I've been thinking long and hard for some time about creating a community radio project for West Berkshire, I know I have spoken with some of you already. I want to organise a little get together to discuss things and possibly look to move to the next step, if any of you would like to attend please call me on 07411 488324 or email richard.garvie@googlemail.com.

Blimey! Is it election time?

Sounds interesting. Are you talking about a good old FM broadcast radio station, or an internet based streaming version? Are there not huge costs involved with a broadcast radio station mainly due to having to pay for a reserved frequency?

You can always power it from the Kennet turbine.

It's a good idea but I'm not sure if Ofcom would grant a Community Radio Licence for Newbury.

You'd have to demonstrate there was a social need for it, or there was a particular section of the community it would benefit such as a group that spoke a particular language that it would cater for.

Fair point. What need has been identified?

I've read nothing that suggests it is like that. It seems it is more to do with convincing Ofcom that the station is tenable and there isn't an over subscription from competing communities. I think your criteria would come into play if there was a request from another community that was in the same area.

I don't see what you say and what user23 says as being mutually exclusive.

"Community radio" in its traditional sense seems a bit old hat when there are local commercial stations and Internet radio? I would rather see funding going towards getting more people access to the Internet.

What's the business plan?

The inference was that you had to prove a need, like for an ethnic minority for instance. That doesn't seem to be the message I have read. It seems to be more towards sustainability.


'Local' commercial stations and community radio are to serve different purposes.

I think to win a licence would be a big coup for Newbury district, but to be fair I'd be very impressed if it did get of the ground. In other words, I'm sceptical it will happen.

It seems there are few stations in the area at the moment and an all inclusive youth and young adult project would interesting.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/...mmunity-map.pdf

Ofcom will accept applications for a five year licence in 2014 for groups in the south east. Some towns / cities have no available frequencies, but there is space here if a group could demonstrate it was sustainable over the period applied for. In the short term, the plan would be to run a few trial broadcasts on fm using a 28 day rsl licence.

There's certainly space on the "dial" for it.

I'm not sure it could ever fulfil the criteria which you can read more about here.

Would there be the support in Newbury? I think Source FM in Falmouth have about 80 volunteers to run their station. Could Newbury find that many people willing to give their time for nothing, regularly?

I'm sure it could fulfil the criteria, but I don't believe there would be enough local support for it.

I agree, is there the potential listernership in Newbury?

They're not my thing but I bet many are happy with the diet of Michael Bouble and Robbie Williams stations like Heart and The Breeze serve up.

The thing to do, as Richard is trying, is to get those with ideas together.

Agreed. Nothing gained by not asking the question.

There are so many radio stations around whats the value in adding more generic music with a few local stories? Why not just invest the effort and energy into audio/video community news - perhaps Newbury Today could host it?

From what I see and hear, young people in Newbury (including the "ethnic minorities") all have smart phones and want free wifi in pubs, restaurants and shopping centres. They do not hark after a community radio station and want to stream material that they desire - not what someone else thinks they want to hear.

Why does the station have to be aimed at young people?

I'd suggest starting a Facebook group to discuss this.

Good idea, and for that, people need access to the Internet.

There is nothing that says CR should or would be another outlet for mum and dad rock, but community radio could be halfway to a local news service as you described, but judging by the headlines on NT, it wouldn't be the most exciting thing on-air.

Well if they currently don't, Facebook ain't going to be much use!


Well many town pubs do have access points, I suspect some restaurants do too, but I am not sure what the business case is to encourage more youths in to town so that they may keep their FB status up-to-date.


That is factually true, but if anyone is like me, I still like to listen to 'chance broadcasts'. Perhaps if more people did the same, they wouldn't have thought that Ed Sheeran played his new song at the Olympics closing ceremony!

http://www.gigwise.com/news/75410/ed-sheer...it-for-new-song


You do have a point though, it would be good if NTC would promote a pervasive internet access service in town, but I see that as another topic. Perhaps a BID thing maybe?