NEWS: REGULATOR SAYS PERFORMANCE OF UK COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS HAS BEEN "PRETTY PATCHY" by GRANT GODDARD

www.grantgoddard.co.uk June 1992

Community radio's performance was criticised by The Radio Authority's Head of Development David Vick at a Community Radio Association [CRA] London conference. But he also announced new opportunities for community groups to win licences, which were welcomed by many of the potential applicants in attendance. "The concept of community radio in the UK is still in the business of proving itself," said Vick. "The track record to date has been pretty patchy." He said that the Authority had chosen a number of its incremental contract areas with community radio in mind, but one group had failed to submit an application in time, whilst another handed back its licence before broadcasting. "One other went bust soon after going on-air," said Vick, "and quite a few others sold out to existing commercial radio stations, one even before they got on-air." A number of Radio Authority policy initiatives were unveiled at the conference, including: A new programme of small-scale community licences to be advertised simultaneously with the Authority's impending 128 licence expiries. Many will be in metropolitan areas, with a shortlist published in two months, following consultation with the CRA. Vick cited examples of London, Toxteth and Kirkby in Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Dundee. The introduction of a streamlined procedure for awarding new local licences in rural areas such as Scotland, where there is available radio spectrum. Vick hopes to advertise licences for these without DTI pre-clearance of frequencies. Vick indicated "a very real likelihood that there could be a London-wide Asian radio station next year." He suggested that this was not incompatible with a separate Asian service winning a Newham/Tower Hamlets licence the Authority would advertise "very soon". Vick noted that "the Asian community in East London is rather different from the composition in West London and elsewhere." Restricted Service Licences [RSLs] will no longer be granted to applicants who could damage an existing commercial station's audience and revenues. Vick cited the Authority's refusal of an Asian RSL within 'Sunrise Radio's West London transmission area: "We feel we do have an obligation to protect the position of local licensees who have to earn a living day-in day-out over a long-term period." As reported in last week's 'Broadcast', two new London-wide AM frequencies will be advertised next March, and Vick indicated the unlikelihood of a single bidder winning both of 'LBC's existing channels.
News: Regulator Says Performance Of UK Community Radio Stations Has Been "Pretty Patchy" 1992 Grant Goddard page 2

 There will be no further regional licences, after the initial five advertised this year, until 1996 when the 105-108 FM sub-band becomes available. Vick estimated the minimum operating costs of a community station to be around 80,000 per annum, assuming: Daytime local programming provided mostly by unpaid volunteers Overnight programming and administrative support provided by the local ILR station National news provided free by IRN Three full-time paid staff Inner city rent & rates, electricity, phone Transmitter and landline costs Copyright payments. Vick revealed that South East London community station 'RTM' lost 750,000 during its first two years on-air, and needs to earn 23,500 per month to break even. He emphasised the need for community applicants not to be "nave and misty-eyed" and the importance of adopting a "practical, business-like approach." "We are trying hard to select those areas and those groups," said Vick, "that we feel can give the community radio movement the best opportunity of proving itself to best effect."

[First published in 'Broadcast' magazine as 'Vick Rounds On Community Groups', 26 June 1992]

Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk

News: Regulator Says Performance Of UK Community Radio Stations Has Been "Pretty Patchy" 1992 Grant Goddard

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