All images are welcome – whether it’s a picture of the stapler on your desk or a visit to your project by a campaigning politician; a photo of your staff team or the view from your window.  Obviously the more photos we can get from you the better chance we have of this project succeeding.  The CMA will also post the odd picture up so you will get a chance to see some of us at work.

Please send your photos to: photo365@commedia.org.uk

We can handle all digital photo file formats but sending jpegs will mean less work for us to convert them.  We can also scale down pictures so hi-res photos are fine.  When sending photos from a mobile phone try to set the highest resolution possible.  Please ensure that all photos are suitable for publishing on the web in terms of rights clearance and privacy.

We will continue to make calls throughout the year for photos so just keep them coming.  We hope to feature as wide a spread of your projects as possible but the more good photos that you send us the better the chances are of your organisation featuring several times.

So please start immediately and send your photos now to: photo365@commedia.org.uk

The local broadcasting ecology in England continues to change rapidly; the new tier of community radio is steadily increasing (more than two hundred stations have been licensed since 2005 and more than one hundred and sixty are on air as at October 2009).  There also opportunities for increased community media presence, including video and multi media content, on the web.

The growth of broadband has revolutionised the accessibility and supply of local information and the debate about local television is ongoing.  A multi media community presence is emerging as a vibrant addition to local democracy.

In parallel with this, increasing numbers of community media organisations are engaging with the BBC on a variety of levels.  Working with CMA members has already helped the BBC to move closer to its diversity targets on and off air, improve its connectivity at a local level with audiences and boosted its creative talent base.

We hope that this updated Memorandum of Understanding will help to support current and future working arrangements between community media groups and the BBC in England to ensure that these happen in the best way with the best outcomes, delivering a richer experience for listeners, viewers and online users.

PDF Download.

The Lowry Centre, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ

A free event to discuss the development of community and digital media production at the heart of Media City UK.  Its your chance to let us know what you think.  The Make Media Centre project will change the way community media organisations work and in so doing will change the way that may other businesses, agencies and other groups work.  It will rapidly enable all these groups to better seize the opportunities of digital media but it needs to know what these groups need and want.

The project consortium is holding a free event to enable people to find out more about what the Centre will mean for them.

It will be a fun and free day to do a bit of future gazing about what your organisation could be doing in two or three years time – and how working together could really raise your game.  There will also be the satisfaction of knowing that what you tell us will directly influence the shape of the project.

Lunch will be provided.

For further information please see the Website or how about Networking before and after the event?  If you would like to attend then please Book online.  For further information please see our invitation:  JPG or PDF

The Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE), of which the CMA is a member,
has responded to the consultation, held by the European Union, on
“Transforming the digital dividend opportunity into social benefits and
economic growth in Europe”. The CMFE stresses in this contribution, in
line with recent declarations and resolutions from the Council of Europe
and the European Parliament, the important social and cultural need for
European citizens to benefit from the opportunities the digital
developments offer. CMFE sees in the proposed strategy to much focus on
economic needs. Not enough attention is being paid to the problems of
Community Media in the process of digitalization of broadcasting
frequencies. The chosen technologies, e.g. DVB-T, DAB and HDTV, still
threaten the possibilities for CM to survive in this new technological area.

Community media need extra guarantees for participation in the digital
broadcasting era to also profit from the ‘Digital Dividend’. New digital
technologies need to offer challenges instead of treats to the community
media sector. This needs extra attention because until now only large
scale broadcasters and commercial media- and communication services tend
to profit from the chosen digital technologies. CMFE urges to set aside
sufficient spectrum for the further development of local and community
television and other community media services in every country. New
technology and also digitalization is meant to make more possible, not
less !!!

CMFE’s contribution can be found here and will soon also be published on www.cmfe.eu.

For a complete list of contributions, also including the contributions
from Amarc-Europe and SNRL (Syndicat National des Radios Libres,
France), see here.

LIVE WEBCAST

Sessions from C:CUBED will be webcast live and available at Just-b on 4 December.
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An information and inspiration packed day of knowledge-sharing, collaboration and play.

See the programme

This is your chance to find out about two new potent funding opportunities: 4IP and the Digital Content Development Programme.

Meet the funders and find out what they are looking for.

The day will bring decision-makers from key regional arts organisations and digital agencies together to explore how digitisation is revolutionising the arts world.

This dynamic event will feature an internationally renowned keynote, case studies, panels, conversations, workshops and matchmaking.

Up to three winning ideas created at C:CUBED will be awarded £1,000 development grants.

This event is invitation only, but sessions will be webcast live and available online post event.

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C:CUBED is an Arts Council West Midlands and Screen West Midlands event and is designed and delivered by Just-b. Productions

Lord Drayson, Minister for Science and Innovation, has appointed Liam Black as a Trustee of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA). The term of appointment is for four years from 1 December 2008 to 30 November 2012.

Lord Drayson said:

“It is great news that Liam has agreed to serve on the NESTA Board. He comes highly recommended and has a fascinating CV.

“The knowledge and experience of the Trustees makes a vital contribution to NESTA. Its work to transform the UK’s capacity for innovation makes it one of our key partners at the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills.

“Building on the recommendations of our Innovation White Paper, ‘Innovation Nation’, both DIUS and NESTA have a challenging and exciting future working together”.

NESTA’s Chairman, Chris Powell, said:

“Liam Black is widely seen as one of the UK’s pioneering social business leaders. He knows how to run successful businesses with a conscience. His appointment to the NESTA Board of Trustees is an exciting addition to an already impressive and eclectic mix of trustees who possess the vision, skills and experience to lead NESTA in its quest to help the UK meet the innovation challenges of the 21st century.”

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