At various conferences and events I attend I have posted a series of 'live blog' style Tweets/Posts on X.
Given that X posts are no longer publicly available without an account, and many people prefer to avoid the platform, I have reproduced verbatim below my tweets from the Community Media Association AGM in Leeds held on 20th April 2024.
I have left in errors from the original post, and there will be some formatting errors due to the manual process of converting the content, further edits will be made in the future to fix these formatting errors and to embed the couple of missing video clips (once I work out a simple way of doing this.)
The main purpose of this is to 'archive' the content in an hopefully more secure and accessible location, thus I have retrospectively set the published date of this post to the original event date to aid search.
28th December 2025

Apr 20 24 · 3 tweets

So what @Community Media Association related destination am I off to this morning? Though my ticket says @TransPennine Express not Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and I doubt it will be steam powered…

Destination city arrived in plenty of time for diversion for a brew in this impressive market (certainly knocks the socks off Oldham Tommyfield Market Hall “shed” on architecture points.)

At BBC Yorkshire for @Community Media Association AGM, no pressure on my tweeting activities for the day when @Terry Lee introduces me as unofficial social media live blogger….

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Apr 20 24 · 8 tweets

At BBC Yorkshire for @Community Media Association AGM. Plenty of people having a brew and chat before formal business starts.

Love some of the beeb terminology like the “apps room” (good job I’m not authorised personnel to enter that room cos I’ll be in bother using my portable telephone.)

Update from CMA chair @Terry Lee  on the organisations last year’s activities, including CMA podcast, which is currently on a break for a “revamp”.

Terry says opening discussions about Community Radio joint music licence with @PPL aft r attending their AGM which was a “flash event” and thinks they are in a financial position to could help CR more.

Talks of @Ofcom Key Commitments and recommends, not withstanding consultation over changes, strongly recommends stations request change to “weekly” rather than “daily” commitments.

Terry also highlights @Community Media Association deal with carriage on @UK Radioplayer for CMA members as an highlight of year.

Positive mentions on the value of @Community Radio Awards – Sponsored by Aiir though i dependent of CMA thinks a great example of something to share with wider orgs on the value of Community Radio.

Joint response with @UK Community Radio Network to DCMS licencing consultation.

Terry points to @Radiocentre response being surprisingly supportive of Community Radio.

Key point looking forward is Key Commitments consultation and as highly likely on change of government will need to keep highlighting to those in power to keep demonstrating the value of Community Radio.

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Apr 20 24 · 5 tweets

Next segment is the formal business of The Community Radio Association AGM, nothing too controversial as far as I know! Then it’ll be lunch…..

Actually before lunch a brief presentation from YO1 Radio.

Dave from @YO1 Radio in York starts noting changes in local radio in both commercial and BBC. Says that while their business decision is understandable they focus on the gaps this leaves for Community stations.

Highlight they have a possibly controversial strategy of operating like a “commercial station” to be a replacement for the loss of Minster FM. (After change to greatest hits radio their listening figures dropped).

Showing us a nice promo video. Cool looking studio in a York city centre shop, plus they sell adverts on the digital signage in the shop window (counts as “off air revenue” on Ofcom report.)

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Apr 20 24 · 5 tweets

Back at the @Community Media Association AGM event in Leeds. Next segment with Georgey Spanswick from Radio York.

Georgie talks of local radio changes how sad some people didn’t want to go through the reapplication process. York building is very quiet in afternoons. But still sees that the local element is vital for those hanging on in there.

Is BBC reductions opportunity for Community Radio? Yes, ‘network’ won’t go down local streets.

Cameras in radio studios? You have to do it as part of “the job” for social media etc. but it’s not TV, radio is different to tele.

Today’s thought – BBC Local studio design has become less visualisation friendly. The 2000s era design had the computer monitors sunk to give clear eyelines and therefore would work better for cameras.

These pics from a Radio Stoke tour in Oct 2004, many others had similar setup.

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Apr 20 24 · 3 tweets

Next session talking on @Ofcom consultation on key commitments and @Terry Lee wants to gather views for the @Community Media Association response.

CMA want to give member station case studies in their response to the  consultation (anonymously if needed) and want stations to come forward to be included.

Very interesting chat amongst members on this (sorry not to much tweeting on this section too busy trying not to get on my soapbox about regulation by stopwatch.)

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Apr 20 24 · 1 tweets

And final announcement @Community Media Association festival location this year is in Poole 21st September.

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