Thirty different community radio organisations were represented at the AGM and networking event in Leeds where lively discussions on Ofcom's consultation to give greater flexibility, streamlining and simplifying Key Commitments for community radio took place as well as presentations from Y01 Radio from York and a conversation and question and answer session with BBC local radio presenter Georgey Spanswick.
CMA Chair Terry Lee highlighted a very busy 40th anniversary year for the CMA with the organisation moving offices from Sheffield to London, conducting a survey with a hundred community radio practioners, launching a new and improved membership model with benefits including access to the UK Radioplayer platform and affiliate membership of The Radio Academy and regular meetings with Ofcom, DCMS, PPL, PRS and other stakeholders.
Two new CMA council members were elected at the AGM. Dr Katie Moylan who’s an associate professor in media at the University of Leicester joined the council. Dr Moylan has an established research interest in community radio, explored in two books: Broadcasting Diversity: Migrant Representation in Irish Radio (2013) and The Cultural Work of Community Radio (2019). Since 2017, in collaboration with Leicester multilingual community station EAVA FM, she has run a production-led module, Community Radio in Practice, in which students produce their own radio programmes for Leicester community radio.
Jessica Memon who previously worked in environment, mental health and childrens services departments in local government is also joining the CMA council. She founded the Milton Keynes based community radio station ROQ Raw Radio where all the presenters are women. Jessica also worked at Lyca Radio and Panjub Radio in London for five years before moving to Milton Keynes.
Chair of the CMA Terry Lee said "I hope everyone will join me in welcoming our new Directors. Both Jessica and Katie bring passion, experience and wider sector knowledge to the CMA Council. It’s also worth noting we now have four female members on our board. This ensures the CMA can better reflect both our members and the communities they serve.”
CMA membership is open to anyone who’s passionate about community broadcasting including those involved in licensed FM stations, small scale digital broadcasters with a CDSP licence, not for profit online stations and those who want to develop a career in the media. You can join the CMA by filling in a membership form communitymedia.uk/join-form