
• GTFM in Pontypridd
• Calon FM in Wrexham

Heritage Minister, Alun Ffred Jones said:

“These radio stations play a valuable role reflecting the issues
affecting people living in these communities. They also provide
opportunities for residents to gain new skills and in some cases
employment. I’m very please to announce these grants and to
congratulate the stations on the important role they play in their
communities.”

The six stations were chosen for their commitment to their communities
in a number of areas, including; encouraging healthy lifestyles,
promoting training and social enterprise for excluded and vulnerable
people and strengthening cultural and linguistic identity.

Source.

“Making good society”, the final report of the Carnegie Trust’s
Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, argues that
civil society has been pushed to the margins in key areas including
politics, finance and the media and that this must change. The report
explores how civil society activity can help: grow a more civil
economy; enable a rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy;
democratise media ownership and content; and grow participatory
and deliberative democracy.

The Commission hopes that the evidence and ideas provided in this
report and the direction of travel it sets for a ‘good’ society will
inspire individuals and organisations to act and invest in civil
society activity.

Chair of the Trustees, Melanie Leech, said:

“I would like to thank the Chair and Commissioners for their time
and for sharing their deep understanding and insight into civil society.
The Commission’s discussions have made an important contribution
to the debate over how individuals and organisations can shape their
communities and nations for the better in the twenty first century.

The Trust is now looking forward to studying this report in detail and
to contributing to the important debate which should flow from its key
messages and recommendations”.

Download the summary report here.

Download the main report here.

• The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) allocated £460,000 towards the Community Radio Fund for 2009/10 (a further £40,000 was allocated by them to other community radio projects).
• In the first round of funding in June 2009, the Panel made grants totalling £233,460. This left £226,540 for this second round.
• 39 applications were considered
• Funding applications totalled £830,330.83
• 14 applicants were awarded grants which totalled £226,532
• 25 applicants were not awarded a grant

The average grant in this round was £16,180. A table setting out the awards may be found here.

The Panel advises that one grant, for £39,667, was for a substantially higher amount than the average. The Panel wishes to record that this was for a joint application which will fund a Regional Account Manager post benefiting 12 individual community radio stations in the Greater Manchester area. Between them the coverage of these stations includes around two million people.

Source: Ofcom

Grants can only be made to community radio licensees who are
broadcasting under a community radio licence (and not an RSL, for
example) and which are on-air by the time the Panel meets in January.

The latest application form and guidance notes are available at

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/Communityfund/

Please also see statements detailing the outcome of previous Panel meetings.

For further information, please contact Ofcom’s Community Radio Team
via email: communityradio@ofcom.org.uk, or by telephone on 020 7981 3860.

The Digital Britain White Paper, published on 16 June 2009 made clear the Government’s commitment to audiences having choice of high quality, public service content.  It made a particular case for intervention to prevent a decline in the provision of news in the Nations, locally and in the regions.

The White Paper therefore set out proposals for introducing independently funded news consortia (IFNCs) that would provide news in the Nations, locally and in the regions (in the Channel 3 weekday schedule). Government intends to trial this proposal first on a pilot basis in Scotland, Wales and one English region, with national roll out from 2013.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the proposal to provide top-up funding for news consortia through a contained, contestable element to be introduced to the next licence fee settlement in 2013 and on alternative sources of funding.

The principle of using licence fee monies in this way is subject to a public debate and the CMA has responded below:

Download PDF

This is a very important consultation for our sector (both radio and television).

We urge you to put in a response, if needs be just quoting your support for the CMA’s response above.

You can either respond using the online consultation form at:

http://www.bis.gov.uk/digitalbritainconsultation

or respond by email to:

cceconsultation@culture.gsi.gov.uk

The CMA and community radio stations around the country are supporting a campaign for an improved financial settlement for the sector including an increased Community Radio Fund. The campaign is already gaining coverage in other media and community broadcasters are naturally keen to publicise it.

Community radio services can play an important role in the promotion of local democratic debate and they also have a mandatory social gain objective, set out in the Community Radio Order 2004, of the facilitation of discussion and expression of opinion in respect of individuals or groups of individuals in the community that the service is intended to serve, or in respect of other members of the public. The campaign and the funding arrangements for broadcasting are topics that may well be of interest to community radio listeners and thus merit coverage in news and other programmes.

Community radio licensees also have legal obligations with respect to due accuracy and due impartiality in news reporting and ensuring that no undue prominence is given in programmes to views and opinions of particular persons and bodies, where these are on matters of political or industrial controversy and matters relating to current public policy. These are set out in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and are based on the Communications Act 2003.

This guidance note is intended to assist community broadcasters in fulfilling their role in promoting local democratic discussion with their obligations as broadcast licence holders to respect the rules of the Broadcasting Code. It has been prepared with the assistance of independent legal advice. The guidance does not substitute for the terms of the Broadcasting Code or the Communications Act 2003. Broadcasters should obtain their own legal advice if in any doubt on any of these matters.

You may download the guidelines from here: Editorial guidelines re allthevoices campaign

Please sign the petition and spread the word: link