Community Media Association & UK Community Radio Network release their joint submission to the DCMS consultation on analogue community radio licensing

Martin Steers | Monday 22nd January 2024 4:47pm

Both organisations that represent Community Radio and the wider Community Media industries between them have released their joint submission to the current DCMS consultation on the future of analogue community radio licensing.

The deadline for submission is 5pm on Wednesday the 31st of January and full details can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-analogue-community-radio-licensing/consultation-on-analogue-community-radio-licensing

The joint submission has been brought together following ongoing representations that individuals and stations have made to both or either organisation, and a joint survey that was run and open to individuals, academics, organisations, aspirational analogue community radio stations and existing community radio stations.

Terry Lee, Chair of the CMA & Martin Steers, Director of the UKCRN in a joint statement said;

We are delighted to share the collaborative efforts between the Community Media Association (CMA) and the UK Community Radio Network (UKCRN) in crafting a comprehensive, survey-inspired, draft response to DCMS's consultation on analogue community radio licensing. Together, we considered the intricate landscape of community radio licensing, pooling insights from our diverse membership and supporters. The passion displayed by those who shared their perspectives is reassuring as we work together in fostering a vibrant and inclusive community media landscape. We are keen for feedback from stations and stakeholders on this collaborative initiative, particularly on how our answers regarding the future of analogue community radio licensing are received.

You can find the joint submission in full here: https://bit.ly/DCMSDraft

In summary, the Community Media Association (CMA) and the UK Community Radio Network (UKCRN) are recommending that there is strong support for the continuation of analogue community radio, advocating for both continuation of licences post their current 20 year limit, but also advocating for new licensing to start happening to allow new entrants and new stations to start broadcasting and serve more communities across the UK. They are also advocating for a review and relaxation on the restrictions on income generation for community radio stations, to enable the sector to be more sustainable and thrive. Finally, they are calling on DCMS and Ofcom to review the way in which the delivery of social gain is both monitored and regulated, and are calling on a review of the complaints process, especially around the enforcement of key commitments.

The joint submission is currently in draft form, and has been released for consideration to the sector and interested parties before final submission is made to the DCMS, which will also include quotes and material from their survey response to illustrate the strength of feeling and passion the sector has for the questions asked.

The organisations are also encouraging stations, individuals and other organisations that support community radio to submit their own submissions to the DCMS consultation, while those submissions are welcome to acknowledge and support this joint submission, those submissions are encouraged to use their own experiences and thoughts on their own situation.

If anyone would like to discuss the draft joint submission they are welcome to email either or both organisations before Monday the 29th of January on [email protected] for the CMA and [email protected] for the UKCRN.

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