Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

In article , Keith G
scribeth thus

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Brian Gaff
scribeth thus
Although I feel most of the report including this proposal comes from
cloud
cuckoo land, I've signed anyway as there are a lot of stupid people about
and the colour of the Government is almost certain to alter next year.

I simply cannot imagine the commercial interests wanting to lose the fm
outlets at the moment with such a muddled and maybe if idea of what is to
be in its place. I know a lot of people still listen to AM due to poor
reception of both dab and fm in cars and for news and sport who needs
either?

What they do not want, despite some industry spokesman who like most
government advisers know sod all about the subject, is that they don't
want to have to carry on transmitting on FM and DAB as its bloody
expensive especially with a monopoly transmission provider (Arqiva) who
have them by the short and curlies, let alone any other issues...

Horses for courses. I mean who will the government sell such relatively
small frequency ranges to for goodness sake?


God alone knows ....


What stops them farming it out entirely to the private sector (like
everything else) - would that be doable? Would there be any takers?





Doubt it somehow. DAB is a white elephant that they really don't know
what to do with so this is the best they can do which isn't a lot at
all;(..
--
Tony Sayer

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

Reminds me that I bought a block of Chiltern Radio shares when they were
floated (we had an office in Luton at the time) but sold them at a small
profit a year later when I realised I didn't want to get into all that. I
wonder what they would be worth now? - A fraction of, I suspect, as I gather
the station has been ruined!




There're now global radio!.. The "Heart" broad;!..
--
Tony Sayer

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

In article , Dave Plowman (News)
scribeth thus
In article 4a47a781.1080618593@localhost,
Don Pearce wrote:
Unfortunately local radio tends to descend pretty rapidly into either
a jukebox or the direst of phone-ins - the only options they can ever
afford.

Even national radio. As when the CH4 consortium pulled out of trying to
provide an alternative to R4. Of course the bean counters had ogled the
large R4 audience. But hadn't a clue about how much a true competitor
would have cost.


Yep!, a serious amount of money to transmit it with the UK Aussie owned
monopolistic transmission provider Arqiva!..
--
Tony Sayer

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

In article , Dave Plowman (News)
scribeth thus
In article ,
Serge Auckland wrote:
Unfortunately local radio tends to descend pretty rapidly into either
a jukebox or the direst of phone-ins - the only options they can ever
afford. You got out of that the best way you could, I think.

d

That may be true of local Commercial radio, but you're forgetting about
Community Radio. These stations are staffed largely by volunteers, with
paid employees kept to a minimum, possibly no more than one or two.
They are often Registered Charities, and can get things done that would
be impossible to a Commercial station that would have to pay for the
programme content, whether through salaries or by purchase from
independent producers.

My own Hospital Radio station has just been awarded a Community license
by Ofcom, and we see CR being what Local Commercial Radio should have
been, i.e. local, producing programmes of local interest by and for
locals, not networked jukeboxes. Community Radio is relatively new, and
perhaps it will take time to settle down, but if any CR becomes a
jukebox or just a phone-in channel for whingers, then they won't meet
their Promise of Performance, and Ofcom will shut them down.

Not knocking it - but just how large an audience does it get? And
volunteers are fine - until the supply dries up. As it will.


Well a lot of them are still going and hospital radio for instance has
been around a very long time, and thats all volunteer driven:)..
--
Tony Sayer

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

In article , Dave Plowman (News)
scribeth thus
In article ,
Keith G wrote:
I was thinking more of privatised and licenced regional services along
the lines of the early American broadcasting stations - run by 'locals'
with more 'local flavour' and relevancy for the inevitable advertising.

Big snag is radio is no more the magnet it once was.
Same as TV.

Maybe .. but it still gets to the places that TV can't:)..


--
Tony Sayer

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Dave Plowman (News)
scribeth thus
In article ,
Keith G wrote:
I was thinking more of privatised and licenced regional services along
the lines of the early American broadcasting stations - run by 'locals'
with more 'local flavour' and relevancy for the inevitable advertising.

Big snag is radio is no more the magnet it once was.
Same as TV.

Maybe .. but it still gets to the places that TV can't:)..



Sure does - just heard on the radio that Michael Jackson's checked out!!

(That's poor old Farrah Fawcett blocked out now!)

Love 'em or hate 'em - it's crap news all round!!

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith G
scribeth thus


What stops them farming it out entirely to the private sector (like
everything else) - would that be doable? Would there be any takers?





Doubt it somehow. DAB is a white elephant that they really don't know
what to do with so this is the best they can do which isn't a lot at
all;(..



Well, I think there is still a tremendous demand for radio, especially
during the day - it shouldn't be beyond the wit of a few suitable
individuals to get local radio stations up, running and paying their way
these days, surely?

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

Keith G wrote:

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith G
scribeth thus


What stops them farming it out entirely to the private sector (like
everything else) - would that be doable? Would there be any takers?





Doubt it somehow. DAB is a white elephant that they really don't know
what to do with so this is the best they can do which isn't a lot at
all;(..



Well, I think there is still a tremendous demand for radio, especially
during the day - it shouldn't be beyond the wit of a few suitable
individuals to get local radio stations up, running and paying their way
these days, surely?


I seem to have lost R4 since moving my desk, and I've had local stations
as background. Now, there's very little for me - they seem to cycle
power pop/some sort of dub/the most banal DJ chat/three or four foreign
language slots/local issue magazines/even the bloke in the next office
at work - but even I accept there's something for most people. Force for
good IMO. FM could happily live on serving this purpose at least.

Rob

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Dave Plowman (News)
scribeth thus
In article 4a47a781.1080618593@localhost,
Don Pearce wrote:
Unfortunately local radio tends to descend pretty rapidly into either
a jukebox or the direst of phone-ins - the only options they can ever
afford.
Even national radio. As when the CH4 consortium pulled out of trying to
provide an alternative to R4. Of course the bean counters had ogled the
large R4 audience. But hadn't a clue about how much a true competitor
would have cost.


Yep!, a serious amount of money to transmit it with the UK Aussie owned
monopolistic transmission provider Arqiva!..

That's quite a tidy monopoly they've got themselves there. Australian
media moguls - sounds familiar.

Rob

Petition to stop FM being switched off
 

In article , Keith G
scribeth thus

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...
In article , Keith G
scribeth thus


What stops them farming it out entirely to the private sector (like
everything else) - would that be doable? Would there be any takers?





Doubt it somehow. DAB is a white elephant that they really don't know
what to do with so this is the best they can do which isn't a lot at
all;(..



Well, I think there is still a tremendous demand for radio, especially
during the day - it shouldn\'t be beyond the wit of a few suitable
individuals to get local radio stations up, running and paying their way
these days, surely?



Not as easy as you might think .. you need a sufficient area of coverage
and businesses you can sell to, to make it work.

Then you\'ve got to get a licence in the first place!.
--
Tony Sayer