The Community Media Association (CMA) is the UK membership association for community broadcasting. Founded in 1983 as the Community Radio Association, the name of the organisation was changed in 1997 to the Community Media Association (CMA) to reflect the growing convergence of digital communications. The CMA is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

making organisation, supporting

Community Radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popu ...

and Television and community-based

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, p ...

projects. Its mission is to enable people to establish and develop communications media for cultural and creative expression, community development and entertainment. The CMA defines community media projects as, "a third tier of not-for profit broadcasters, owned and run by local people, mostly volunteers, which enable communities throughout the UK to use media to create new opportunities for regeneration, employment, learning, social cohesion and inclusion as well as cultural and creative expression." The CMA represents community media to Government, industry and regulatory bodies such as

Ofcom The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-ranging powers acros ...

. Membership brings together established organisations, aspirant groups and individuals within the sector. The CMA provides a range of advice, information and consultancy, offering support to anyone with an interest in community-based broadcasting. Much of the CMA's work has a strategic emphasis and in 2004 the organisation was heavily involved in liaison with Government regarding actual and proposed legislation on community radio, public service broadcasting,

BBC Charter Review The BBC Charter is a royal charter setting out the arrangements for the governance of the British Broadcasting Corporation. An accompanying agreement recognises its editorial independence and sets out its public obligations in detail. The ini ...

, local and community television, the Broadcasting Code, media literacy,

digital switchover The digital television transition, also called the digital switchover (DSO), the analogue switch/sign-off (ASO), the digital migration, or the analogue shutdown, is the process in which older analogue television broadcasting technology is conv ...

, the Community Radio Fund, and spectrum allocation. The CMA's head office is located in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

and the CMA is affiliated to the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters.

References

External links

Community Media Association
Community radio organizations Freedom of expression organizations {{uK-org-stub

See also

References

External links