Digital Britain, how it affects us

Heres a quote from the report.

"A new tier of ultra-local radio
In this chapter we have hinted at our intention to create a new tier of ultra-local
radio which will occupy the FM spectrum vacated by the services migrating to
DAB. We believe that these stations, rather than becoming the poor relation of
digital, will have a key role in radio’s continued contribution to the UK’s cultural
life and local democratic debate.
Local commercial radio and community radio, in particular, have consistently
proved the value of radio generated by and for local communities. It is these
characteristics which will differentiate this new tier of ultra-local radio from the
much larger services on DAB. This is not to say that we intend to blur the lines
between commercial and community stations – they both have separate roles
and functions – but rather that both will have a common focus, to enriching and
informing the communities they serve.
We will work with Ofcom and the radio industry in the period leading-up to the
Digital Radio Upgrade to agree a clear vision for this new tier of radio; a vision
which will have at its core the needs and expectation of local communities."

Thats all very nice until switch off, which will happen...
They are saying that MW will move to FM  and FM will go to DAB.

But for how long?

Digital Britain Revisited

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/digitalbritain-finalreport-jun09.pdf

Check it out yourself, Radio's bit is 3b. I'm going to have a scan through now.

Wikipedia

Spent ages yesterday making a Pure FM page for Wikipedia, basing it on the student radio stations whos pages are on wikipedia already.

I got to the point where it was building up and starting to look good, and they put a notice on for "non noteability", fair enough there wasn't much content but give me a moment mate!!
So I continued on, adding as much content as I could... to be greeted by an email really late in the evening from Chris Yeoh (Equiptment and Training at Pure FM for those who don't know) saying that the page had been deleted.

By this time I'd already packed up for bed, so decided to deal with in the morning and watch Michael McIntyre's comedy roadshow instead.

This morning I signed into Wikipedia to find that the page had indeed been deleted, I went to the admin who'd deleted it's talk page to ask what was wrong with the page, (the codes weren't helping at all!!) to find that I couldn't ask because my user has been blocked!!

I applied for a unblock, to see if they'd let me back and it was declined.

1. Wikipedia hates me
2. Why can't Pure FM have a page when other stations do?

Not happy

Emma


P.S. I wasn't a complete mug, I'd already saved the coding I'd done so far on a google doc... so all is not lost!! (until google decides it hates me too!)

Digital Britian... where does that leave us?

As a student radio stations I'm beginning to wonder where the DAB switch over will leave us little people. Let me just say firstly, that our station is online currently, as like many of the smaller stations. However we've had hopes of raising funds enough to put our station on FM for major events like Freshers Week and the annual 24hour broadcast we do for charity.

So we cant miss what we've never had right?
Well not really, there was real hope to be able to afford the hefty £2000 for 2 weeks for freshers fair, thats one of those things that would majorly affect our station for the whole year, what better then to hit the new guys with FM when they havent yet unpacked their TV and their internet hasnt yet started working. Hit them with FM which they can easily get on their phones and give them the guidance they need.

Switch over isn't so much of a problem, as James Cridland said, the smaller commecial and community stations will continue on FM, but when switch off kicks in, how on earth will all our little stations survive. Its going to exterminate all those stations who have been breaking even, with volunteers and generousity. Where are they going to go? How on earth will they be able to afford DAB and whos going to advertise on a station that only hits the internet.

I'm thinking about Express FM now, a community station in Portsmouth, I've been there a few times, they have 5 paid staff and the rest are volunteers, listening to them their main aim is to be completely local, they have travel bulletins as often as possible and play music that will please many age ranges but think heart more then radio 1. They are there for the community, for everyone to get involved and make radio. I'd hate to see them disappear because they can't get onto DAB.




And hang about... whats going to happen to all the adults who arent planning on changing their car anytime soon, not able to afford to upgrade their cars to DAB and only have a tape deck. We're going to leave them in silence??



Its the big getting bigger and the small getting smaller.
I love the BBC, but seriously... they are the only ones that haven't got to worry about their pockets too much to be on DAB..

Now I feel very hypocritical, listening to Radio 1 on my Dad's DAB set...

C'est La Vie

Emma


P.S. Welcome to the first ranty post of my more Radio orientated blog, if you've accidently stumble along this when you've meant to read about my day out at the park etc go to thetricktosurvivinguni.blogspot.com Thanks muchly Emma xx