Manx Radio = White Elephant?

[3v0]

I was always under the impression that Energy was the reason for KIK-fm's demise

[Skig]

I would rather see the money that the BBC gets goes to Manx Radio, we get nothing from the BBC unlike other areas.

 

This way it would save money that could be spent elsewhere.

 

Quite right Roger.

I know this topic has been discussed here before, but if you look at the Channel Islands they have their own BBC radio & TV stations, paid for by the licence fee, for a population that could be easily compared with ours, and what do we get - bugger all really. After a token complaint by our previous Government, the BBC employed a reporter based localy, and moved the IOM out of Lancashire on its website "where do you live" !

[lisner]

When Chief Minister Richard Corkill was involved with 'top level' talks with the BBC basically asking what we were getting for our £3 million. The thrust seemed to be why the Isle of Man wasn't mentioned more. I suppose we get a few more hours of BBC time now. Probably works out at £1million an hour.

 

Bargain!

[Lonan3]

The problem is, I think, that we all expect Manx Radio to be all things to all people. Each of us wants to hear a particular genre of music being given a worthwhile slot; each of us wants us news tailored to our particular views on what is and what isn't of importance, and each of us wants 'local' programming to reflect our own interests.

The end result is that it sometimes tends to be an uncomfortable mix of Radio 2 and Radio 4, geared towards a small population. And then, in between all that, there has to be space for the advertising which provides the majority of its revenue.

Ultimately, it means that they are virtually having to perform a conjuring act in fitting in all that the local population demand.

I am not entirely uncritical of what they do even though, for the most part, I think they do pretty well:

I do think that more attention should be paid to local music - particularly as it appears to be flourishing at the moment.

I do think that outside broadcasting should be used to record more local events - particularly concerts, shows, lectures, readings etc.

I do think that there is an enormous hole left in the treatment of arts and culture since Roy MacMillan left that needs to be addressed as a matter of some urgency.

I do think that 'specialist' shows presenting opera, C&W, jazz, Folk and brass band music need a considerable degree of local content to justify their continuation.

There are probably other things as well if I stopped to think about it, but I'm not concerned with producing a diatribe about what I consider to be a very good local station that genuinely does it's best to provide what the majority want to hear.

Change is inevitable - but change for the better is what is important - and we have to remember when making our comments that a local station cannot supply everything that everyone wants to hear

[Grumble]

I was always under the impression that Energy was the reason for KIK-fm's demise

 

No - as I remember it, the government report into the future of broadcasting told Manx Radio to drop Kik FM and concentrate on more community programming and their older audience in return for proper public funding.

 

That in effect created a 'youth' market for Energy to fill. But it obviously wasn't a big enough niche (what is it with niches these days?) so Energy is now trying to be Manx Radio Lite.

 

And it's why both stations made such a fuss when it became apparent that £FM was being given a licence...

[manxmedia]

Other recommendations would require Manx Radio to provide a business case comparing the cost of relocation to that of extending the existing building on Douglas Head, and consider appointing an employee with strong professional accounting skills.

Why do they need more space?

[Roger Smelly]

Well if the island population is giving £3 million a year to the BBC why don't the BBC give £1 million a year to Manx Radio and then everyone would be happy.

 

The station could then be called BBC Isle of Man and it will have all the surport and contacts the BBC has to other stations.

 

This is typical of the spineless politics that is in the isle of man, nobody wants to upset anyone.

 

If i was in there i would make some people jump, the only way this will happen is if the government turn around and say we are not paying you a penny until we get value for money.

[manxman8180]

Seeing as it works out somewhere between 3 and 4 pence per person, per day, who can stand judge on what is value for money.

 

You can't say it's really all that bad now can you?

[Grumble]

Other recommendations would require Manx Radio to provide a business case comparing the cost of relocation to that of extending the existing building on Douglas Head, and consider appointing an employee with strong professional accounting skills.

Why do they need more space?

 

Could be Government wanting to squeeze them into somewhere smaller or better suited to the purpose. My understanding is that the planned works are more to do with enhanced disabled access than extra space per se.

[keyboarder]

Does anyone know how much of Manx Radio's budget goes to the PRS? (And how much of that finds it's way back to local composers/musicians?). Lonan3 makes a most pertinent point about local music broadcasting. I don't see why MR has to play any non-local music whatsoever quite frankly, whether it's catering for the yoof or not. There are an infinite number of ways to quench one's own appetite for what is essentially a very personal area. The Smashey and Nicey types could be removed from the payroll then. (without mentioning names)

[simonquine]

I'd just like to say that, we have in the past, and still are featuring a lot of local music on the station. We had several local bands on the playlist for Manx Radio TT in 2006 and on New Year's Eve I presented a two hour programme playing only local music between 2-4pm. Along with this Dan Davies features a lot of local musicians on his Saturday Evening show, in interviews and acoustic sessions.

[Ean]

New Year's Eve I presented a two hour programme playing only local music between 2-4pm.

 

Oh, i switched over to Manx Radio and heard you show, it was a lot better than the other stuff that was on at the time and I enjoyed it. I assumed it was a weekly programme, why was it just a one off, limited material?

[simonquine]

New Year's Eve I presented a two hour programme playing only local music between 2-4pm.

 

Oh, i switched over to Manx Radio and heard you show, it was a lot better than the other stuff that was on at the time and I enjoyed it. I assumed it was a weekly programme, why was it just a one off, limited material?

 

Both limited material and it was only meant to be a one off, covering for the normal presenter of the programme.. Hopefully though I'll be able to do it again sometime.

[scrumptious]

Does anyone know how much of Manx Radio's budget goes to the PRS?

 

(And how much of that finds it's way back to local composers/musicians?).

 

Radio Stations pay 7% of their net broadcast revenue to PRS & PPL. That's broadcast revenue not government subvention. As around half their income is from the taxpayer, would guess they're only paying 7% of revenue derived from commercial sales.

 

Depends if they're members of PRS, and MR plays their song.

 

Well if the island population is giving £3 million a year to the BBC why don't the BBC give £1 million a year to Manx Radio and then everyone would be happy.

 

The station could then be called BBC Isle of Man and it will have all the surport and contacts the BBC has to other stations.

 

 

The BBC are prohibited from running adverts for commercial enterprises. Therefore if they were to become BBC IOM, all MR's commercial revenue would have to go, and the station would cost considerably more than £1m a year to run. It would either have to be 100% owned and run (and therefore funded) by the BBC or not at all.

[thesultanofsheight]

The BBC are prohibited from running adverts for commercial enterprises. Therefore if they were to become BBC IOM, all MR's commercial revenue would have to go, and the station would cost considerably more than £1m a year to run. It would either have to be 100% owned and run (and therefore funded) by the BBC or not at all.

 

I can't agree with that. The station would be unlikely to cost more to run - the BBC would run it with two local journalists a few DJ's and would bring programming in from elsewhere. They would not have local operating costs anywhere near MR as they wouldn't need the staff so the loss of revenue would be offset by a much lower cost base. Anyway the license fee is already being paid by local residents and at the moment its spent on nothing so even if the Manx taxpayer paid £500,000 a year as a subsidy / set up cost in the early stages it would be a bargain long term.

 

They can't run adverts. So the other two stations here get a boost which might help them fund more local programming.

 

I can't see a down side. Unless people actually enjoy listening to rubbish.