About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Take action!

Help save community radio stations in the U.K.

More than 200 community radio stations in the U.K. are under threat of closure because of a lack of funds. Join ARTICLE 19 and sign a petition calling for the U.K. government to commit to its promise of supporting and sustaining local stations.

Although community radio has been described as one of the "great U.K. broadcasting success stories in the last few years," the sector remains financially unstable. Community Radio Order 2004 restricts community radio to raising a maximum 50 per cent of revenue from advertising and sponsorship. In some locations, advertising is prohibited entirely. This settlement was to be complemented, in part, by a sizeable Community Radio Fund.

But while the number of licencees has grown from 14 to over 200, annual spending commitments to the fund, which the government had estimated would cost 3-4 million pounds (approximately US$5-6 million), have not increased from the 500,000 pounds (US$800,000) that was initially provided.

ARTICLE 19 requests all U.K. residents to support "All the Voices", a campaign organised by a coalition of more than 60 radio stations, and sign the
online petition