LO1 Task 1: KTA 3: Independent Companies

Sheffield Live!

Sheffield Live! is an independent radio station meaning it is not owned by any other company.  It operates in a different way.  Sheffield Live! is a community radio station.  According to Ofcom (2011) "Community radio stations are small-scale, not-for-profit radio stations operated for the good of members of the public or of particular communities and in order to deliver social gain."  Community radios has four mandatory requirements:
1.  Community radio stations must provide a service for groups.
2.  They must facilitate discussion and expression of opinion within the community served.
3.  They must provide training or education to people not employed by the station.
4.  Community radio stations must also help to strengthen the community served.

Who are Sheffield Live!?

The independent company who run Sheffield Live! are Commedia Sheffield Ltd.  It is run by Sangita Basudev.  It is on 93.2MHz.  Sheffield Live! was awarded a licence by Ofcom to operate as a community radio station because it follows the regulations.  Sheffield Live! content cannot cross over with mainstream radio.  Target listenership reach for Sheffield Live! is less than 50,000.  Survey results show that 32,000 adults tune into Sheffield Live! every week.  The people of Sheffield it is particularly aimed at are those resident in
-Central
-Nether Edge
-Broomhill
-Crookes
-Walkley
-Burngreave
-Manor
-Arbourthorne
-Gleadless
-Darnall

Music output at Sheffield Live! is very diverse such as reggae, ragga, jungle, Asian pop and traditional and Latin.  Community radio services cannot gain more than 50% of running costs from one source advertising or on-air sponsorship. It has to rely on the public with donations and fundraising.   Regulator Ofcom also makes available an amount of funding annually through its Community Radio Fund.  You cannot access Sheffield Live! via DAB radio, Freeview or applications.  It runs on analogue technology via FM transmitters.  This is a form of old radio media.  You can also stream Sheffield Live! via their website.  You can also download podcasts incase you miss your favourite show.


Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) - Funding from the public
Independent Radio - Radio not owned by anyone else.
Community Radio - Operates to benefit the community
Ofcom - Regulatory body for broadcasting

Broadcasting Act (1990)
Community Radio Order (2004)