This as well, not directly related and I think (hope) coincidental:
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A LICENCE TO STEAL FROM THE POOR
01.09.04
The Government today faced criticism from the CMA when Ofcom confirmed the right of new commercial radio stations to slash the revenue of existing community radio stations.
The 'David and Goliath' story of local radio continues. In a week when commercial radio chiefs topped Broadcast Magazine's 'Rich List', the Community Media Association has expressed anger at further measures to protect Commercial Radio stations’ profits from the newly emerging Community Radio sector.
Despite opposition from the Commercial Radio lobby, the Government passed legislation in July which licensed a new tier of not-for-profit Community Radio stations run by and for local people, staffed mostly by volunteers and often involving some of the most disadvantaged groups in society. This followed the success of 15 pilot community radio stations. However, advertising and sponsorship limitations imposed on Community Radio stations where there is a 50% audience overlap with a Commercial Radio station with an MCA (Measured Coverage Area) of 50-150,000 people mean that community stations in many areas will be severely restricted in their ability to achieve financial sustainability. In other areas, where the MCA of a Commercial Station is under 50,000, Community Radio will not be allowed at all.
Today Ofcom confirmed that these restrictions will also apply to areas where Commercial Radio stations are allocated licenses in the future: where there is an existing Community Radio station restrictions will be applied retrospectively, meaning that a well-established community station would suddenly find up to half its income removed at a stroke. There is nothing in the legislation to prevent commercial stations, many of which are members or relay stations of much larger chains, and, as such, not genuinely local, moving in on areas where there are successful Community Radio stations and forcing them to close.
Director of the Community Media Association, Diane Reid, said: "If ever there was a case of the rich being given a licence to steal from the poor, this it is. The Government has promised a review in two years’ time. This blatant injustice must be addressed then."
http://www.commedia.org.uk/articles/010904.htm
Read the Announcement from Ofcom, click he
and from the evening standard
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A CRACKDOWN has been launched on pirate radio stations operating across
London.
Councils are seeking court injunctions and anti-social behaviour orders to
ban the rogue broadcasters from the capital.
They are also co-ordinating campaigns to prevent the pirates from escaping
across borough boundaries and displacing the problem.
Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham and Barking and Dagenham have joined forces
to tackle a problem that they claim often links directly into drug-dealing.
Gangs use the illegal broadcasts to advertise secret raves, where drugs are
then sold. They terrify residents living in tower blocks where they erect
aerials, and council officials need police protection to carry out raids.
The initiative comes as Hackney prepares to removed its 50th mast of the
year as part of a purge on crack houses and anti-social behaviour.
In addition, industry regulator Ofcom expects that by the end of the year
to have far surpassed the 589 operations it carried out in London in 2003
against pirates.
Evidence gathered by councils has found that illegal operators charge
teenagers around £30 for a short broadcasting slot - which drives them to
petty crime to raise the payment.
Heather Mallinder, head of Tower Hamlets council's anti-social behaviour
unit, who is leading the cross-borough crackdown, said the problem was
concentrated in areas with tower blocks.
But she said the pirates were now also attaching aerials to mobile phone
masts - placing the entire city at risk.
Not only did their broadcasts block TV or phone signals, many high
structures became unsafe and were at risk of falling to the ground.
The illegal radio signals also interfered with frequencies used by the
emergency services - and had the potential to cause problems for planes
using City Airport in east London.
Ms Mallinder said: "When pirate radio operators go into a building and put
their masts up, they tap into the landlord's power supply - which they
don't pay for - and create an awful lot of damage to the roof area.
"Last Friday we went in with police and took away six aerials. But within
the next few hours they were back up again. The trick is to find the
studio. We do that by close working with Ofcom, who monitor the
transmissions.
"It's not cuddly Radio Caroline any more - it's moved away from that. There
are so many commercial radio stations that deal with this kind of music
there is real need for pirate radio stations."
Jamie Carswell, Hackney's cabinet member for housing, said the mast removed
from a block this week - the 49th since January - had not been properly
fastened and could have caused serious injury if it had fallen.
He said: "Pirate radio stations are often considered as harmless, but in
reality they present a danger to the public.
"Anti-pirate work is part of the council's commitment to tackle anti-social
behaviour and we know there is a definite link to illegal broadcasting and
crime."
But the purge is being done hand-in-hand with enhanced security on tower
blocks and an attempt to encourage young disc jockeys to broadcast on legal
community radio stations.
Newham worked with BreakFM, which set up a new band in August to encourage
new talent. This followed the removal of pirate radio equipment from 28
blocks across Stratford, Plaistow, Canning Town and Docklands.
Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales said: "Excellent security measures and good
community intelligence shows the value of working together to prevent the
problem."
Linear Mode
