Phonic FM | 106.8fm

Jenna on phonic FM year two report to Ofcom

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:41:07 -0500

PHONIC.FM - Annual Report to OFCOM for the period February 2009 – March 2010 This is a summary of the annual report submitted to OFCOM during June 2010. Each answer is prefaced by the relevant sections from the promise of performance given by Exeter Community Radio Ltd before the commencement of broadcasting in February 2008. Phonic FM will broadcast a range of arts and community-based programming for the Citizens of Exeter. The station will help promote the cultural vibrancy of the city and strengthen community links within it, as well as offer unique educational and training opportunities for a broad range of participants. On average Phonic FM broadcasts ‘live’ programming for 14 hours a day .Since the station does not buy in content or share it with other stations the original output may be calculated as averaging 392 hours per calendar month. During an average week approximately 18 per cent of the station’s daytime output (assuming this as the period 0800 to 1800) is speech based, though this is not spread equally across the week. All output has been in English. It has a growing variety of programming, much of which is aimed at niche markets within the perceived community and the arts communities it seeks to serve. Most, but not all, of the training that has been offered has a very hands on emphasis. Social gain objectives (a) the provision of sound broadcasting services to individuals who are otherwise underserved. Phonic FM will target listeners who are keen to hear alternative arts and local interest programming. There will also be specialist programmes of interest to those who feel excluded from mainstream broadcasting, such as the local BME population and young people. Phonic FM, by means of its output and website, has encouraged and allowed increased access to the arts and arts-related material. We are developing the ability to broadcast live and as live music output due to collaboration with Sound Gallery music recording studio which is adjacent to our own studios. The station also has the capacity to take output from other performance spaces in the building in which we are located. Specialist programming has included support for live theatre, poetry, spoken word, comedy, health, community issues, disability matters and minority interest musical genres. We have utilised other facilities available to us to produce (within a 90 minute timeframe) three minute films which have been downloaded onto a website. We co-operated with a local theatre company to produce and broadcast a comedy show for a group of school excluded pupils and have been actively involved in the local Respect Festival. The programme controller has been offered new formats and ideas for shows which the station seeks to develop and take to air. The age range of presenters is from 14 to 72. The station will feature review and discussion programmes with the facility for listeners to telephone email, text or phone the studio and to o write in. Some programmes feature live phone-ins, providing the audience with access to immediate on-air discussion. There is a dedicated e mail address and a forum on the station’s website with the facility for people to request music, provide topics for discussion and express opinions on and off air. There are opportunities for the volunteers to produce shows expressing their views (within station guidelines). There are evaluation/feedback sheets enabling the volunteers to express their opinion about the station. There are regular meetings between the presenters and the directors. The station has provided regular opportunities to discuss issues of local, national and international relevance and have provided facilities where there have been opportunities for immediate on-air interaction. The station website www.phonic.fm provides a facility for the interchange of views and ideas about programme content and there has been a steady stream of requests for information and music, often directed at the info@phonic.fm facility. The main opportunities for evaluation and feedback have been provided through an open meeting, discussion with local arts groups through CAPE a local forum of arts professionals which meets four times a year hosted by the City Council and use of the forum on the station’s website. The Company has increased the number of directors by three to accommodate increased representation and diversification. The provision (whether by means of programmes included in the service or otherwise) or education or training to individuals not employed by the person providing the service. In-house training is available for all volunteers wanting to produce and present shows. This consists of hands-on use of studio equipment in the training and off-air production studio and observation, with the possibility of shadowing shows being broadcast. Presenters are actively encouraged to self-produce trails for their shows using the in-house facilities available. Training has been offered on a regular basis both to existing and new presenters. We have embedded ourselves with Exeter College. We are an accredited award-bearing centre and have negotiated with local schools to offer joint use of the media centre, recording studio and radio station. As part of an ongoing programme of school summer holiday activities we ran a three day course which produced drop ins and show promos, and this was fully subscribed and will be extended during the next reporting year. We also increased the work that we undertake with both the statutory and volunteer groups to widen the nature of the station output. During the reporting year this included a series of six programmes written and produced by a group of pupils in a local exclusion unit. In addition after the broadcast of a programme made by a person with locked in syndrome, his shows have been featured on a monthly basis. He records them by use of a voice synthesiser. The better understanding of the particular community and the strengthening of the links within it. The station will provide a platform for local arts, community and media groups. The station will strengthen links with the local community through communication and accessibility making itself available to the local community through a variety of means, including the website, email, telephone and open meetings. Phonic will participate in community events, including through the use of outside broadcasts. The station not only provides an on-air platform for news, reviews and information on arts and community events but the website does this as well, with articles on the constantly updated home and news pages. The website hosts a message board Forum and also gives details of contact phone numbers and two email addresses for listeners, info@phonic.fm and studio@phonic.fm for direct access to presenters. It also has text facilities as well as direct to air phone lines. The station has held its two public open meetings during the reporting year. The station also utilises a face book page and provides a twitter forum. The number of active involvements with the local arts community has increased during our second year on-air. We were actively involved in a day of programming for International Women’s Day and been an active media partner with various festivals held in and around the City such as the Exeter Summer Festival and the Vibraphonic Festival. We have also actively followed links created by the City Council led CAPE group and encouraged participation in Arts events not necessarily within our transmission area. Good examples of this activity have been recording as live input at the Sidmouth International Folk week, participation in other festivals such as Budstock, Chagstock and the Teignmouth International Jazz Festival. The station will provide an important local outlet for raising the profile of the arts and publicising local festivals and events. Through their involvement at the station, volunteers will be provided with firsthand radio experience and many transferable skills to further their employability and social skills. A study of the website content will give a general indication of success with this commitment, as will the section above. We believe that we have become the first port of call” for many smaller organisations seeking to publicise events and activities. This has not only been limited to events taking place within our broadcast area, but there has been significant evidence that events like the Ashburton Blues Festival, Bradninch Festival and Arts in Haldon Forest see the potential of having direct access to the population of Exeter as a potential audience. Indeed at times it has been difficult to accommodate all the groups that have asked to be involved, especially as some of them, for example the North Devon Festival, are remote from our broadcast area. We are aiming to further broaden the scope and width of these support activities during the forthcoming year having acquired at the end of the reporting period the means to broadcast remotely from their sites. Access and participation Community Radio Order 2004: “It is a characteristic of every community radio service that members of the community it is intended to serve are given opportunities to participate in the operation and management of the service.” The station aims to operate in partnership with the community and will build on its previous RSL experience to increase participation. Access may be gained through the steering group, chosen to be representative of the whole community. The anticipated number of volunteers involved in the first year is 130-150, increasing to around 200 in subsequent years. Volunteers will have access to the station’s second studio for training and production. The station will also utilise its links with training providers such as Exeter College and the Exeter Phoenix Media Centre to offer further opportunities. Access to the facilities will be available by contacting the station through the website, by email, telephone, writing, through Exeter College, contact through the steering group and open meetings. The availability of the facilities will be publicised and the use of these training facilities will not be exclusive to this station’s volunteers and members, although priority will be given to them. During the reporting year the Steering Group has met with the company directors and given advice with regard to the future direction of the station. At the end of the year some restructuring of the organisation took place. The Board has convened regularly and as a result of suggestions from the steering group has increased its membership to better represent the volunteers who work on the station. The complaints procedure is published on the website during the reporting year there were three issues, all concerning relationships with the City Council which were raised and dealt with without recourse to external arbitration. As a collective we have approximately 160 active volunteers, with a further 30 or so who for one reason or another (usually travel) are currently inactive. It’s difficult to be precise about time commitment with a group that large, but those with specific allocated roles outside simply presenting are a group of about 20 who give between 10 and 20 hours a week fulfilling roles from editing and pre-recording, to news gathering, administration and office work. Many of them multi-task, fulfilling several roles such as studio maintenance and publicity, web site design and programme making. The reporting year in question has been a transitional one, since many of the functions ascribed in the promise to performance have in the light of experience been subsumed by more direct access to direct arts partners through other forums, since several presenters and directors attend meetings held externally and provide useful feedback through formal and informal reporting Nonetheless the steering group continues to meet with the board, and two specific (and newly appointed) board members have assumed direct responsibility for direct liaison with the presenter and other interested parties. The website continues to be an excellent source and forum for further interaction. Significant achievements during the reporting year Phonic.fm has increased the scope and coverage of arts related issues during the reporting year, and has made great strides in providing access for a wide range of groups throughout the City who might not otherwise have direct access to media. In addition to social inclusion programming noted above the station has provided opportunities for disabled and wheelchair users (the wheelie saying something programme), health and wellbeing, poetry and spoken word and provided support for a number of small scale arts initiatives in and around the City. It was gratifying to have our efforts praised by an article in the Times online for providing real ‘alternative’ programming (Christian Brook 21st December 2009) It is gratifying that our increasingly cordial relationship with the City Council (though not entirely without occasional ‘blips’) has resulted in them according us partnership status for a whole range of cultural activities, which has also helped in publicising the station. Our website continues to attract an ever growing number of unique ‘hits’ during the course of a month, and there is evidence that it provides a highly valued service. If there are aspects of this report that you would like to discuss please get in touch with the chairman, Dr David Treharne or treasurer, Patrick Cunningham by contacting them at info@phonic.fm.

tonygraffiti on previous show....

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:24:36 -0600

question.pod cast???...how do i listen back to Friday's 8am till 10 am friday 8th 2010..bi weekly morning eclectic show ..connection was playing up...missed half the show ..in my opinion ..absolutely hilarious!!!! lol or is (internal snigger) loved it!!! thank you and more please.....ps the presenter?side kick sounds wonderfull!!

audaye on Phonic fm status: Charity, CIC .... What, when and how it should happen.

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:30:14 -0600

This conversation started on the email everyone list, and it was rightly pointed out that it should continue on the forum so here it is! Below is a copy of some of the points already made.

Quick history ... so far

It was pointed out Phonic is not a CIC or currently under any charitable or social enterprise status other than a private company, allbeit run by volunteers.

Many expressed surprise, and their thoughts that Phonic should be, adding the benifits of opening funding streams, certain protections for the station and it's assets, member and 'stakeholder' participation, community project benefits and so on.

It was pointed out that it was and is the original vision for the station see: the faq page

Some thought that it was too much work to be worth doing, or that first there needed to be a level of knowledge/awareness raising as to what needed to be done, and who was needed.

Summmary

Enthusiasm for fulfilling the intended status of CIC (or similar, possibly), but some caution as to whether the details are known.

These links where provided amongst the emails:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051788.htm
The forms that needs to be filled out to become a CIC
Information pack on CIC
http://www.sbs.gov.uk/SBS_Gov_files/services/socialenterprise.pdf
http://www.cdfa.org.uk/

Jenna on Vote for Phonic FM's Tony Walker: Digital Hero

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:15:41 -0500

By Jenna Richards Phonic FM’s Tony walker has been shortlisted for a prestigious award celebrating those who use digital technology to bring about positive social change Tony is one of just three people in the South West to have been nominated for a Digital Heroes award. Tony works behind the scenes on a number of Phonic FM projects including the Eye Tech show, Westenders comedy show, he advises the steering group, sorts out all manner of technical problems and is the man behind much of the content on the Phonic FM website. He has been recognised for his work using drama and the arts to work with socially excluded groups and to celebrate their creativity and talents. A fantastic example of this was the hit Phonic FM show Westenders made by a group of youngsters outside of mainstream education, wit Tony’s help. The nominees are entered into the competition from each of the UK’s main regions. One nominee form each region will scoop the regional prize, with the overall winner taking the national prize of £10,000 funding at the ceremony at the House of Lords on November 24. Tony said further funding would enable him to develop an online forum where users could share their achievements and enable them to network with the wider community. The Digital Heroes Awards have been created in conjunction with Citizens Online, a charity dedicated to addressing the issues of universal internet access, and requires public votes to decide the winner from each UK region. To cast your vote go to http://www.talktalk.co.uk/we-love-the-web/digital-heroes/south-west. Voting will be open until October 23.

Jenna on Youngsters enjoy jingle course

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:09:54 -0500

Phonic FM ran its first course in jingle making and voice drop ins for 11 to 16 year olds in conjunction with the Sound Gallery last week. A group of seven producers worked hard over two days to create scripts, source appropriate music and then voiced their efforts, which will be played out on Phonic FM on a regular basis during the next few weeks. After two intense days everybody took away a copy of what they had produced and look forward to working on other projects during the autumn. Keep visiting the website for details of future courses and chances to get involved in producing programmes for Phonic FM.

Tony on Phonic FM is back online

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:23:49 -0500

Phonic FM is back online As you may have seen (or not seen) the Phonic FM website has been offline since Tuesday morning. Web Hosting Buzz, the Carbon Neutral Web Hosting company that serves the Phonic FM website experienced a massive equipment failure. On their blog they have listed a series of events cataloging their progress in the repair of their servers. You can read about it HERE. Thank you for your patience while the Phonic FM website was offline.

Tony on @Phonic_FM on Twitter

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:33:36 -0500

Join Phonic FM on Twitter Phonic FM 106.8fm can now be found on the micro blogging social networking website Twitter. If you are a Twitter user please visit http://twitter.com/Phonic_FM to join and to get updates. You will find a Twitter feed on the Phonic FM website to.

Jenna on Missive to the Massive - April 09

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:21:57 -0500

The latest Missive to the Massive has been sent out. If you didn’t receive it it is because you are not on the mailing list. Make sure you sign up to the mailing list so you don’t miss out on future communications. The complete missive to the massive can be fund by clicking here. If you are a presenter or volunteer these messages contain all the essential updates on what is happening behind the scenes at Phonic FM. Make sure you keep up to date with the latest behind the scenes at Phonic FM by reading these emails. To join the everyone@phonic.fm mailing list by sending an email to everyone-join@phonic.fm. This is how we will be able to keep everyone informed of progress and opportunities to become more involved in the Phonic community.

Jenna on Missive to the Phonic FM massive - March 1st 09

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:17:18 -0600

The latest Missive to the Massive has been sent out. If you didn’t receive it it is because you are not on the mailing list. Make sure you sign up to the mailing list so you don’t miss out on future communications. The complete missive to the massive can be fund by clicking here. If you are a presenter or volunteer these messages contain all the essential updates on what is happening behind the scenes at Phonic FM. Make sure you keep up to date with the latest behind the scenes at Phonic FM by reading these emails. Most presenters and volunteers should already have received this missive, if you haven’t it is because you are not on the mailing list. Signing up to the mailing list is easy, for full instructions on how you can sign up read the missive by clicking here.

admin on Phonic FM public meeting

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:39:37 -0600

Updated information on the Phonic FM Steering Group, including details of all the members, can now be found at http://www.phonic.fm/about-2/about-the-steering-group-this-page-needs-to-link-to-about-phonic-fm/.

admin on Phonic FM Steering Group

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:36:59 -0600

The information about the Phonic FM steering group has been updated.

All the information posted below is also available by going to www.phonic.fm clicking on the About Us page and following the link at the top of the page to About the steering group.

I hope the following information is useful. Any thoughs would be appreciated.

What is the Steering Group?
Phonic FM is a community radio station and therefore has a remit to serve the community.

In order to ensure community radio stations are fulfilling their remit The Community Radio Order 2004 states that: “It is a characteristic of every community radio service that, in respect of the provision of that service, the person providing the service makes himself accountable to the community that the service is intended to serve.” And that is where the Phonic FM steering group come in.

Phonic FM’s Steering Group is drawn from within the community. The initial membership of the Steering Group was selected to represent a cross-section of the target community. However anyone is be able to put themselves forward for membership.

The Steering Group group’s role is to advise on station strategy, programme content, and provide arbitration. It is the eyes and ears of the station.

The Steering Group are all volunteers who want to help the radio station to fulfil its remit of being a well-run and effective community radio station. We will do our best to ensure we fulfil our group's remit of advising the board as to how to achieve that.

How is the Steering group connected to Phonic FM and what can it do?
Phonic FM is wholly owned by a company set up to managed the station called Exeter Community Radio Ltd.

Exeter Community Radio Ltd holds the broadcasting licence for Phonic FM.

The steering group was mentioned in their licence application.

This is what it says: “The station’s Steering Group will be drawn from the radio station’s stakeholders within the community.

“The initial membership of the Steering Group has been selected to represent a cross-section of the target community, from the local education authority, other local authorities, local businesses, cultural organisations and musicians and DJ’s. (In future, anyone will be able to put themselves forward for membership).

“The Steering Group will be the formal mechanism for communication with the station and regular meetings will be timetabled. This group will advise on station strategy, station policy, programme content, provide arbitration and be the eyes and the ears of the station.”

“The group will be able to co-opt members as it thinks fit, to ensure that the community is adequately represented but there will be no more than 15 members, in order to ensure an efficient and purposeful body.

“On an annual basis the steering group will hold an open meeting for members of the community to have their say on the station and review the station’s progress and activities.

“Annual targets will be set by the directors in agreement with the steering group and station manager.

“The steering committee will hold a quarterly review meeting to agree and make sure that pre-set targets have been completed.

“A Director can be removed by unanimous vote of the Steering Group.”

Who is on the Steering Group?
The current steering group chairman is Pete Bishop (pete@phonic.fm).

Steering group membership and the organisation each person represents:

Natalie Cole (Exeter City Council)
Laura Newton (Exeter City Council)
John Fitzsimons (Exeter College)
Greg Bradley (University of Exeter)
Gervaise Cerio (Exeter Council for Voluntary Service)
John Stammers (Exeter Council for Voluntary Service)
Bernie Sloane (Exeter Respect Festival)
Abi Ralls (Exeter Respect Festival)
Dan Kjellgren (Ivy Project)
Tim Arnold (Devon County Council)
Julian Piper (Phonic FM)
Martin Hodge (Phonic FM)
Jules Walker (Phonic FM)
Jenna Richards (Phonic FM)

How do I become a member of the Steering Group?
The steering group committee is currently full but a new committee will need to be re elected at the Phonic FM AGM.

If you are interested in being on the steering group in the future please email Pete bishop (pete@phonic.fm).

This hasn't answered by question.
If you have any questions about the steering group that haven't been answered here please email pete@phonic.fm.

fat baby on Online schedule updated

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:13:12 -0600

how do i see the attachment?

admin on Phonic FM public meeting

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:55:31 -0600

Some of the questions risied by people can in fact be answered on the website, with a bit of digging. The About Us pages provide some information on the steering group. There is also have a frequently asked questins section.

Whilst these may not address all of your concerns they may answer some of them in a little more detail.

Please follow the links below for more information.

Steering group - http://www.phonic.fm/about-2/about-the-steering-group-this-page-needs-to-link-to-about-phonic-fm/

FAQs - http://www.phonic.fm/about-2/frequently-asked-questions-this-needs-to-link-to-the-about-phonic-page/

Colin Dee on Phonic FM open meeting report

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:38:32 -0600

Hi Jenna,

Being a listener and having attended the meeting i found the evening very informative and learnt more about the management of phonicfm.It was also good to meet you whilst sitting in the front row and i look forward to this coming year and an even better phonic.I thought the food was a nice touch to make people feel welcome. I listen online.

Colin Dee

Broadclyst

Jenna on Phonic FM open meeting report

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:16:44 -0600

On Tuesday 27 January Phonic FM, Exeter's playlist-free community radio station and sound alternative, held its first ever public meeting. The meeting was held in the auditorium of the Exeter Phoenix with just under 100 people in attendance. Most of those present had some connection with the station, as either volunteers presenter, DJ or technical helper, but members of the listening public were also present. The meeting heard upbeat updates from three of the station's directors: Dave Treharne, Patrick Cunningham and Paul Giblin. These updates covered the areas of overall station development, finances and marketing and publicity. The meeting heard about the many positive developments made since Phonic FM was launched just under a year ago on 15 February 2008. Phonic FM now has a purpose built studio in the Exeter Phoenix basement which is the envy of other community radio stations. We have used our grant income wisely to invest in the studio and now only need a small annual income to sustain our broadcast. Phonic FM has also expanded our live broadcasting time so there are live shows filling almost every slot from 7am to midnight every weekday and from 10am to midnight at weekends. Leafleting campaigns in the city have increased our listening figures, we have a beautiful website complete with a listening function. We also have equipped a second studio to enable us to start to deliver training courses later this year, and we have our first big benefit gig planned for 6 March this year. It was agreed that whilst there has undoubtedly been much achieved it was also recognised that within certain spheres there were issues to be addressed, and that is our challenge for the year ahead. There was loud applause after each update and an animated question-and-answer session on all sorts of station issues, from programming decisions to studio equipment and the need for more female presenters. The meeting was good humoured and the Phonic FM board members listened to suggestions made by presenters, DJs and the general public alike. The meeting ended with a member of the public calling for yet another round of applause for everyone who has worked so hard to make Phonic FM Exeter's sound alternative. For the full minutes of the meeting please click here.