‘running on empty?’

• Phil Korbel, Radio Regen• Radio Regen• the ‘Manchester Explosion’• the potential• the threat

‘…enabling communities to

utilise community radio

to combat disadvantage…’

‘Access Radio’ pilot scheme

Greater Manchester

• 7 licensed in 2005• 5 on air• Crescent Radio• Pure Radio• Oldham Community Radio• Tameside Radio• Salford City Radio

“Community radio will give us something, the like of which we have not had in recent times. It will be part of the social cement that will rebind our society.”

 Tony Lloyd MP – talking about Radio Regen, adjournment debate, House of Commons 13/3/2001

“Community radio promises to be the most important cultural

development this country has seen in recent years.”

 Professor Anthony Everitt, ‘New Voices’, OFCOM,

2002

The potential – community radio benefits:

• the community

• mainstream services

• the individual

skills from radio training:• making radio

• ‘content’ provision

• research

• transferable workplace skillse.g. ICT, communications skills, creativity, problem-solving, team-work and time-keeping

• literacy, numeracy, ESOL

• self esteem

benefits to the community

• an effective information system• no ‘media’ intermediaries• peer-to-peer & own language• ‘sugared pill’• reverses negative media images• creates community ‘spark-plugs’

mainstream services

• councils/governance• housing• health• surestart • schools/young people• police/community safety• advice

why the potential might never be fully realised• internal threats:• ‘radio’ vs. ‘community’ • ‘local’ doesn’t maximise social gain

• lack of community skills/ confidence

• under-funded infrastructure

external threats

• lack of recognition – national, regional and local

• voluntary sector blind spot• silo’s !• ‘the great public funding drought of 2008’

• lottery robbery – London 2012

solutions

• recognition – • prove effect & value, match to targets & advocate

• professional development• properly funded infrastructure

no solutions?

• community radio carries on • beacons of brilliance• low productivity/impact• ‘the most important cultural development’?

Radio Regen

•Phil Korbel – phil@radioregen.org

•radioregen.org•communityradiotoolkit.net•communityfm.net