Betar Bangla - Ofcom Licensing

Community Radio Licence
Application Form (2008/09)
BETAR-BANGLA
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SECTION ONE: OPENING STATEMENT.
1.1 Opening Statement. Please describe your organisation and its objectives,
the nature of your proposed radio station, the community which it intends to serve
and its broadcasting philosophy. The statement should be brief, at most no longer
than two short paragraphs.
Betar Bangla is a pioneering community media organisation dedicated to providing
people of British-Bengali heritage in East London with a variety of opportunities to
engage with a variety of positive experiences. Amongst which these include; training
in a range of transferable media/technology skills; production skills, presentation
skills, “real” broadcast opportunities, a human’s rights platform and in a broader
overall sense - a means for our community to make a fuller contribution to British
society.
Over the last five years we have engaged with hundreds of participants and
thousands of listeners - amongst which some of the hardest to reach. Women, young
people at risk, adults with visual impairments, as well as those involved in the now
world famous vibrant cultural sector that is Brick Lane are all members of the Betar
Bangla family. Building on this success and experience we now wish to establish a
broadcast platform as a full time licensed Community Radio station. If successful with
our application, Betar Bangla would be alone in providing dedicated programming in
Bengali and Sylheti community languages. We would be offering a unique platform
for a community with some of the highest deprivation levels -in the UK, overlooked by
both mainstream and Asian broadcasters, our community has so much to offer and
celebrate if it can only get the chance.
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SECTION TWO: About Your Organisation and How To Contact You.
General Note: Ofcom needs information about your organisation and needs to be
able to contact you. It is very important that you provide accurate information
in this section as this is the primary contact information for your group.
Ofcom needs background information about your organisation and those involved in
its ownership, management and operation. In addition to company memorandum
and articles of association which you should include with this application, you must
ensure that the most recent annual reports and accounts are available in case they
should be required.
PLEASE NOTE: It is ESSENTIAL that you notify Ofcom of any changes to
these details as soon as possible. In particular, Ofcom needs to be able to
contact you by e-mail and phone. If the details we hold are out of date we may
not be able to complete the assessment of your application which could result
in its rejection.
2.1 Proposed Name of Station. (This is the name you expect to use to identify
the station on-air.)
BETAR-BANGLA
2.2 Public Contact Details. For publication on the Ofcom website and / or in
other relevant publications (published either by Ofcom or third parties
directed by Ofcom).
Contact Name. (The person who deals with enquiries from the press and public.)
Golam M Chowdhury
Public Contact Address. [You must include an accurate postcode]
Unit-6
10-14 Hollybush Gardens
London E2 9QP
Other public contact details for your organisation, as applicable:
Phone Number: 0207 729 4333
Mobile Number: 07723 377 714
E-mail address: betarbangla@gmail.com
Web-site: www.betarbangla@org.uk
2.3 Contact Name(s) for Ofcom use. Ofcom may need to contact your group in
relation to this application. This is the name of the person you would like to
be Ofcom's primary contact. (If this person is the same as the Public Contact
in Section 2.2, please tell us this below.)
Golam M. Chowdhury
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2.4 Administrative Contact Address. [You must include an accurate
postcode] (If this is the same as the Public Contact Address please state that this is
the case in the space below and then answer the supplementary questions which
follow.)
Is the above address:
The main address of your organisation? Yes
The registered office of your organisation? Yes
The home address of the main contact? No
Other contact details for your organisation as applicable: n/a
2.5 Company Details: What type of organisation are you? (Only a 'body
corporate' (i.e. a company, not an individual) can hold a Community Radio
Licence.) Note: On its own, a registered charity is not a body corporate. If
your organisation is a registered charity it must also be a ‘body corporate’ in
order to hold a licence. Please answer the questions below and provide the
additional information requested.
Please provide your company name.
Betar Bangla Ltd.
Please tell us what sort of structure your organisation has or intends to have.
(For example: company limited by guarantee; community interest company;
company limited by shares; corporation.)
Betar Bangla is a company limited by guarantee.
Please tell us when your company was registered (or, if the process of
registration is not yet complete, the date at which you applied for company
registration).
May 2000
Please provide your company registration number
Company registration. no. 3994362
2.6 Is your organisation a registered charity in England, Wales, Scotland or
Northern Ireland? (Note: you cannot hold a Community Radio Licence if
you are only a registered charity. See also previous question.) Please
answer the questions below and provide the additional information
requested.
Registered Charity No
Waiting to be registered No
Date of Registration (or Application).
n/a
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2.7 Supporting Documentation. Ofcom needs to check that your organisation
is eligible to operate a Community Radio Licence. Please confirm that you
are providing the required documents.
Certificate of Incorporation enclosed Yes
Memorandum & Articles of Association enclosed Yes
(You MUST make sure you include your organisation's name and postcode on
the front page of the constitutional document(s) provided.)
2.8 Unavailable Documents. If you are not able to provide the documents
requested above, for example because registration of your company
structure is not yet complete, please indicate when these documents are
likely to be provided. Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that
copies of these documents are provided to Ofcom as soon as possible. If
you are providing draft versions of the required documentation, please tell us
here.
All documents requested are attached in the appendix of this document.
SECTION THREE: Ownership.
General Note (Sections 3.1 to 3.6): Ofcom needs information concerning those
responsible for the management and policy-making process of your proposed
station. Important!: The information in sections 3.2 to 3.6 (inclusive) is
required for each individual director. Please repeat these sections for each
person involved.
For sections 3.7 to 3.15, Ofcom requires the information requested in order to
check that the applicant would comply with the rules governing who is eligible
to hold a community radio licence.
3.1 DIRECTORS: Please list the names of all directors below.
For each Director, please provide the following information:
3.2 Name of Director (or Member).
Golam Chowdhury (Director)
Golam Chowdhury is executive Director of Betar Bangla community radio station
and is responsible for ensuring the smooth co-ordination and management of the
station.
Masud Rahman (Director)
Masud Rahman is also a youth employment advisor.
Maher Ahmed (Director)
Meher Ahmed is a primary school teacher by profession.
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Nazma Perveen (Director)
Nasreen Pervin Chowdhury is a health worker in a community GP’s surgery.
3.3 Contact Address
Other contact details as applicable:
3.4 Other Employment.
Masud Rahman is also an employment advisor, Maher Ahmed is a teacher by
profession and Nazma Pervin is a health worker and Golam Chowdhury is
executive Director of Betar Bangla community radio station and is responsible for
ensuring the smooth co-ordination and management of the station.
3.5 Interests relevant to the operation of a community-based radio service.
Our Directors are passionate about helping to address a gap in existing community
and commercial radio networks for Bengali-speaking programmes of discussion,
debate, engagement and cultural celebration. Betar Bangla has therefore been
established to support the creation of a grass-roots community radio facility which is
accessible to British-Bangladeshis from all walks of life who wish to air their views
and illustrate the diversity of interests and profiles of a community which is poorly
represented and understood by mainstream British society.
Our Directors come from a background of radio production, teaching, social, health,
marketing, Bengali language, broadcast and musical experiences and wish to share
their technical and management expertise, in keeping with Ofcom regulations, with a
wider British-Bengali community which is largely excluded, for reasons of confidence,
cultural, linguistic and technical expertise, from existing mainstream radio facilities.
3.6 Expected Role. (How will this person be involved in the management and /
or operation of your proposed Community Radio Station?)
Golam Chowdhury:
With experience of radio management, broadcasting and technology, as well as of
community engagement, staff, volunteer and business management, Mr Chowdhury
will play a key executive role in the overall day-to-day facilitation of Betar Bangla
community radio’s policy-making, finances, audience and programme development.
Masud Rahman:
With a background in social advice and community welfare as well as a keen interest
in Bengali music and the spoken word, Mr Rahman will support the organisation in
engaging with target audiences both on air and in the studio. While ensuring its
finances are fully audited and transparent for service-users and audiences’
inspection, he will also help set up robust signposting strategies and systems to help
ensure isolated members of the public accessing our programmes are supported in
meeting their social, economic and cultural needs.
Maher Ahmed:
By profession a teacher, Meher is responsible for Betar Bangla’s programme of
outreach and educational awareness for some of the most hard-to-reach members of
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the British Bengali community. While supervising and supporting our dynamic team
of volunteers, she is also responsible for ensuring our policies are up-to-date and
implemented throughout all areas of our work.
Nazma Perveen:
A health worker within a community GP’s surgery, Nasreen is setting up both a
listeners’ club to engage with an address enquiries from listeners about social, health
and legal matters as well as ensuring Betar Bangla is able to tap into a range of
expert speakers who help to address those questions on air. While ensuring
marginalised local people are empowered with the information and awareness to
make informed decisions about their general well-being, her efforts also help raise
awareness amongst professionals of the needs of hard-to-reach listeners within our
audiences.
PLEASE REPEAT QUESTIONS 3.2 – 3.6 FOR EACH DIRECTOR OF THE
APPLICANT GROUP
3.7 Company Limited by Shares: Please provide the names and addresses of
all members of the company having an interest of 5% or more in the
applicant. Please also provide this information for members of any company
which has an interest of 5% or more in the applicant.
n/a
General Note: Please state whether the applicant or any member about whom
information has been provided under question 3.7 above is involved in any of the
activities listed below, and give the extent of such interest. For these purposes the
applicant includes associates of the applicant (i.e. directors and their associates and
other group companies). If any of the following categories do not apply, applicants
must still complete this section, clearly indicating that this is the case by writing
'none' in each such section.
3.8 Local Authorities - If any Local Authority is involved in your application,
please give details of the nature and extent of any such involvement.
While Betar Bangla Community Radio station is an independent body and not
directly answerable to any local authorities with respect to the format and content of
its broadcast delivery, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH) has expressed
a commitment to support of Betar Bangla Community Radio station in its training
and community engagement initiatives.
3.9 Bodies which are wholly or mainly of a political nature, or which are
affiliated to such a body - If any Political Body is involved in your application,
please give details of the nature and extent of any such involvement.
n/a
3.10 Bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly of a religious nature - If any
Religious Body is involved in your application, please give details of the
nature and extent of any such involvement.
n/a
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3.11 An individual who is an officer of a body falling within 3.10 above –
Please provide the names of individuals involved in the management or
operation of the proposed Community Radio service who are officers of
Religious Bodies.
n/a
3.12 An advertising agency or an associate of an advertising agency - Please
provide details of any linkages to advertising agencies or associates of
advertising agencies (such as sales representatives).
n/a
3.13 Other Broadcasting Act licences, specifying which licences (for example
RSL licences). - Please also provide details of any other broadcasting
service which is linked to the proposed Community Radio service.
Betar Bangla was awarded a 28-day RSL license from the 30 th of March until 27 th
April 2009 to facilitate a 24-hour-a-day and seven-day-a-week pilot radio programme
for residents of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
3.14 Affiliations with other bodies not outlined above, (for example related
charities or community groups).
Betar Bangla works in close partnership with a range of voluntary and statutory
sector bodies and directly supports, under its auspices as a community radio facility,.
Deshi Movement contemporary youth sounds, Purbo Poshchim Drama Group and
Creative Images recording studio.
Betar Bangla is also a member of the Boishakhi Ujjapan Committee which organises
the annual Brick Lane festival and works in close partnership with organisations
including Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA), the Shadinata Trust which
promotes issues of concern to people of British-Bengali heritage, Udichi Cultural
Programme which represents traditional Bangladeshi music, culture and heritage,
Dekta Chai Bengali-speaking support group for people with visual impairments,
Tower Hamlets Homes and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets who support
elements of our training and public awareness-raising programmes.
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3.15 Other matters which may influence the application.
Ofcom requires that applicants should, at the time of making this application, notify
Ofcom of any matters which might influence Ofcom’s judgement as to whether:
a) any director/manager or the applicant group,
or,
b) any individual, or any director of a company, who will have an interest of 5
per cent or more in the applicant group
may not be considered a ‘fit and proper person’ to participate in a radio licence.
Factors which might exclude a person from involvement would include, for example,
any unspent conviction for an offence committed within ten years before the date of
this application, any pirate radio offences within the last five years, any undischarged
bankruptcy order, or any disqualification from being a director of a
limited company.
Please answer 'No' below if there are no reasons why Ofcom might consider the
applicant not to be a fit and proper person to participate in a radio licence:
No
If you have answered 'YES' to the above question, please provide details on a
separate sheet, such that this information may be kept confidential by Ofcom.
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SECTION FOUR: Ability to Maintain Service.
Section 105(1)(a) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act requires that, when considering a
licence application, Ofcom takes into account the applicant's ability to maintain the
proposed service. This means that we need to know about the experience and
expertise of your group, its structure and the management and staffing it would have
if your application was to be successful. In addition, we also need to know about
your financial position, assets and proposals for funding the operation of your
intended service.
4.1 Please provide us with a brief history of your group, including when it
was formed, its links with other community organisations and membership.
Betar Bangla is a Community Radio project, established in 2000 which serves the
Bangladeshi and wider communities in East London. 55 volunteers and presenters
facilitated our radio programme aired on 1503 AM for 2 hours on Sound Radio from 2002
to 2006 and 85 volunteers and presenters facilitated for 5 hours daily in partnership with Nu
Sound Radio. A recent survey shows some 20,000 London-based listeners engage with our
radio programmes.
From the 30 th of March - 27 th of April 2009 broadcast 24-hours-a-day from its studios in the
London Borough of Tower Hamlets under the auspices of a 28-day RSL OFCOM radio
licence.
Apart from our radio station, we provide activities and training for local and disadvantaged
people with few marketable skills and an interest in a career in the creative industry. We run
a drama group which is currently producing our first audio drama as well as a programme for
young people interested in radio and video production.
While working in partnership with umbrella bodies such as the CULTURAL INDUSTRY
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CIDA), Betar Bangla has, in the last five years, facilitated
training for 143 Black and Minority Ethnic beneficiaries of whom 35% are now in
employment. Recent training programmes include:
1. Digital video training for women, started in March 2007 for a total 50 hrs. over 10
weeks. Funded by London Development Agency;
2. Music to screen training for the Digital Women Club, January 2007 – March 2008,
Funded by LDA and ESF;
3. Event Management, July - December 2006 for a total 40 hrs. over 10 weeks. Funded
by Arts Council;
4. Multi-Media Production, January – December 2005 and 2006, total 60 hrs over 10
weeks for each year. Funded by European Social Fund and London Borough of
Tower Hamlets;
5. Young News Presenters 2004-2005 – News Production training facilitated for young
people wishing to become presenters, funded by NRF;
6. Radio Broadcasting, January 2001 – December 2006, total 60hrs in 10 weeks,
funded by European Social Fund.
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7. We are currently running a Window In Media )WIM) radio training course funded by
the London Borough Of Tower Hamlets until September 2010.
4.2 What broadcasting experience does your group have?
Has the applicant made any other application to Ofcom (or its predecessor
broadcast regulators – the ITC and the Radio Authority) for any licence within the
last five years? If so, please provide details and provide the licence reference
number(s) and / or the name(s) of the service(s) for granted licence(s).
Yes
If you answered 'YES' to the above question, please provide details here:
Betar Bangla was awarded a 28-day RSL license from the 30 th of March until 27 th April 2009
to facilitate a 24-hour-a-day and seven-day-a-week pilot radio programme for residents of
the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on 87.7 on the FM waveband at a power of 10
Watts. RSL Licence no. (SRSL-033/2009).
Has the applicant any other broadcasting experience? Please include details of
Internet radio services operate by the applicant, overseas broadcast experience etc.
and any other relevant information here. In addition, if any persons that will be
involved in the proposed service on a day-to-day basis bring particular broadcasting
expertise, please include brief details here also.
Following an extensive training course and an extensive feasibility study delivered by
SVT/Sound Radio funded by LBTH, and following a Brick Lane launch in July 2002 Betar
Bangla launched its immediately highly popular and well supported schedule of programmes
for the East London Bangla community.
Since launching its first radio programme in July 2002 In collaboration with Access licensed
Sound Radio at the Sound Vision Trust in Hackney, Betar Bangla delivered national and
international news, musical entertainment, debates on health, legal, community, housing and
sports issues of concern to our targeted community audience on 1503 AM, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
daily, until December 2005.
Betar Bangla are particularly proud of their historical contribution to the development and
roll out of community radio in the UK as part of the SOUND RADIO 1503 AM project.
During and following our time at Sound Radio we sought funding to set up own studios in
preparation for our goal of applying for our own full time Community Radio license very much
based on the tremendous response from our media starved community.
While developing and promoting our own drama, music, dance and visual media groups
from a base in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Betar Bangla moved in 2006 to NU
Sound Radio on 92 FM at Romford Road, Forest Gate and delivering programmes of news,
music and cultural entertainment from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily until January 2007.
Betar Bangla continues to work with local people, young and older alike, to support them in
developing skills through training and creative workshops of technical, broadcast and cultural
relevance. With a capacity to reach an estimated 20, 000 listeners and 5,000 website
viewers through programmes of radio broadcast, it ultimately seeks to establish an
independent 24-hour station to meet a demand proven by feedback from audiences,
volunteer presenters, community networks and partner organisations alike for a unique
Bengali-language provision in the East End of London.
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4.3 Management Structure. Details of board, management committee or
equivalent. Please provide details of those individuals who will be responsible
for management and policy-making process, outlining individual roles and
responsibilities. You should detail the number of people involved and explain
their particular roles within the management of the proposed station. Please
also indicate which posts are paid and which are voluntary. Please give details
of which posts are full-time and, in the case of part-time posts, specify the
number of hours expected to be worked each week. A diagram of the
proposed management structure may be helpful.
Betar Bangla is a Company Limited by Guarantee established in 2000. Betar Bangla’s
Board of five Directors meets quarterly. Its Directors include: Golam M Chowdhury. Who is a
full-time paid Executive Director for Betar Bangla, Masud Rahman, Mrs. Meher Ahmed and
Dr. Nazreen Pervin, all of who’s contributions to Betar Bangla are in a voluntary capacity.
Board of Directors:
Golam M Chowdhury: Full-time paid post 35 hours per week
A founder member of Betar Bangla coming from a background in broadcasting and
business, Golam Chowdhury has helped manage and develop Betar Bangla community
radio station since 2000. Responsible for policy development and good procedural practices,
Golam is also responsible for fund-raising, financial control, staffing and overall service
development and management for Betar Bangla.
Md. Masud Rahman: Voluntary (approx. 10 hrs per week)
By profession a youth career advisor who helps presenters to develop their skills and the
qualities of the radio programme broadcasted by Betar Bangla, Masud Rahman also
advises on community engagement issues, music programmes, financial controls and the
accounting responsibilities of Betar Bangla.
Maher Ahmed: Voluntary (approx. 8 hrs per week)
By profession a teacher, Meher is responsible for Betar Bangla’s programme of outreach
and educational awareness for some of the most hard-to-reach members of the British
Bengali community. While supervising and supporting our dynamic team of volunteers, she
is also responsible for ensuring our policies are up-to-date and implemented throughout all
areas of our work.
Nazma Perveen Voluntary (approx. 10 hrs per week)
A health worker within a community GP’s surgery, Nasreen is setting up both a listeners’
club to engage with an address enquiries from listeners about social, health and legal
matters as well as ensuring Betar Bangla is able to tap into a range of expert speakers who
help to address those questions on air. While ensuring marginalised local people are
empowered with the information and awareness to make informed decisions about their
general well-being, her efforts also help raise awareness amongst professionals of the
needs of hard-to-reach listeners within our audiences.
4.4 Staffing Structure. Please provide details of the staffing structure of your
proposed radio service. You should detail the number of people involved and
explain their particular individual roles and responsibilities within the operation
of the proposed station. Please also indicate which posts are paid and which
are voluntary. Please give details of which posts are full-time and, in the case
of part-time posts, specify the number of hours expected to be worked each
week. A diagram of the proposed staffing structure may be helpful.
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Employees of Betar Bangla also include:
Golam M Chowdhury(Executive Director)Full-time- 35 hours per week.
A founder member of Betar Bangla coming from a background in broadcasting and
business, Golam Chowdhury has helped manage and develop Betar Bangla community
radio station since 2000. Responsible for policy development and good procedural practices,
managing station. Golam is also responsible for fund-raising, financial control, staffing and
overall service development and management for Betar Bangla.
Mehedi Hasan (Full-time Office Manager 35 hours per week.)
Mehedi is responsible for the general management of Betar Bangla’s training programme.
While supporting staff and volunteers in the co-ordination of Betar Bangla activities, Mehedi
assesses the needs of trainees coming to our programmes and maintains monitoring and
evaluation records in relation to Betar Bangla’s service delivery achievements. While
liaising with local agencies and ensuring Betar Bangla’s accountability to the public, Mehedi
acts as a first point of contact for enquiries into the nature of services available at Betar
Bangla.
Rupa Chokroparthi (P/t Programme Manager 20 hours per week).
A Bengali lecturer with radio presenting background who is currently completing a PhD in
relation to the history and heritage of the Bengali language, Rupa has brought to Betar
Bangla her previous experience and skills as a radio programmer at the Radio Today station
in Bangladesh.
Tamimus Chowdhury: (Technician, F/t 35 hours per week).
Fourteen years’ practical experience of music and sound recording with social enterprise,
Good practical knowledge of recording programmes including Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Reason,
Recycle, Re-birth, Cubase, Sound Forge, Fruity Loops;
Composition experience of setting up recording facilities.
Freelance trainers, work experience placements, and a large volunteer base of around
86 programme producers and presenters also support the facilitation of Betar Bangla’s
broadcast, cultural and public event services and activities.
The current staffing disposition is understandably a flexible arrangement where members
may undertake a number of roles as situations require (please see diagram below). In the
event of our application being successful, from previous experience of 24 hour operation, we
are acutely aware of the need to develop adequate resources to facilitate the full potential of
the station.
Prospective Staffing Plan
Therefore should the application be successful we would expect to have to capacity build a
number of other operational roles commensurate with the full time operation of a radio
station. These would include depending on funding levels the following, (initially undertaken
on a volunteer or part time basis).
Management
Station Director
Station Managers
Duty Managers
Technicians
Admin/Finance
Volunteer/membership
Marketing/fundraising
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Training
Training Manager
Trainers
Internal verifier (accredited training)
Programme Production
Producers
Presenters
Technicians
Researchers
Marketing assistants
Specialists
Business Advice
Legal Advice
Financial advice
Technical
P/t
Programme
F/t Office
Manager
Current Staffing arrangements
Freelance
Trainers
Board of Directors
Management
Section continues on next page…
Volunteer Presenters, Facilitators of Cultural Activities, Writers and Musicians
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Freelance
Technicians
Voluntary
News
Editor

General Note (Questions 4.5 . 4.15): Ofcom needs to take account of the resources which applicant groups can call upon in order to
establish and operate a proposed community radio service for the duration of the licence period. This means we need information about
set-up funding and costs together with predicted income expenditure once the station becomes operational. The Community Radio
Order 2004 requires that stations be funded from multiple sources with no one source comprising more than 50% of operational income.
4.5 Financial Information - Existing Assets: Ofcom needs to know about your current financial position, what you think it will cost to set up
the proposed service and how much you think it would cost to run over its first year of operation. In addition, we need to know where you expect
funding to come from, and what you would do with any profits that might be made.
What assets does your group already own? Please provide totals at current replacement value
below.
Item: Amount:
Cash at Bank / Building Society etc. £1,560
Studio Equipment £9200
Transmission Equipment £00
Outside Broadcast Equipment £2650
Premises (value of buildings you own) £
Premises (annual rental income you receive) £
Office Items £8700
Other Items Recording Equipments £3600
TOTAL REPLACEMENT VALUE: £25,710
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[If you think it might be helpful, please provide
brief explanatory comments in relation to this
answer below.]

4.6 Financial Information (continued) – Pre-Launch Expenditure: How much do you think you would need to spend in order to set
up your proposed service? (This question relates only to pre-launch capital and other expenditure which you expect to make before
you begin broadcasting. DO NOT include any costs associated with running the proposed service once operational.)
Item Details £s
Premises (including pre-launch rent,
Approx 6 Month
00
refurbishment and fitting out costs etc.): The premises is already refurbished and furnished and
equipped with computers and broadcasting studio. Rent is
already paid from existing funding for training.
Transmission Equipment:
Studio Equipment:
Office Equipment:
Publicity and Marketing (if any):
Staffing (salaries etc.):
Other one off costs launching Radio Station
Working Capital (Contingency Reserves)
Transmission site would be secured as rental basis from
the day of broadcasting.
Studio already exists since 2006.
Betar Bangla office was set up since 2004 with all the
equipment for broadcasting systems and training facilities.
Bengali TV and local news pepper
2 Staff, Admin and project director are being paid from
existing funding for training.
Subject to receiving the licence from Ofcom Betar Bangla
will launch the Radio station with all the volunteers,
presenters and the possible sponsor’s.
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00
00
2000
00
1500
2000
Total set up costs 5500

4.7 Financial Information (continued) – Pre-Launch Income: How would you fund the setting up of your proposed service? Please
provide details below. The total for pre-launch expenditure (above) should be covered by income as detailed below. If you are
proposing to use existing group assets, please make sure that these have already been included under the relevant section (4.5
above). The first section of this question deals only with monetary (cash) income, ('in-kind' income is dealt with in a subsequent
question (4.9)).
Confirmed (secured) Cash Funding:
Details of Funding Provider: Terms and conditions placed on
funding (if any).
Working neighbourhood Fund (WNF)
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
Unconfirmed (not yet secured) Cash Funding:
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
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Amount of Funding
(£s).
Revenue only 2,500 46
Total Cash Capital, Set-Up Funding
and Financial Support:
% of Total
Funding
(Total: 100%)

4.8 Financial Information (continued) – Pre-Launch Contingency: If there is shortfall
in the resources above when compared to the amount you are intending to
spend on preparing your proposed station for launch, please explain below how you
would cover any outstanding costs. Alternatively, if you expect to have a surplus
when the station is ready to launch please explain what you intend to do with such
additional resources.
Funding is confirmed from Local Council, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and also from Media partners. Betar Bangla saved a portion of money
for pre-launched event.
4.9 Financial Information (continued) – Pre-Launch 'In-Kind' Support: What 'in-kind' support (e.g. equipment or services donated
to you) do you expect to obtain which would help you set up your proposed service? Please provide details below. In the table
below, you should value such non-monetary support at the cost you would otherwise expect to have to pay for it.
Confirmed (secured) 'In-Kind' Support
Details of 'In-Kind' Support Provider: Terms and conditions placed on this 'inkind'
support (if any).
Bangladeshi TV channel S, ATN Bangla, Weekly
Bangladesh and Bangla Mirror.
Betar Bangla’s own revenue
Volunteer’s contribution (in kind)
As a media partner to exchange
advertisement among each other.
Unconfirmed (not yet secured) 'In-Kind' Support
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Estimated
equivalent
value of
support (£s).
2000 36
600 11
400 7
For each item
please show
% of total 'inkind'
support
Total 'In-Kind' Capital and Set-Up Support: (Total 100%)

4.10 Financial Information (continued) – First Year Operational Expenses: How much do you think it would cost to operate your
proposed service for the first year? This question relates only to operational expenditure once your proposed service has begun
broadcasting. DO NOT include any capital or other pre-launch costs associated with establishing the proposed service.
OUTGOINGS Notes
Items:
Please include any additional information that you think might be
helpful below:
Year 1 Totals (£s)
Hp / Leasing
General and Administration 14,000
- Staff 48,000
- Premises 8,800
- Legal and Professional 1,000
- Establishment/overheads
Engineering
12,000
- Transmitter operating costs 36,000
- Other (specify)BT Link 4,000
Programming 20,000
- Copyright fees 3,500
- Music library
- Acquired programming
2,500
- News service 2,400
- Other (specify)Training cost 9,600
Sales cost / commissions 1,800
Marketing and promotion
Audience research
Others (These MUST be specified)
4,000
Volunteers cost 2,400
Total Outgoings 170,000
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4.11 Financial Information (continued): How do you expect to fund your proposed service during its first year of operation? Please
provide details below. The total for of first year operational expenditure (above) should be covered by income as detailed below. If
you are proposing to use existing group assets, please make sure that these have already been included under the relevant
section (4.5 above). The first section of this question deals only with financial (monetary) income, ('in-kind' income is dealt with in a
subsequent question (4.13)).
Details of Funding Provider:
Confirmed (secured) Cash Funding:
Terms and conditions placed on funding (if any). Amount of % of Total
Funding (£s). Funding
Working neighbourhood Fund (WNF) Revenue only 20,000 12%
Corporate Match Funding, LBTH Revenue only 25,000 15%
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
Unconfirmed (not yet secured) Cash Funding:
Working neighbourhood Fund (WNF) Revenue only 40,000 23%
Media Box Revenue only 9,500 6%
Arts Council London Revenue only 8,700 5%
Awards for All Revenue only 8,800 5%
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
,
On-air spot advertising 37,440 22%
Programme sponsorship 12,000 7%
Commercial revenues from off-air activities 2,400 1%
'In-house' non-commercial revenues
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
In kind 4% will add
Total First Year Income and Revenue Funding:
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170,000 (Total
96%)

4.12 Financial Information (continued) Operational Contingency: If there is short-fall in the resources above when compared to
the amount you are expecting to spend during the first year of operation of your proposed station, please explain below how you
would cover any outstanding costs. Alternatively, if you expect to have generated a surplus at the end of your first year of
operations, please explain what you intend to do with such additional resources.
We have sought to provide a realistic and prudent projection for first year of operation., Based on our experience of funding sources and the
potential cash flow implications that can result in delayed payments we would expect to cut back on potential staffing costs if necessary, seek to
develop potential for additional funding streams as a matter of course and look at the potential for more activity in the area of income generating
events in support of the core costs of operation. It is indeed our hope that we may exceed projections in terms of associated income which, in the
case of any potential surplus would be put to good use in the further development of the service provided to our listeners and contributors as well
as fund potential additional staff.
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4.13 Financial Information (continued) First Year 'In-Kind' Support: What 'in-kind' support (e.g. equipment or services donated to
you) do you expected to obtain which would assist you in running the proposed service during its first year of operation. Please
provide details below. In the table below, you should value such non-monetary support at the cost you would otherwise expect to
have to pay for it.
Confirmed (secured) 'In-Kind' Support
Details of 'In-Kind' Support Provider: Terms and conditions placed on this
'in-kind' support (if any).
Programming
Programme produced in house by
volunteers.
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
Unconfirmed (not yet secured) 'In-Kind' Support
[Please add rows to the above as may be required.]
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Estimated
equivalent
value of
support (£s).
6,160 4%
For each item please
show % of total 'inkind'
support
Total Value of First Year 'In-Kind' Support: (Total 4%)

SECTION FOUR: Ability to Maintain Service (continued).
4.14 On-Air Commercial Activities (see also Section 4.11 above): The
legislation for Community Radio places limits on the amount of on-air paid
for spot advertising and programme sponsorship that can be generated. No
Community Radio station may generate more than 50% of required
operational income from these two sources taken together. There are also
additional restrictions, in particular relating to areas where small scale
commercial broadcasters operate. More detailed information is available in
the Notes of Guidance for Community Radio Licence Applicants and
Licensees available at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/.
Please provide answers for each question, giving details where appropriate.
During your first year of broadcasting would your proposed station carry on-air spot
advertising?
Yes
If you have answered 'No' to the above question, might your proposed service seek
to carry on-air spot advertising at a later date?
n/a
During your first year of broadcasting would your proposed station carry on-air
programme sponsorship?
Yes
If you have answered 'No' to the above question, might your proposed service seek
to carry on-air programme sponsorship at a later date?
n/a
4.15 Loans: If any of your proposed funding (either set-up or operational) is in
the form of loans from directors, individuals or organisations associated with
the applicant. Please provide details as to the terms of such loans including
the expected repayment terms interest rate charged and any other
associated costs.
n/a
4.16 Alternative Funding Streams: What arrangements are in place in case
your expected income streams (non-commercial and commercial) do not
achieve the anticipated levels? What other options have you explored that
might provide financial and / or 'in-kind' support for your proposed service?
If you have proposals for expanding and / or changing the funding model of
your proposed service after the first year of operation, please also provide
details below:
Betar Bangla seeks to finance its activities through a combination of commercial
revenue based on advertising and sponsorship from local businesses and statutory
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odies interested in reaching an audience of British-Bangladeshi origins and through
fund-raising from private charities and statutory sources to support social elements of
our work in particular.
We are confident of achieving the levels stated as our projections are based on nine
years’ of fund-raising and trading experience as well as audience market findings
based on our 28-day RSL pilot project experience earlier this year.
SECTION FIVE: Engineering.
Section 105(1)(a) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act requires that when considering a
licence application Ofcom takes into account the applicant's ability to maintain the
proposed service. In addition to the structural, financial and other matters dealt with
in the previous section of this application form, Ofcom also needs detailed
information about your engineering and transmission proposals. In order to identify a
suitable frequency for your proposed service, Ofcom needs detailed technical
proposals about your transmission parameters. The following questions must be
answered accurately and in full. Requested maps and photographs etc. must
be supplied with your application. Ofcom reserves the right to reject your
application if you provide incomplete or inaccurate technical information.
5.1 Waveband. Please state whether this application is for an FM or an AM
licence. Please also state if you are willing to accept the alternative type of
licence should your first choice be unavailable. Please note that if you are
willing to accept either FM or AM you must provide technical details for both
options, as well as providing relevant financial information under Section Four
of this document.
This application is for an FM licence No
This application is for an AM licence Yes
Should the first choice of waveband be unavailable, this applicant is willing to accept
a frequency on the alternative wave- band. [Yes] (but not available for area)
5.2 Please provide a description of your proposed transmission site. Please
describe the type of building or structure, explaining its current use. Please
also tell us if this location is an existing transmission site and tell us who owns
it.
The proposed site is an existing transmission site owned by Alice Soundtech Ltd and
currently operates as a site for Premier Radio (1332 kHz), and was previously
approved by Ofcom for use by Sound Radio, a licensed Community Radio station
operating on 1503 kHz. who transmitted from the site until June 30 th 2007. If
agreeable we would wish to propose the use of this frequency (1503) as the site is
already engineered for such. As Ofcom will be aware there is currently a secure
structure at the site which houses TX equipment and power supply within a fenced
area of land which also incorporates the Mast and radials. Adjacent and bordering
the property is a railway line and canal. It is proposed that the site as described
house the proposed service.
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5.3 Please provide an NGR (National Grid Reference) for your proposed
transmitter site. This must be in the format of two letters followed by two
groups of three numbers, for example, the grid reference of Ofcom's
Riverside House in London is TQ 322 804. (Ordnance Survey maps provide
details of how to determine a National Grid Reference, and further information
can be found at:
http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/gi/nationalgrid/nationalgrid.pdf )
TQ 374 834 00W01’08” 51N31’55”
5.4 Site Details. Please provide the name and contact details of the site owner
together with the address of the proposed site itself. You MUST include the
postcode of your proposed site. Applicants should be aware that any
subsequent change of site location (even moving less than one kilometre)
may mean that a frequency proposed by Ofcom for the proposed service may
cease to be usable. If a suitable frequency cannot be secured for use at the
alternative site, the proposed service may not be allowed to broadcast.
Name and contact details of site owner:
Mr A Gemmel-Smith, Alice Soundtech Ltd, Unit 34D, Hobbs Industrial Estate,
Newchapel, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6HN.
Address and post code of proposed transmitter site:
Pudding Mill Lane, London, E15 2PJ
Site Availability. Please tick those boxes below which best describe your group's
situation regarding its proposed transmitter site.
Site Identified: [Yes]
Agreement in Place: [Yes] in principle subject to license being granted
Under Negotiation: [Yes] see above
Group Owns Site: [No]
Site not yet identified: No] identified as above
5.5 Please supply a map (or 2 x maps) showing the location of your proposed
transmitter site and the coverage which you expect to achieve from a
transmitter at this location. (Scale of minimum detail 1:25000.)
Transmission site map supplied: [Yes OFCOM map for previous
service
Coverage prediction map supplied [Yes]
Also found at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/mcamaps/cr062.pdf
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5.6 Please provide photographs of your proposed transmitter site. Ofcom
needs to know what your proposed transmitter site looks like and where it is
situated in relation to other buildings and structures nearby. Please make
sure that you indicate clearly the proposed location of your transmitter
antenna(s).
Photograph(s) supplied: [No] BUT on file at Ofcom as existing site,
(current photographs not available due to Olympic Stadium Building works
Number of photographs provided = see above
5.7 Antenna Details. For FM licences, what is the height above ground level at
which the transmitting aerial would be sited? For AM licences, what is the
height of the transmitting antenna? Please confirm your assumed height of
the ground above ordnance datum (i.e. sea level) for this site. (All heights
must be given in metres, not feet).
(a) FM – Height of Antenna above Ground Level in metres.
Not applicable
(b) FM – Total Height of mast or other structure in metres.
Not applicable
(c) AM – Height of Transmitting Antenna in metres.
51 metres
(d) AM & FM – Assumed height of local ground above sea level in metres.
7 metres
5.8 Radiated Power. What assumptions are you making about radiated power
(for FM in either or both planes of polarisation), including the extent to which
this may vary in different directions away from the transmitter? Please
complete the appropriate sections below.
(a) If you are proposing to operate on AM, please give the Effective Monopole
Radiated Power (EMRP) level you expect to need in order to cover your
proposed service area.
We would be happy to operate at the previously Ofcom approved level as per
previous licensee (CR062)
i.e.
Class of Emission 20K0A3EGN
20 (dBW)
kW in direction of maximum strength (0.1 kW HP, kW VP)
(b) If you are proposing to operate on FM, please give the Effective Radiated
Power (ERP) level you expect to need in order to cover your proposed service
area. (Vertical Polarisation). Note: In urban areas the maximum erp available
will be 25 Watts.
Not applicable
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(c) If you are proposing to operate on FM, please give the Effective Radiated
Power (ERP) level you expect to need in order to cover your proposed service
area. (Horizontal Polarisation) (if used). Note: In urban areas the maximum
erp available will be 25 Watts.
Not applicable
(d) Radiation (polar) Pattern. Please indicate whether you will be using a
directional or omni-directional antenna system. If you propose to use a
directional antenna system, you must enclose horizontal radiation diagram(s),
for the vertically polarised signal component, as well as for the horizontally
polarised signal component if this is to be used.
Omni-directional antenna(s) to be used? Not applicable
Directional antenna(s) to be used? Not applicable
If directional, then horizontal radiation diagram(s), for the vertically polarised signal
component, enclosed? Not applicable
If directional, then horizontal radiation diagram(s), for the horizontally polarised signal
component enclosed if used? Not applicable
5.9 Engineering Compliance, Transmitter Maintenance and Repair. Please
provide details of the person within the applicant group who will be
responsible for supervising or undertaking transmitter installation and
maintenance (and for ensuring ongoing compliance with Ofcom's Engineering
Code). If an outside contractor will be employed, please state who this is
expected to be. Explain also the method by which you intend to provide a
monitoring-point to allow for regulatory compliance checks by Ofcom
engineers. If it is planned to use in-house resources, indicated test equipment
available and show how important parameters of the signal will be monitored
and controlled.
Engineering compliance, TX maintenance and repair will be provided by the site
owner and TX supplier Alice Soundtech Ltd. The supplier will be familiar with the
procedures and requirements of Ofcom and it is expected that they will provide all
necessary monitoring points as may be required during the life of the proposed
service.
5.10 Principal Transmission Equipment. Ofcom needs to ensure that your
proposed transmission equipment is able to meet regulatory performance
requirements. Please list the principal items (where possible including details
of make and model). Give the maximum power output capability of the
transmitter and include information about how you propose to keep your
broadcast signal within regulatory limits.
Please list principal items of transmission equipment, together with manufacturer's
names and model numbers.
Should the license application be successful it is expected that the site owner will at
that time and prior to Transmission provide Ofcom with a full itinerary of equipment
suitable for compliance with pertinent engineering codes, defined output and signal
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levels as indicated previously in this section and any other technical assurances that
may be required. It is expected that the site owner and TX supplier being an
experienced professional transmission provider (familiar with and to Ofcom) will
provide all the appropriate equipment and all necessary regulatory assurances with
regard signal quality, strength and monitoring.
Please state the maximum power output capability of your transmitter and include
information about how you propose to keep your broadcast signal within regulatory
limits.
In keeping with the previous question it is expected that the choice of transmission
equipment providing outputs within the limits sanctioned by Ofcom engineering codes
is properly a technical issue to be resolved by the supplier, with Ofcom agreement,
prior to going on air following notification of a successful application. It is understood
in the context of the engineering required in AM radio wave propagation, particularly
on a shared mast, that there will be not be the same relative flexibility that might
otherwise be associated with “in house” FM TX systems. The supplier alone would
be in a position to control the engineering output levels and it would not be in their
interests to knowingly put at jeopardy their professional/legal position with both the
regulator (Ofcom) and ourselves (the applicants) as the potential license holders.
Should you require any further assurances with regard this matter we would of
course be happy to provide them.
5.11 Stereo transmissions. In the case of FM transmissions, provided a suitable
frequency resource can be identified, does your group intend to broadcast in stereo?
Broadcasts in stereo? Not applicable
5.12 RDS. Please state whether you plan to transmit a Radio Data System
identification signal (RDS) in your broadcast transmissions (Please Note: RDS can
only be transmitted by FM services allowed to broadcast in stereo).
RDS data to be broadcast? Not applicable
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SECTION SIX: Programming Output.
Section 105(1) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act has two provisions which relate
specifically to the programme output of Community Radio services. Section
105(1)(b) of the Act requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom
takes into account the extent to which the applicant's proposals would cater for the
tastes and interests of members of its target community (or communities), whilst
Section 105(1)(c) requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom
takes into account the extent to which the applicant's proposals would broaden the
range of programmes available by way of local services in the area concerned.
Before considering these two specific requirements, Ofcom needs to have a
detailed understanding of the community (or communities) your proposed station
would serve and of the programming service you propose to provide. Please
answer the following questions, considering your answers in relation to the above
requirements of the Act.
The Community Radio Order 2004 defines a ‘community’ as:
(a) the persons who live or work or undergo education or training in a particular
area or locality,
or,
(b) persons who (whether or not they fall within paragraph (a)) have one or more
interests or characteristics in common.
6.1 Target Community (or Target Communities) and Community
Demographics. Please provide an outline definition of the community /
communities you are proposing to serve. Please then include demographic
information including:
(a) Where they live,
(b) The size of the population concerned,
(c) Socio-economic information (for example include details of the makeup of
the population as a whole within the area to which you propose
broadcasting).
Betar Bangla seeks to engage with people of, or with an interest in, issues relating
to East London’s British Bengali heritage from a range of age groups, social and
educational backgrounds, cultural and economic interests.
According to London Borough of Tower Hamlets 2008 figures, research indicates that
there are over 150,000 Bengali people living in east London. In the London Borough
of Tower Hamlets, where the heart of this community and our own radio station base
lies, of total 78,839 residents.50% of this community which experiences some of the
highest levels of social deprivation such as female mortality, physical and mental
disability, unemployment and low educational achievement, is represented by young
people under the age of 25,
The surrounded boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Lewisham areas indicated also
represented by smaller numbers of residents of British-Bengali heritage who are
anticipated to experience similar levels of social deprivation.
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Map of The Borough of Tower Hamlets :
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH) is divided into 19 wards covering
172,000 people covering 11 sq. km It has been for hundreds of years home to
immigrant communities, who have helped build London’s prosperity and added to its
rich cultural heritage.
According to the borough’s Regeneration Strategy, LBTH is home to one of London’s
the fastest-growing economic areas with a growth in housing, creative and financial
sectors complementing.
The borough’s British-Bangladeshi community makes up 26% of the population, or
approximately 45,000 people, 49% of whom are under 15 years of age. Other key
socio-economic data reveals that with the exception of Hackney, its neighbouring
borough, Tower Hamlets has the highest rate of male unemployment. Our services
therefore are particularly relevant for this social and demographic sector and
complement the borough’s ambition of helping local residents find jobs and succeed
in the knowledge-driven economy’ 1
so as to create partnerships and share
prosperity.
6.2 Programme Service. Please provide a brief overview as to the nature of
your proposed community radio service. Outline in general terms the
approach and objectives of the programme service, the broad format and
content to be provided.
Betar Bangla aims to address the needs, tastes and interests of the Bengali
community in East End London by providing news, information, education and
entertainment and by encouraging community participation.
Betar Bangla aims to raise awareness and understanding of the Bengali language,
culture and history amongst the local community. It will also provide a platform for
social inclusion, equality, and community development by actively promoting
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communal harmony among Bengali people of the Muslim, Hindu, Christian and
Buddhist faiths and between Bengali people and other nationalities.
Betar Bangla will broadcast in as many dialects of Bangladeshi as possible so as to
reflect its many forms. There are no other local radio stations dedicated to serving
the Bengali community. Betar Bangla Radio is distinctly different from the Asian
local commercial radio services receivable in the area.
A flavour of our proposed programme schedule is attached in the appendix of this
document.
6.3 Broadcast Hours. Please detail the number of hours of programme output
you plan on broadcasting each day. If these differ between, for example,
between week days and weekends, please provide details. Please let us
know to what extent (if any) you are planning to repeat the transmission of
particular output at differing times of day. If the number of hours broadcast
is expected to increase over the licence period, please provide details.
In the first year of operations, Betar Bangla plans to broadcast programming starting
07:00 am and ends at 01:00 am,18 hours of live programme and 01:00 am to 07:00
am, 6 hours of pre-recorded output on a seven-day-a-week basis as detailed
elsewhere in this application.
It is anticipated that the proposed schedule may vary slightly over time according to
the changing interests and demands of existing and new local listeners, radio
presenters and programmers who’s views are reviewed on a quarterly basis by the
Management Committee of Betar Bangla.
6.4 Amount of locally produced output included. How many hours per day is
station output expected to be produced locally? Please, detail when during
the day such output would normally be broadcast. (If the amount of locally
broadcast material varies between week-days and the weekend please
explain this in your answer.)
In keeping with learning points arising over a six year period of broadcasting
experiences with Sound radio, NUSound radio and our own RSL pilot project, Betar
Bangla seeks to produce 15 hours of locally produced programmes per day.
Additional daily external input will also include:
• 4 x 15 minute news programmes from Bangladesh, equal to 1 hour
• 2 hours of international documentary programmes procured from European
countries with substantial populations of Bengali heritage;
• 6 hours of pre-recorded late night entertainment will also cover our overnight
sustaining service.
6.5 Details of Third party Programming Sources. Please provide information
about any third-party programming output which you expect to broadcast.
(This might for example include a news service, overnight sustaining service,
or programming made by independent groups or community organisations.)
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Betar Bangla will appoint a journalist for news procurement in Bangladesh on a daily
basis so that our current affairs programmes remain fresh and relevant to listeners
with an interest in their original homeland. News broadcasts will include 15 minute
slots of national and international interest every 6 hours daily.
We would hope with the approval of OFCOM and in agreement with BBC World
Service to re- broadcast their Bengali language News programme (30 minutes daily)
to the local community; this is currently only available on the Short Wave band.
We will also broadcast pre-recorded programme produced by other local cultural
organisations so as to encourage wider participation in our programming schedule
and as part of our 6 hour overnight sustaining service.
All such programmes will be verified by our internal programme manager before
going on air, to ensure commentary and entertainment is in keeping with guidelines
set out by Ofcom and our own policies and ethos of good practice in equal
opportunity and inclusive community participation.
International documentary programmes procured from European countries with
populations of Bengali heritage will also be broadcast.
6.6 Music and Speech Balance. Please provide the expected ratio of music to
speech-based output of your proposed Community Radio service. If this
varies over a 24 hour period please give details. In addition if you expect to
alter this ratio over the course of a five year licence please give details of
such expected changes (for example if you expect to begin with limited
amounts of speech content that may expand later on in the lifetime of a
licence award period).
We intend to create a 60-40 % balance of music to speech-based output in our
proposed community radio programme according to demand.
6.7 Type(s) of music output included. Please give details of the type(s) of
music that you intend to include in your broadcasts. If you intend to provide
more than one type of music (for example if you will be including specialist
music programmes for different genres), please provide a percentage breakdown
of expected music output by genre, and, where appropriate, by
expected scheduling times. (The percentages given should be expressed in
terms of total station output and not as a percentage of music output only.)
Betar Bangla’s programme of musical entertainment will be predominantly of
Bengali origin and will include contemporary fusions created by young people as well
as traditional and folk songs, spiritual and classical music including, Ghazals and
Baul.
Betar Bangla has built up an extensive and unique collection of Bangladeshi musical
genres to ensure its music output is distinctly different from any other local radio
station.
Our musical programme will also incorporate a range of:
Morning : 7am – 12pm : Traditional Bangladeshi music in the vein of Nazrul and
Tagore;
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Afternoon Programme 12pm – 4pm : Live British-Bengali youth music including
rap, garage and techno fusions, world and folk music, folk music, Dhaka Bollywood.
Evening 4pm – 8pm : Youth music programme, Band Music, Bangladeshi film
music, Bengali Western Music, Bengali traditional and folk.
Late Night 8pm – 1am :
• World music of Bengali heritage;
• Classical Bengali genres;
• British-Bangladeshi youth rap, house and garage music;
• Folk music including Baul and tribal traditions;
• Traditional Bengali instrumentals;
• Popular contemporary Bangladeshi film music;
• Modern British-Bengali fusions.
Fort further details please see our programming schedule attached.
6.8 Type(s) of speech output included. Please provide a percentage breakdown
of expected speech output by type, (for example discussion
programmes, news, documentaries, interviews etc.), and, where appropriate,
by expected scheduling times. (The percentages given should be expressed
in terms of total station output and not as a percentage of speech output
only.)
Morning: 7am – 12pm
In addition to programmes of musical interest, our locally-produced
programmes are particularly geared in the morning towards home-based
women who are carers or work at home, and will include educational programme
of interest to people from a range of faith backgrounds in the afternoon and evenings.
A sample programme would include:
• Health awareness for women;
• Current and cultural events;
• Children’s health, safety and education;
• National and international news;
• Weather and travel news.
Afternoon Programme: 12pm – 4pm
• Discussions on Bengali life-style trends;
• Know your rights: topics including benefits, health and immigration;
• National and international news;
• Road safety, household safety;
• Weather and travel news...
Evening: 4pm – 8pm
• Youth music and contemporary culture;
• Current events;
• Interviews with local leaders and politicians;
• National and international news;
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• Weather and travel news..
Night: 8pm – 1am
• News and current affairs;
• Phone-in debates;
• Cultural programmes including interviews and documentary features;
• Social issues;
• 16-25 year-old young men and women’s programme;
• Dekta Chai for people with visual impairments; (3%),
• Drama, poetry and literature;
• National and international news;
• Weather and travel news.
6.9 Automated Output. Please provide details of any automated output. These
should include information about any whole programmes or lengthy
sequences which will be originated locally yet be wholly automated or prerecorded,
and not reliant upon the presence of a presenter. Indicate the
scheduling, duration and method of provision of such output (e.g. play-out
system or satellite delivery etc.).
All automated programmes will be pre-recorded by Betar Bangla presenters and
divided into three slots of different type of music with the station ID.
All programming is locally originated. The automated service between 1am – 7am is
based on pre-recorded Bengali music from Betar Bangla own archive. During
festivals and key important events, the automated service may also be reduced to
include automatic live programming so as to engage with and air the views of wider
audiences on the streets and at venues where we meet existing and new potential
audiences on a face-to-face basis.
6.10 Broadcast Languages(s). Please list the languages you intend to
broadcast in. Where broadcasts will be in more than one language, please
give details of expected percentage amounts of programming and proposed
time(s) of scheduling in each language.
We will broadcast in Bengali, English, Sylheti dialect and, according to demand, in
other minority ethnic languages of the locality such as Somali, Urdu and Hindi.
6.10 Tastes and Interests. Section 105(1)(b) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act
requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom takes into
account the extent to which the applicant's proposals would cater for the
tastes and interests of members of its target community (or communities).
When answering this question, please include findings from any research
undertaken amongst members of your target community (or communities)
together with any other information which demonstrates your understanding
of their tastes and interests. You should also provide evidence as to why
your proposed programming (as previously described above) would be
relevant and cater for such tastes and interests.
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Betar Bangla seeks to provide a range of contemporary entertainment, music,
poetry and drama to address the interests of people of British-Bengali heritage from a
range of backgrounds, as well as news, public information services, current affairs
and cultural interviews, documentaries and phone-in shows to engage with some of
the most isolated, culturally, socially and economically marginalised residents in the
UK.
In the absence of any other broadcast service in standard Bengali and Sylheti
dialects in Britain alone, this service is invaluable amongst those people who can
benefit from both awareness-raising information and entertainment.
Our strength, however, lies in our unique track record of catering for a wide range of
audiences and service users ranging from our young contemporary Deshi Sounds
programmers who’s cultural fusion of music is popular within a community where
over 50% are under the age of 25, while our music, poetry, drama and folk music
groups introduce new musical and documentary genres ranging from Baul and tribal
traditions, traditional Bengali instrumentals, popular contemporary Bangladeshi film
music and current affairs which young and older people of British and British-Bengali
heritage might not access elsewhere. Similarly callers to our station during our
broadcasting period with Sound Radio, NUSOUND radio and our own RSL period,
point towards the popularity of public awareness programmes addressing issues of
health, child safety, education, benefits and local cultural events.
Given that Betar Bangla has developed a range of means through which existing
and new potential audiences can engage with and inform the nature of our services,
we are committed to a designing our ongoing schedule of programming according to
the interests and choices of our current and future potential target audiences.
6.11 Different and Distinct. Section 105(1)(c) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act
requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom takes into
account the extent to which the applicant's proposals would broaden the
range of programmes available by way of local services in the area
concerned.
How will your proposed community radio service be different and distinct
from existing (non-BBC) local radio services in the area concerned (both
local commercial stations and any existing community stations), and how will
it broaden the range of programming offered in the locality? In addition,
please explain how your proposed service will be of a nature or deliver
content distinct from that of any other local service with which it overlaps by
fifty per cent or more in terms of population. Please Note: Ofcom makes
available coverage maps of its permanent licensed analogue commercial
radio services on its web-site at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/amfm/analogue-main.htm
If you think that your proposed service may also overlap the coverage of an
existing Community Radio service by more than fifty percent in terms of
population, you may not be able to check this on Ofcom's web-site. Instead,
you may contact Ofcom's Community Radio Team for further information.
Betar Bangla is unique in proposing a community radio service facilitated in Bengali
and Sylheti language which is accessible to a potential population of 150,000 British-
Bengali listeners in East End(Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham) not serviced by
Bengali language radio elsewhere in Britain.
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No commercial or community radio station at present is tailored to address British-
Bangladeshi community concerns. While stations such as Sunrise, Akash and Club
Asia address the interests of Asian communities of Indian extraction, none are
tailored to the cultural and linguistic needs of our target group in the East End of
London. While Club Asia is a London-wide Asian commercial music station oriented
to the Asian youth market, Sunrise Radio features mainstream Asian music and
principally broadcasts in Hindi, Urdu and English.
By airing the views and addressing the concerns and interests of a community which
experiences some of the highest levels of social and economic deprivation in the UK
including some of the highest rates of female mortality, disability, academic failure,
unemployment, housing over-crowding and low-incomes through awareness-raising
programmes, social and cultural debates, we will create a new forum for public
discussion amongst a key black and minority ethnic community who’s voices are
largely overlooked by mainstream broadcasting bodies in Britain.
SECTION SEVEN: Evidence of Demand and Support.
Section 105(1)(d) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act requires that, when considering a
licence application, Ofcom takes into account the extent of local demand for, or
support for the provision of the proposed service. Ofcom needs information about
the range and scope of demand and support which you have identified for your
proposed service. This can include a variety of information, for example: letters from
statutory or voluntary sector organisations which expect to contribute practically and
/ or financially to your operations, or which would expect to collaborate with you in
joint activities; evidence of interest in your service generated through RSL activities;
results of research; letters of support from local politicians, educational or religious
bodies etc.; support from the business sector etc. Please Note:
It is for applicants to decide what evidence of support they wish to submit. However,
Ofcom does not believe that generic support for the establishment of a new radio
service is as meaningful as evidence of considered support for a specific applicant's
proposals. This means that Ofcom does not attach great value to numerous
examples of similar generic or form letters of support generated by your group. The
submission of promotional videos and / or other supplementary promotional material
is strongly discouraged.
7.1 Evidence of Demand / Support. Please provide a summary of evidence of
demand and / or support for your proposed service. Copies of letters or
research reports etc. should be submitted in separate appendices, which will
not be published. However, your response here may include brief relevant
extracts from such material and must represent an accurate and
comprehensive summary of any such supporting evidence.
During it’s time broadcasting on SOUND RADIO 1503 AM the level of feedback via
phone in – exceeded all expectations – Bangla programming produced a peak of
over 50 callers per hour for popular interactive programmes – which may indeed
have been more given an over stretched phone system. When we ceased broadcast
on SOUND RADIO 1503 AM in the period prior to broadcast on Nusound we were
inundated with calls from our listener ship as to when we would be back on air. We
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include a supporting letter from the then Director of Sound Radio, Mr Lol Gellor, to
confirm the popularity and clear support/response Bangla programming attracted. In
his letter Mr Gellor says “ It was clear from an early stage that there is
tremendous demand for Bengali programmes, notably they have a negligible
presence on other Asian broadcast platforms, the desire for news and
particularly the desire for cultural expression, especially via phone in – was
phenomenal – well in excess of anything one could have expected – on some
programmes the phone system was in melt down!*
During broadcasting period in Sound Radio and NUSOUND radio we took live
interview from labour party, member of parliament Una King, jim Fitzpatrick, from
respect party gorge galloway from conservative party shafi chaowdhury liberal
democrat saiyad nurul.
In April 2009 Betar Bangla was awarded a 28-day Restricted Service License and
facilitated a pilot 24-hour programme featuring news presenters, live-phone-ins,
poetry recitals, drama productions, musical entertainment and interviews with
individual of local community interest including writers, artists, singers, grass-root
community workers and visitors from other countries who provided lively discussions
and informative debates on topics of current issues.
Emails, telephone calls and visits from members of the public point towards a strong
interest from our target audience of local people of British-Bengali heritage in the
ongoing facilitation of such services. Copies of emails and letters of support attached
in the appendix of this document demonstrate a general interest in our services both
from a wider public as well as from local politicians, community groups and
individuals.
Feedback and signatures collected from some 500 individuals from our target
audience at street events including East London’s Boishaki Mela and Curry Festivals
also point towards a strong interest in the continued facilitation of this service.
All emails and supporting letters are attached with the applications.
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SECTION EIGHT: Delivering 'Social Gain'.
Section 105(1)(e) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act, as modified by the Community
Radio Order 2004, requires that every applicant for a community radio service must
demonstrate that the proposed service would be provided primarily for the good of
members of the public, or of the target community, and in order to deliver 'social
gain' (both on air as part of its broadcast output and through other activities).
Applicants must provide evidence that their proposed service would result in the
delivery of significant social gain to the public, or the target community. In addition,
when deciding whether or to whom to award a community radio licence, one of the
criteria to which Ofcom must have regard is the extent to which the proposed
service would result in the delivery of social gain to the target community. The
Community Radio Order lists four mandatory social gain objectives and a further
(non-exhaustive) list of seven other social gain objectives that may be applicable.
Please use the first three questions in this section (boxes 8.1 to 8.3) to answer
general questions about how the applicant proposes to serve its target community.
Explain (in boxes 8.4 to 8.7 below) how you propose to meet the four mandatory
social gain objectives and explain (in box 8.8 below) what additional social gain
objectives (if any) you intend to include as social gain objectives for your proposed
service. For each of the objectives, please specify the nature of the targets involved
and outline how you expect these to be achieved.
Finally, this section of the application form also gives applicants the opportunity to
detail other forms of community involvement (boxes 8.9 to 8.11).
8.1 Addressing Community Needs. Please give a general overview of how,
through the delivery of 'social gain' and other non-broadcast activities, you
propose to ensure that your service will address community needs.
Betar Bangla aims to raise awareness and understanding of the Bengali language,
culture and history amongst local people who have an interest in topical British-
Bengali interests. It will do so, as detailed elsewhere in this application, through
programming which invites active participation from listeners from a range of
backgrounds as well as through a programme of training and station management
which invites active participation from volunteers. As described elsewhere in this
application, Betar Bangla also supports a range of cultural initiatives, interest groups
and events both directly under its auspices and in partnership with other
organizations.
It will provide a platform for social inclusion, equality, and community development by
actively promoting inclusion of volunteers, programmers and residents from Muslim,
Hindu, Christian and Buddhist faiths and individuals from a range of nationalities and
by ensuring it broadcasts in a range of Bengali dialects to reflect the language and
nation’s regional and ethnic diversity.
Betar Bangla also seeks to engage with a wide range of East London residents of
British-Bengali heritage by addressing their needs and interests through the provision
of news, information, education and entertainment and encouraging direct community
participation.
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8.2 Targets and Milestones. List key specific objectives of your proposed
service. Highlight key stages detailing what is expected to be achieved, how
it will be achieved, with dates and any review process to monitor/alter
objectives for the first year of operation. Please state how objectives will be
reviewed and developed. Please use clearly phrased bullet points, for
example:
● "Providing (xx number) work placements / training places for target groups
within (xx months) through liaison with (xx) organisation"
● "Reviews by community panels and questionnaires etc."
● "Quarterly in-house assessments of targets."
Betar Bangla’s targets and milestones for its first year of operation are as follows:
Content Targets
To provide 18 hours a day of live programming and 6 hours per day of automated
programming;
To provide standard Bengali and dialect broadcast for local residents of British-
Bengali heritage and a 70:30 ratio of music to speech programming;
• providing coverage of community organisations within the Bengali community.
• broadcast material from local councils and other appropriate local bodies.
• broadcast an average of 4 community announcements per day.
• broadcast content to mark the events and festivals of the Bengali community
Output Targets
To provide training in radio, computing and basic skills to target groups
• 2 times 32-week accredited radio training courses per year for 6 people each
• media training for 20 young people aged 10-18 years for 30 hours each
• 40 ‘taster’ training sessions for young people, senior citizens and women
• 75 volunteering opportunities in programme making and operations
• 12 work experience placements per year for students and young people.
4. To engage in outreach to the community –
• maintain links with sports clubs, community organisations and faith groups.
• maintain links with local authorities, schools and colleges
• maintain links with cultural organisations in the Panjabi community
Management review
5. To ensure effective monitoring and review
• quarterly members meetings to provide advice and guidance
• quarterly monitoring of targets by the Board of Directors
• annual report on achievements and community benefit
• annual general meeting open to members, staff, volunteers and the public
Management Targets
Validate listener levels for third party income streams i.e. service level agreements
local authority, spot advertising, and sponsorship
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Listener Targets
Interactive
Active
8.3 Numbers Involved. Include information about access by the community to
the station. For example include projections of the number of training,
voluntary, and paid employment places provided. If numbers are expected to
increase over time, please give estimates of the predicted increases and of
the particular timescales involved.
Betar Bangla takes pride in its ability to meet the needs of user groups from a wide
range of age groups, social backgrounds, physical abilities and training. As detailed
elsewhere in this application, it engages with individuals through a combination of
face-to-face outreach, digital and paper publicity and involves service-users in the
management, programming, presentation and service development both as unpaid
Management Committee members, staff, volunteers, work experience trainees,
listeners, callers and guests.
Estimates of beneficiary participation detailed below are based on our previous
performance in community engagement activities and projects of Betar Bangla’s
future potential with a raised profile as a 24-hour 7-day-a-week community radio
station serving east London’s community of British-Bengali heritage.
Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5
Listener calls, texts and
requests
15,000
20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000
Guests and interviewees 600 650 800 1000 1500
Volunteers 75 85 100 120 150
Trainees 40 50 50 50 50
Work placements 12 16 20 24 28
Paid staff 4 (3 F/T & 1 P/T) 6(4
6(4 F/T &2 P/T) 8 (5 F/T & 3 8(5 F/T & 3
F/T&2P/T)
P/t)
P/t)
8.4 Target Audience (Mandatory social gain objective). Explain how you
have identified your target audience(s) (defined in Section six) as including
individuals "who are otherwise underserved" (in terms of broadcasting
services) and explain what appropriate radio programming you intend to
provide.
Betar Bangla seeks to broadcast in Bengali and Sylheti languages for a
proportion of the estimated 78,839 people of British-Bengali heritage in Tower
Hamlets proposed Broadcasting covering area for whom there are no other
community outlets at present.
Through chat shows, phone-in debates and programmes of news, music and
entertainment we particularly seek to make those people who are isolated by
barriers of language and culture aware of mainstream services, activities and
benefits with which they might engage as a results of increased awareness.
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We also seek to celebrate and promote the diversity of Bengali culture for
Bengali-speakers and wider communities both from local minority ethnic
groups and east-enders which would like to further learn about and engage
with British-Bengali history, heritage, culture and current events.
8.5 Discussion and opinion (Mandatory social gain objective). Explain how
your proposed service will "facilitate discussion and the expression of
opinion".
We offer members of our target group an opportunity to develop skills through
which to voice their interests and a platform through which to showcase their
ideas.
Betar Bangla also engages with service-users from a range age groups, faith
communities and backgrounds in celebrating the diversity of views from this
hard-to-reach community through phone-in programmes, cultural debates,
public seminars, events and radio programmes which invite listeners to air
their views.
8.6 Education and Training (Mandatory social gain objective). Explain how
you propose to provide "education [and /] or training to individuals not
employed by the person providing the service" [/your organisation].
Over the past 6 years we have engaged over 200 hundred hard-to-reach participants
including women, young people at risk and adults with visual impairments in
technical, scriptwriting, presentation skills, radio and music production, video, audio
editing and events management training. Some 138 volunteers take part in our
activities and 28 are programme presenters. All of our current presenters and
volunteers have been recruited through this mechanism.
Betar Bangla is a recognised centre by NOCN(national open college network) so that
it can deliver Accredited Courses in Media sector.
While engaging some of London’s most vulnerable and isolated Bengali-speakers in
civic, cultural and public debates, our training, work experience and volunteer
programme has helped beneficiary’s access employment within mainstream media.
With support from statutory and private charitable trusts, we will continue to provide
programmes of training for newcomers to our station while supporting a range of
volunteer-led cultural, broadcast and media activities described elsewhere in this
application.
8.7 Community Understanding and Links (Mandatory social gain
objective). How do you propose to build a "better understanding of your
target community and strengthen links within it?"
Through a combination of radio broadcast facilities and participation in a range of
community engagement and awareness programmes described elsewhere in this
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application, we seek to highlight hidden issues affecting people of British-Bengali
heritage.
Through programmes directly giving a voice to some of the most socially and
economically marginalised residents of the UK and debates which help inform wider
audiences in this regard we seek to bring such issue to the attention of those
engaged with addressing social, cultural and economic issues affecting this
community.
We are also currently setting up a listener club which will invite professionals to
inform local people on issues of health, social, crime, economic and legal concerns of
their rights and routes through which to access services in this regard.
8.8 Additional social gain objectives. The Community Radio Order 2004
includes a (non-exclusive) list of additional 'objectives of a social nature'.
These include:
(a) the delivery of services provided by local authorities and other services of
a social nature and the increasing, and wider dissemination, of
knowledge about those services and about local amenities;
(b) the promotion of economic development and of social enterprises;
(c) the promotion of employment;
(d) the provision of opportunities for the gaining of work experience;
(e) the promotion of social inclusion;
(f) the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity;
(g) the promotion of civic participation and volunteering.
Please include here details of any other ways in which your station intends
to deliver social gain (these may be related and / or unrelated to the above).
The objectives of a social nature of Betar Bangla are as follows:
• Act as a unique intelligent dissemination point for information
originating from local authorities and other services of a social nature with
regard amenities, rights etc. for the target community
• Provide training access and opportunities for Bengali-speaking people
in east London;
• Further develop audio-based recording studios for young people to
promote creativity and help support participants into employment;
• Support government community inclusion strategies relating to
community cohesion, and campaigns to eliminate hate-crime, drugabuse
and gang violence;
• Facilitate the fundamental human right enshrined in “the Community
Radio Charter for Europe;”
• Encourage the development and expression of voices from all walks of
life and those of black and minority ethnic communities in particular
who’s views and talents are under-represented in mainstream media.
• Socio –Economic development – businesses advise on air, opportunity
to highlight initiatives. e.g. Tax and NI (Revenue and Customs)
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• Disseminate and clarify aspects of Social Enterprise models and points
of contact.
• Provide employment news and employment advice on air
• Provide information and dispel fears for target community with relation
to civic participation and volunteering.
• Provide platform for inclusive colloquial linguistic involvement, notably
in the context of Syletti.
• Provide platform for general and specific health issues with regard to
target community e.g. healthy lifestyle – NHS/PCT lead health
campaigns.
• Provide platform for access to Housing advice in tandem with
appropriate agencies
• Provide platform for access to legal advice and sources of potential
information/representation.
All of these services are provided through a combination of training, work experience,
broadcast and community engagement programmes described elsewhere in this
submission.
8.9 Other (broadcast) Community Radio Objectives. Please outline any
other on-air community activities of your station, and describe how you will
develop and deliver each of these.
In December and March of each year, we intend to facilitate live discussion
programmes featuring musical entertainment, high profile speakers and
commemoration of key events in Bangladesh’s history of particular relevance to
people of British Bengali heritage. On Language Day, for instance, we organise an
event commemorating the martyrs who fought for freedom of expression for Bengalispeaking
people. As part of a Bangladesh Independence Day annual event, Betar
Bangla explores current debates on matters such as women’s rights and equal
opportunities in relation to the political, social and economic freedom of people of
Bengali heritage
8.10 Other (non-broadcast) Community Activities. Please provide details of
any other community involvement that your organisation will have, aside
from the provision of sound broadcast services. This section would include
linkages with other community bodies, the promotion of community events
etc.
Community Events
Conferences, seminars, debates, music, drama and festival programmes and
participation are all part of Betar Bangla’s programme of activities. At festivals such
as the Boishaki Mela and Brick Lane Curry Festival, Betar Bangla promotes its
services to ensure they are accessible to a range of new potential user groups.
The views and opinions of local people, youth workers and professionals from
medical, social and community professionals are highlighted through talks and open
debates which help inform the local authority, public health bodies and academic
institutions on issues concerning some of the hardest-to-reach and hidden sectors of
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the local community who’s needs are overlooked or poorly understood by
mainstream services.
Betar Bangla has facilitated over 6 seminars in partnership with local community
organisations and statutory bodies on topics of public interest including street crime,
drug abuse and the implications of anti-social behaviour amongst young people
and gangs of British-Bengali heritage.
Community Film & Video
We have been successful in obtaining funding to create community based projects
such as very popular anti drugs video dramas (On D East & Onion Peeler)
involving local young people distributed on DVD to a range of local cultural/youth
organisations, with a number of well attended local screenings (200+) local people
Betar Bangla worked with, and was funded by the London Probation Service to
produce these two highly successful and innovative films.
Drama
It is hoped that was has started in one field will make the journey to the radio medium
- we will be able for example to produce a regular radio soap opera based on such
previous and current work.
Olympics 2012
8.11 Other Information. Please use this space to highlight any other activities of
your group which you feel are relevant to the delivery of 'social gain' by your
proposed service.
Charity orientated Creativity – “Betar Bangla as HUB”
Betar Bangla seeks to support creative routes for expression of those individuals
who might not otherwise have opportunities to engage with mainstream activities. It
helps volunteers aged 16+ to 60+ facilitate weekly drama, music and poetry
programmes for individuals of or interested in topics of Bengali cultural heritage.
As a functional hub for our community we provide socially and economically
marginalised elements of the local British-Bengali community with outlets of
expression, track records and work experience through which to ultimately gain
employment in creative fields of their choices.
Radio Training
We provide ongoing programmes of radio training for groups such as ‘Dekta Chai’, a
Bengali-language support network for people with visual impairments who have
recently produced a musical CD for distribution within wider community networks.
Music
Deshi Movement, formed by a group of young people aged 16-25 who came
together under our training auspices, continues to make use of our premises and
equipment to explore western and sub-continental musical forms and create a new
genre of British-Bengali sounds.
Advice & Guidance
Thanks to the expertise of members and Management professionals from a range of
backgrounds, we are also able to signpost local listeners lacking the language skills
or confidence to access public information through traditional routes, to social
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services according to their needs. Since our pilot broadcasting period, we have
regularly been contacted by listeners seeking advice and information about public
services, legal help and information on topics ranging from diabetes to routes out of
situations of domestic violence.
SECTION NINE: Ensuring Accountability.
Section 105(1)(f) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act, as modified by the Community
Radio Order 2004, requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom
takes into account the provision each applicant proposes to make in order to ensure
its accountability to the relevant community in respect of the provision of the
proposed service.
9.1 Accountability. Please explain below what approaches you propose to
take in relation to this requirement and set out the practical (formal and / or
informal) mechanisms which you will use to ensure that members of your
target community can make contact with your service and influence its
operation. Please also explain how suggestions and criticisms from
members of your target community (or communities) would be considered
and acted upon.
Membership of Betar Bangla Community Radio Station is open to all members of
the public who support the development of radio services which enable and empower
local people of British-Bengali heritage to voice their views, creative talents and skills.
Our membership, in turn, elects our Management Committee which is accountable
both to members, individuals engaging with our services, funders, statutory bodies
and partner organisations.
Our services are regularly publicised through our digital website, local newspapers
including East End Life which is distributed to every household in the London
Borough of Tower Hamlets, Bangladeshi television networks, community
organisations, newsletters and most importantly, by word-of-mouth at festivals and
events where we engage face-to-face with individuals who might not have the
confidence to access services publicised through mainstream information services.
While making new potential users aware of our services at festivals and events, we
also canvas public opinions on cultural and current events issues as well as the
effectiveness of the format and nature of our community radio service delivery.
Telephone calls from local listeners contribute towards feedback on the needs,
views and interests of existing and new potential audiences. Debates facilitated
during our pilot 28-day Restricted Service License programme enabled members
of our target community to compliment, air suggestions, criticisms and views on how
our services can be improved.
Service-users’ views related through formal and informal mechanisms are in turn
recorded and considered at monthly Management Committee meetings which are
open to all and attended by local people and volunteers with an interest in our
capacity to meet their own and other potential service users’ needs.
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In addition to requiring Ofcom to take into account the various elements of the
Broadcasting Act 1990 as set out above, the Community Radio Order 2004 sets out
a number of 'Community Radio Characteristics' which Community Radio Licence
holders need to ensure their services conform to. Most of these characteristics are
covered in greater detail by aspects of various selection criteria (Sections 105(1)(a –
f) of the Broadcasting Act 1990). However, one of these characteristics, related to
accountability, is additional to the requirements of the selection criteria such that
Ofcom requires specific information as to how it would be complied with.
9.2 (Community Radio characteristic) How do you propose to ensure that
provide members of your community with "opportunities to participate in the
operation and management of the service"? This section covers the
involvement of members of the target community in the activities of the
community radio station and provisions in place to ensure that members of
the target community can influence the development of its services.
Betar Bangla’s Management Committee is composed of local people and elected
by our membership of 300 individuals with an interest in contributing towards a
community media and cultural programme for people of British-Bengali heritage.
Service-users’ views are captured through a combination of formal and informal
mechanisms and considered at monthly Management Committee meetings which
are open to all and attended by local people and volunteers.
Our existing members include young people, lone parents, singers, poets and radio
presenters as well as engineers, academics, medical, ITC and health professionals
who wish to support and help develop our community radio facilities, While engaging
with wider audiences we also seek to help empower the voices of those individuals
who’s views and needs are least likely to be heard through mainstream channels.
In addition to developing skills to attain their full creative and employment potential,
volunteers manage music, radio, film and drama activities facilitated as part of our
overall programme.
While producing and presenting their own material for wider community forums,
volunteers co-ordinate all of these cultural activities, in keeping with the structures of
Betar Bangla’s good practices policies, with informal and formal management,
administrative and technical support from staff.
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SECTION TEN: Access To and Training In the Use of Facilities.
Section 105(1)(g) of the 1990 Broadcasting Act, as modified by the Community
Radio Order 2004, requires that, when considering a licence application, Ofcom
takes into account the provision each applicant proposes to make to allow for
access by members of the relevant community to the facilities to be used for the
provision of the service and for their training in the use of those facilities.
10.1 Facilities - Access and Training. Please explain below what approaches
you propose to take in relation to this requirement and set out the practical
(formal and / or informal) mechanisms which you will use to ensure that
members of your target community can gain access to your facilities and
receive training in their use.
Betar Bangla works to help under-represented community sectors access our
services and find a voice through which to participate in wider social, cultural and
creative debates.
It trains an average of 30-40 presenters annually who can benefit from work
experience in a supervised community radio station and make use of such facilities
to record and edit serials, documentaries and programmes for broadcast. This
established relationship also means that studio users will benefit from additional lowcost
technical support provided by work experience placements.
Publicity for our services come from a combination of word-of-mouth and
newsletter publicity facilitated at a grass-root level and through community forums
and networks, It also publicizes services through Bengali-speaking television
networks, local papers including East End News which is delivered free of charge
to all households in London Borough of Tower Hamlets and through face-to-face
contact and outreach undertaken at festivals and events across east End.
Positive Diversity
We work to enhance the quality, variety and number of voices represented in local
and national media; encourage marginalized people to engage with positive
initiatives; equip them with professional production and management skills to access
mainstream news, cultural and entertainment services; offer isolated listeners access
to outlets which can contribute towards their intellectual and emotional well-being;
provide socially-excluded Londoners with an awareness of services and opportunities
available to them through radio broadcasts; enable Betar Bangla to engage wider
audiences beyond the Bengali community for meaningful and positive cross-cultural,
civic and inclusive debates.
Process to get involved
Contact and arrange informal meeting with Betar Bangla prior to agreeing an initial
level of involvement as volunteer, member, trainee, contributor and potential
employee.
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DECLARATION:
Applicants are required to answer the following question:
Do you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge and belief:
a) the applicant is not a disqualified person in relation to the licence by virtue of the
provisions of section 143(5) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (relating to political
objects);
b) no director or person concerned directly or indirectly in the management of the
company or the applicant group is the subject of a disqualification order as defined by
section 145(1) of the Broadcasting Act 1996;
c) no person involved in the application has been convicted within the past five years
of an unlicensed broadcasting offence and that the applicant will do all it can to
ensure that no person so convicted will be concerned in the provision of the service,
the making of programmes included in it, or the operation of a radio station if the
applicant is granted a licence; and
d) all matters which might influence Ofcom's judgement as to whether the directors
and substantial shareholders involved in the application are fit and proper persons to
participate in a radio licence have been made known to Ofcom?
Applicants should note that Ofcom reserves the right to revoke a licence if at any
time any material statement made is found to be false and to have been made by the
applicant or any member or officer thereof knowing it to be false, and that in the
circumstances of section 144 of the Broadcasting Act 1996, the provision of false
information or the withholding of relevant information with the intention of misleading
Ofcom could incur a criminal conviction and a disqualification from the holding of a
licence.
Signed: Name Golam M Chowdhury
Indicate below the items of additional documentation which are included as
part of this application:
Company Memorandum & Articles of Association [Yes]
Certificate of Incorporation [Yes]
Map Showing Proposed Transmitter site [Yes] (Available in Ofcom file.)
Map Showing Desired Coverage [Yes]
Photograph(s) of proposed transmitter site [No but on file at Ofcom as
existing site, (current photographs not available due to Olympic Stadium
Building works
Antenna pattern information [Yes] / (Available in Ofcom file.)
Evidence of demand and / or support [Yes]
Separate Confidential Sections of Application [No]
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Others Documents and Information included with this application (please provide
details below).
N/A
Please indicate the payment method. Including the following information:
I hereby apply to Ofcom for the grant of a Community Radio Licence for
Betar Bangla Community Radio Station
and declare that the information given in this application and any additional
documentation is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, correct. I confirm
that I have completed this form as completely as possible and that I have
attached / sent any required additional documentation, together with the nonreturnable
application fee of £600.00
Name:
(Block Capitals):
Golam M. Chowdhury
Position: Director
Date: 29/10/09
Signed
When you have completed, checked and signed you application as required, please
send it, together with any additional information and the required payment, to Ofcom,
following the instructions set out at the beginning of this document.
Please make sure you keep a copy of this form for your records.
==ENDS==
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