Funferal

Community radio licensed in UK

The Community Media Association in the UK is celebrating the publication of the ‘Community Radio Order’ that has:

legalised a new tier of not-for profit radio stations, enabling communities throughout the UK to use the medium of radio to create new opportunities for regeneration, employment, learning, social cohesion and inclusion as well as cultural and creative expression.

This is a welcome addition to the trend of increased community media, and community radio, throughout the world, and is the culmination of 20 years of struggle. It would be wrong, however, not to note the caveat entered by the CMA:

The CMA has expressed concerns about limitations imposed in the new Order which mean that a large number of communities will be severely restricted in their ability to achieve financial sustainability and others will be not be allowed to have community radio at all: “We urge the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to ensure that a substantial Community Media Fund is created to support this emergent sector and that restrictions on programme sponsorship and advertising are viewed as a temporary measure to be removed when the Order is reviewed in two years’ time.”