[commedia] Action alert! - Commons 2nd Reading

[Steve Buckley]

Dear all

If you are involved in a community media group or are a community media 
supporter there is an important but short term opportunity to get your MP 
to make a contribution to the campaign and to raise profile of your local 
group.

It has just been announced today that the Second Reading of the Office of 
Communications Bill will take place in the House of Commons on Monday 
afternoon 14 January 2002. No amendments take place at Second Reading but 
the Bill will be debated in the Commons for the first time and MPs will 
have an opportunity to raise issues which they consider important.

If you are ready to help with this lobbying effort you will need to contact 
your MP before Monday afternoon by phoning their constituency office, 
attending their constituency surgery at the weekend or by calling the House 
of Commons on Monday morning on 020 7219 3000. Ask them if they would speak 
in support of community media and tell them about your local community 
media group.

There is a CMA briefing on the OFCOM Bill at 
www.commedia.org.uk/campaign/briefings/brief12.doc which you can download 
and fax to your MP to assist them during the debate. Further background 
briefings on the Community Media Campaign can be found on the CMA campaign 
pages at www.commedia.org.uk/campaign

You can also watch the debate on Monday on cable TV on the BBC Parliament 
Channel or through the BBC website at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcparliament

Best wishes

Steve Buckley
CMA Director
----------------------------------------------------------
            steve at commedia.org.uk
----------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Community Media Association!
         http://www.commedia.org.uk
----------------------------------------------------------