17 August 2009

CMFE supports the campaign for the increase of the UK Community Radio Fund

The Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) has written an open letter to the British Prime Minister, Gordon 
Brown, and the Secretary of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, 
Ben Bradshaw, asking them to support the sustainability and growth of 
community radio in the United Kingdom by substantially increasing the 
resources of the Community Radio Fund.

British citizens and residents have time to sign the letter via the 
Prime Minister’s e-petition page until 24 September 2009 and CMFE his 
encouraging its eliglible members to sign it to support the sector’s 
campaign.
Sign the e-petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/allthevoices/

In the open letter, CMFE’s President Pieter de Wit stated
'CMFE is encouraging the British Government to support the community 
media sector with the sums needed to put it on a sustainable long term 
footing and underlines that these are modest by comparison with the 
governments separate proposals for investment in local news consortia, 
the objectives of which can partly be met by the provision of news and 
information services on community radio stations'.

'CMFE is also aware of that the Department of Culture Media and Sport is 
currently conducting a review into the Community Radio Order 2004. 
Alongside that review must be a serious commitment to support the 
sustainability and development of community radio and its continuing 
delivery of social and economic benefit, by substantially increasing the 
government's public spending contribution to the Community Radio Fund'.

Read/Download the open letter at 
http://www.cmfe.eu/docs/2009_14_August_Support_CR_Fund_UK.pdf

This news release is also available on CMFE's website at http://www.cmfe.eu

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Salvatore Scifo
Secretary, Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE)
www.cmfe.eu