Consultation: Draft Community Radio Order
Lead Agency: The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)
Published: 10 February 2004
Closing date: 20 April 2004
View the Action Alert: Posted 21 May 2004

Read online: The Community Media Association response to the DCMS consultation on the Draft Community Radio Order

Introduction
This Order proposes to introduce a new tier of very local, not-for-profit (or not profit distributing) radio. Community Radio should be different from, and complementary to, existing independent local radio. Community Radio offers potential benefits in terms of social inclusion, local educational, training and experience, wider access for communities to broadcasting opportunities. (DCMS website 2004)

Background
Section 262 of the Communications Act 2003 says that the Secretary of State may by order modify the Communications Act 2003 and the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996 to make special provision for Community Radio services.

Process
The consultation provided the opportunity to comment on the Order before it goes through its parliamentary stages. The comments received will lead to a Community Radio Order which will then be debated in Parliament. Parliament can only approve or reject the Order, it cannot amend it.

Further Information
Further information about the draft Community Radio Order and the Government consultation on the Order is available on the DCMS website:
Draft Community Radio Order

The draft Order is accompanied by a "Keeling schedule" which shows how the Broadcasting Act 1990 would look in respect of Community Radio once the modifications in the Order (shown in bold) have been approved by Parliament.