[commedia] Launch of the Community Media All Party Group

[NEWS]

NEWS RELEASE

March 12, 2002

Launch of the Community Media All Party Group

A new All Party Group chaired by Ian Stewart MP will meet on March 12th at
Portcullis House, Westminster at 4 p.m. The purpose of the Community Media
All Party Group is to support the growth and development of community media
and to promote understanding of the contribution which community media can
make to social inclusion, neighbourhood renewal, citizen's participation,
local democracy and lifelong learning.

Ian Stewart, MP for Eccles, said " Community radio and community television
have a major role to play in ensuring that local voices are heard and in
encouraging participation in local democracy. Many MPs know the work of
community media organisations in their own constituencies. The All Party
Group will help to support these groups by working to gain appropriate
legislative structures and resources"

The meeting will be addressed by Steve Buckley from the Community Media
Association, Mary Dowson from Bradford Community Broadcasting and Amarjit
Khera from the Panjabi Radio Group. Bradford Community Broadcasting and the
Panjabi Radio Group are both taking part in the Access Radio experiment
which is enabling 15 stations to trial a new kind of not for profit radio
license.

The forthcoming draft Communications Bill is likely to include provision for
community radio and local television and the months ahead are vital ones for
community media in the UK.

-ends-

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Further information:
Nicky Edmonds or Steve Buckley
Tel. 0114 279 5219
Email. nicky at commedia.org.uk


Notes to editors:
1. The Community Media Association is the UK association for community media
grouping together over 250 active community media organisations. Its members
include local and restricted service radio and television stations and
community-based media production groups and Internet projects. The CMA
provides information, advice, training and consultancy. It represents the
interests of community media to Government, regulators and other industry
bodies. Further information on the CMA can be found at
http://www.commedia.org.uk

Community Media Association
15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX
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"access to the media for people and communities"
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