Ofcom has announced the award of six new community radio licences in England and Scotland. The new stations will serve communities in Dunfermline in Scotland, and Kent, London and North Somerset in England. Community radio services are provided on a not-for-profit basis, focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits Read more +
Emergency fund of £400,000 to support community radio through COVID-19
Community Media Association Press Release Emergency fund of £400,000 to support community radio through COVID-19 ● £400,000 Community Radio Fund redirected to provide emergency support to hard-hit community stations ● Payments to help meet core costs of providing vital programming to local communities to made to successful applicants within weeks Read more +
Ofcom Develops Temporary COVID-19 Short-term Restricted Service Licence
Ofcom has developed a new temporary licence product in light of the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic for those wanting to provide a radio service designed specifically to share information, news and updates about the Covid-19 pandemic with their community. Ofcom, like all of us, must act responsibly at Read more +
Ofcom Statement: Licensing small-scale DAB – how Ofcom will exercise its new functions
Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio that uses advances in software and low-cost computer technology to provide a flexible and inexpensive approach to the terrestrial broadcast of digital radio services to a relatively small geographic area. Ofcom has now published its statement that sets out how Read more +
BBC Local Radio Content available for community radio stations
Community Media Association member stations may now rebroadcast selected BBC Local Radio content during the current coronavirus epidemic. Danny Lawrence, Gateway 97.8, and Chairman of the Community Media Association said: “We’re delighted to be working with BBC Local Radio in this initiative to share their content with community radio stations Read more +
Community Radio & COVID-19 – Write to Your MP today
Community radio stations are engaging with the COVID19 crisis across the UK and are doing everything they can to broadcast critical news, advice, and information to their local communities at this time of need. However, this crisis has generated massive financial and demand pressures on the community media sector at Read more +
Ofcom: a Coronavirus update
Dear Broadcaster Ofcom is understandably receiving a number of queries from broadcast licensees about the Coronavirus situation and how we will view any impact the current situation has on compliance with regulatory obligations. We recognise that the current situation is fast-moving and unpredictable. We appreciate that all organisations will need to follow Government Read more +
Key Commitments and coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Community Media Association recently raised the issue with Ofcom of the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) possibly impacting on the ability of community radio stations to meet their Key Commitments. Ofcom advises that in any situation where they are assessing whether or not a station is complying with its Key Commitments (or Format for Read more +
Ofcom awards four new community radio licences
Ofcom has announced the award of three new community radio licences in England, and one in Scotland. The new stations will serve communities in Edinburgh, Melksham in Wiltshire, Thornbury in Gloucestershire and Wimborne Minster, East Dorset. Community radio services are provided on a not-for-profit basis, focusing on the delivery of Read more +
Community Media Association confirms Chairman, Vice-Chair, and Treasurer
Following the Annual General Meeting of the Community Media Association (CMA) last November and the first meeting of its newly elected Council on Saturday 11th January, the CMA has confirmed the re-appointment of Danny Lawrence of Gateway 97.8 as the Chairman. Janey Gordon of the University of Bedfordshire and Richard Read more +
Ofcom awards four new community radio licences
Ofcom announces the award of four new community radio licences in England, Scotland, and Wales. The new stations will serve communities in Shaftesbury, Dorset in England; Shotts in Lanarkshire, Scotland; Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales; and Towyn, Conwy, in North Wales. Community radio services are provided on a not-for-profit basis, Read more +
Community Media Association calls for more support and recognition of community radio
Ahead of the deadline for all prospective candidates to submit their nomination for the upcoming General Election, the Community Media Association (CMA) has called on its members, their friends and family, and the wider public to ask for more support and recognition for community radio from prospective MPs. The CMA highlights three possible Read more +
Ofcom – Supporting community radio across the UK
Ofcom announces that the current round of community radio licensing on FM or AM will be the last “for the foreseeable future, as we will shortly begin licensing new local digital radio stations that will use cutting-edge ‘small-scale DAB’ technology, pioneered by an Ofcom engineer. We expect to invite applications Read more +
Venue and date confirmed for 2019 Community Radio Awards
The 2019 Community Radio Awards will be coming to Barry, South Wales, in October. The awards will run at the Memo Arts Centre, on Saturday 26 October – after the ‘Community Radio Now & Next’ event. Martin Steers, Awards chair, said: “We are ecstatic that the awards have seen even Read more +
Licensing small-scale DAB consultation – how should Ofcom exercise its new powers and duties being proposed by Government?
Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio that uses advances in software and low-cost computer technology to provide a flexible and inexpensive approach to the terrestrial broadcast of digital radio services to a relatively small geographic area. In the UK, the concept was first tested by Ofcom Read more +
Hundreds of new digital radio stations for local listeners
Hundreds of new local digital radio stations could start broadcasting in the UK from next year, under proposals outlined by Ofcom today. With over 40% of the UK’s radio listening now taking place on the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) platform, today’s proposals mark a major step towards expanding local DAB Read more +
The Small-scale Radio Multiplex and Community Digital Radio Order 2019
The draft statutory instrument and explanatory memorandum for The Small-scale Radio Multiplex and Community Digital Radio Order 2019 have now been published online at the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2019/9780111187784/contents The DCMS Parliamentary team has fast-tracked proceedings and the Small-scale Radio Multiplex and Community Digital Radio Order 2019 has been laid in Read more +
Sharon White to step down as Ofcom Chief Executive
The Ofcom Board has announced that Sharon White is to step down as Chief Executive. Sharon is leaving to become Chairman of The John Lewis Partnership. She is expected to leave Ofcom around the turn of the year. Sharon joined Ofcom in March 2015 from HM Treasury where she was Read more +
Council of Europe community media leaflet
The Council of Europe recognises the value of community media as a source of local content, cultural and linguistic diversity, media pluralism, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue. It endorses the commitment of community media to media and information literacy, through the development of critical and creative thinking and active Read more +
2019 Community Radio Awards – deadline 16th June
Entries are open for the fourth UK Community Radio Awards until Sunday 16th June. Volunteers and stations from up and down the country are being urged to enter the best of their output from the past year, and consider those team members deserving of special recognition. Martin Steers, Awards Chair, Read more +
Ofcom Receives 35 Community Radio Applications
Ofcom has received 35 applications for community radio licences from 43 areas of the UK which had submitted an expression of interest. Applications for new stations have been received from 26 proposed stations for England, one in Northern Ireland, three for Scotland, and five in Wales. Below is a list Read more +
Information for broadcasters ahead of planned European Parliamentary elections
Ofcom has published a note to broadcasters on election programming, and an updated digest of evidence of past and current electoral support, to assist broadcasters in making editorial decisions ahead of potential European Parliamentary elections on 23 May. The evidence includes past election results and the latest opinion polls.
Community Radio Fund 2019-20
The first round of the Community Radio Fund 2019-20 opens for applications from eligible stations on 9 April and will close at 5pm on 7 May 2019. The awarding Panel will meet in June 2019 to consider the applications. Grants can only be made to community radio licensees in the Read more +
The Young ARIAS – deadline 18th March
The Young ARIAS are the new UK awards for 8 to 18-year-olds and schools who love making audio. If you’re involved in radio, podcasts or audio projects, then we want to shine a spotlight on your talent. Entering is simple and best of all free. They need a 10-minute audio Read more +
World Radio Day 2019
On 13 February 2019, UNESCO will celebrate the 8th edition of World Radio Day. This day marks a time where people around the world celebrate radio and how it shapes our lives. Radio informs, transforms and unites us. It brings together people and communities from all backgrounds to foster positive Read more +
Community Radio promos
Together with Danny Lawrence, Chair of the CMA, Devaweb has produced these four promos to help encourage advertising on community radio. There are two different scripts, each with a calmer female version and a more upbeat male read. These promos are licensed to be used free of charge by any Read more +
CMA Chair Awarded British Citizen Award
Danny Lawrence, from Gateway 97.8 and Chair of the Community Media Association, has received the British Citizen Award for Community for his outstanding contributions to community radio across the UK at a presentation ceremony at the Cholmondeley Room and Terrace at the House of Lords, in Westminster. Danny, who is a Read more +
Radio Academy Trustee Elections 2019 – Voting now open
The Radio Academy is seeking three members to join its Board of Trustees. Following a month’s application process, the Radio Academy is happy to showcase everyone who has provided their details to fill one of these roles. All Radio Academy members have three unique votes that they may use to Read more +
Community Media Association elects new Chair and Vice Chair
Following the December Annual General Meeting of the Community Media Association (CMA) and the first meeting of its newly elected Council on Saturday, the CMA has elected Danny Lawrence of Gateway 97.8 as the new Chair and Janey Gordon of the University of Bedfordshire as Vice Chair. Danny Lawrence said Read more +
Community Media News Issue #21 Dec 2018
In this edition, we have an update from the recent Community Media Association’s AGM in London. We share information on applying to Ofcom for a new community radio licence and also congratulate Unity 101 as they celebrate 13 years on air. There’s good news on a couple of projects at Read more +
