2012 Annual Report

1.1 Community Radio Annual Report Form: Year Ending 31 December 2011

Station details

Licence Number
CR059

Station Name
Cross Rhythms Plymouth

Launch Date
28/03/2007

Web address where you will publish this report
www.crossrhythms.co.uk/plymouth/communityradioannualreports/ 2012annualreport/

1.2 The year in numbers

Average number of live hours per week 22
Average number of original programming hours per week (this may include pre-recorded and live material but should not include repeats) 35
The percentage of your live daytime output that is speech 20
Number of people trained during the year 7
Number of volunteers involved during the year 19
Total volunteer hours per week 61
If appropriate, a list of languages you have broadcast in English only

1.3 Key commitments: programming

Key commitment delivery YES or NO

Daytime output on weekdays will typically comprise 80%music and 20% speech (‘speech’ excludes advertising, programme / promotional trails and sponsor credits). A lesser proportion of speech output will generally be broadcast in daytime at weekends. Between 19:00 and 07:00 (evenings and overnights) the proportion of speech may be lower.YES
Daytime (peak) music output will typically be comprised of Christian music from a variety of genres, some of which will be play-listed to provide a coherent station sound. Outside of peak hours, and particularly at evenings and weekends, station output may also include a variety of more focused specialist music output.YES
Speech output will include news, interviews, audience interaction, topical features, public service announcements, weather and travel information. It may also include other types of spoken word output as considered appropriate. YES
Output will be broadcast primarily in English, although the occasional use of other languages is permitted. YES
The service will operate 24 hours a day. Original locally produced programming, including live output, will make up 6 hours per day on weekdays. At least two hours per day original local output will be broadcast during daytime at weekends. The station may choose to take selected programming from Cross Rhythms Stoke on Trent that is relevant to its local audience. Generally these shows would be in the evenings and at weekends. YES

Explanatory notes re non-delivery (if applicable):

This reporting covers the last three months of the year, the period when the new Key Commitments were approved. In this period our local, original and live output was dramatically increased and has been sustained to date. Volunteer involvement has also been increased in this period.

1.4 Key commitments: Social gain objectives

Key commitment delivery: YES or NO

(a) The provision of sound broadcasting services to individuals who are otherwise underserved

According to the National Census of 2001, nearly three quarters of the people living in the proposed broadcast area describe themselves as Christian; however, existing broadcasters in the area provide only limited amounts of output having a specific Christian perspective. This lack of specifically relevant broadcast material highlights the need for a service which provides information and entertainment for the Christian community in the Plymouth area as well as including feature material which is of relevance to specific sub-groups within this community. This is particularly true for the younger members of the target community who perhaps find it harder to engage with traditional Church structures. YES

(b) The facilitation of discussion and the expression of opinion

Cross Rhythms Plymouth intends to provide a range of opportunities and mechanisms to enable discussion and expression of opinion to take place. A primary way of achieving these objectives will be through inviting guests with a range of opinions on issues to share their views. This will be achieved through interviews, phone-ins and, where appropriate, through the use of live studio discussions with representatives from relevant groups being invited to take part. YES

The station will encourage participation by the target community at all levels. At its most basic, this will include the ability for listeners to send SMS text messages, e-mails and to telephone the radio station to express their views and comments. For those wishing to have a greater involvement in the programming of the station, there will also be opportunities to take part in programmes as a guest or, after appropriate training as a presenter or producer. YES

The station's core team will maintain regular contact with local church leaders which will provide a further avenue through which the opinions of members of the community may be channelled through to the station, ultimately helping shape and contribute to the overall content, sound and style of the station's broadcast output and other activities. YES

(c) The provision (whether by means of programmes included in the service or otherwise) of education or training to individuals not employed by the person providing the service

Cross Rhythms Plymouth will engage with a wide range of local educational establishments at a variety of levels. It will provide access to the radio station for students. YES

Station volunteers will be trained in various skills including on air presentation, production, interviewing, local news and events scripting and research. YES

CR Plymouth will collaborate with other local community oriented businesses and organisations to provide and develop work experience and training opportunities for young people. YES

(d) The better understanding of the particular community and the strengthening of the links within it

Cross Rhythms Plymouth will act as a focal point and catalyst for closer cooperation and mutual development between churches and Christian organisations of all denominations, and their members. YES

Traditionally there are many denominations and streams across the Christian community, and by giving access to those streams and denominations, the station will help promote greater awareness and understanding of the diversity of Christian beliefs. Such an approach will help build inclusiveness and highlight individual similarities rather than accentuate differences. YES

The station will report on the Plymouth Faith Action Audit through interviews with the stakeholders involved. YES

The station will promote a better understanding of the Christian community to the wider local geographical community in a number of ways. These will include: YES

Profiling the work of local Christian groups and individuals to demonstrate the value of their work in the community. YES

Promoting events which are designed to bring together the wider Christian community through interviews with the organisers. YES

Broadcasting extended interviews with individuals allowing them to share their 'journey of faith' and explain how their faith has been expressed. YES

Additional Social Gain objectives (if any are specified in your licence).

The station will work with other Christian groups in the locality; promoting awareness of their various activities. YES

The station will report on the activities of local businesses. YES

The station will also provide coverage of health, welfare and disability issues as well as matters of particular interest to asylum seekers in the area. YES

Coverage of local arts activities will also be provided, with a particular emphasis on local grass-roots activities. YES

The station will provide opportunities for local law enforcement personnel to make use of the station to promote a crime reduction message. YES

1.5 Access and participation

Key commitment delivery YES or NO

Individuals and organisations interested in providing programme material appropriate for broadcast on Cross Rhythms Plymouth will be provided with opportunities to do so. YES
Cross Rhythms Plymouth will seek to train at least ten volunteers each year, through the provision of specific training and through the 'shadowing' of core staff members. YES
The station will collaborate with local community-focused businesses and organisations to provide training opportunities. YES
The station will actively promote opportunities for access and involvement and participation in the station, using local community publications and on air advertising. YES

1.6 Key commitments: Accountability to the target community

Key commitment delivery: YES or NO

Cross Rhythms Plymouth meets quarterly with the enabling group of the Churches Together in Plymouth organisation and in this way is able to discuss and receive feedback on its service. YES
The station aims to actively participate in bi-monthly meetings with local church leaders. YES
Members of the community will have the opportunity to participate in the operation of the station through the speech based programming that is offered, in particular via phone-ins interviews and studio discussions. YES
The station will promote feedback through the use of on-air advertising and will also seek further regular feedback from other church leaders in the area as well as from station volunteers. YES
Cases of criticism or complaint about the activities of Cross Rhythms Plymouth by members of the community will first be considered by the Station Manager. Where such consideration does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, the complaint will be elevated to the Board of Directors who, if considered appropriate also taking into account the opinions of members of the Board of Reference will arrive at a final position. YES
The station will undertake to deal with complaints within two weeks of receipt. In more complex cases this period may be as long as four weeks. YES
Where a complaint is upheld, details will be published on the station web-site and an apology may also be broadcast. YES

Explanatory notes re non-delivery (if applicable):

NB Ref complaints – the policy is in place but we have not had any complaints in this period.

1.7 Volunteer inputs

Volunteers are involved in:
presenting live shows at breakfast and drive time
research including news, local events and sourcing guests for interview shows
donor relations and database management
finance and day to day administration
technical oversight
local production of adverts, stings, idents and promo's
editing and building playlists
recording and voicing local news (pre-recorded versions)
schools liaison and visits

Average hours per week worked by volunteers = 3 per volunteer, varying between 1 hour (finance) and 15 hours (breakfast show presenter)

1.8 Significant achievements

Our most significant achievement has been the successful application for the extension of our licence til 2017.

A thorough process of KC changes was undertaken with Ofcom, which enabled Cross Rhythms Plymouth to focus on its work more effectively. This resulted immediately in a dramatic increase in original, locally produced and live programming. This increase has been sustained. This increase gave more scope for involvement of volunteers in more varied aspects of the station's work.

Collaboration with local churches, voluntary and 3rd sector organisations, and public sector organisations (eg Police) culminated in involvement with a regional conference held in Plymouth (Redeeming Our Communities event in October). This has led to stronger working relationships with a number of organisations locally, enabling us to meet our social gain commitments even more effectively than before. The partnerships generated as a result of this event continue to develop, with the station profiling new and existing community cohesion initiatives, especially (but not only) where faith based groups are involved, on an increasing basis.

1.9 Significant difficulties

Finance. Financially the model for Cross Rhythms Plymouth is sustainable and has been well-established over the last 5 years. However every penny is hard to secure. Grant funding is hard to find.

Volunteer co-ordination. We have submitted a number of (unsuccessful) bids for funding for a station manager / sustainability manager role, which will enable us to pay for a person who would have volunteer co-ordination as part of their role. This is a vital function and one that requires a paid employee (we have no paid staff at present). The Trustees see this as a key that will unlock much potential for the development of the station, and the inclusion and training of greater numbers of volunteers.

1.10 Audience research

Audience feedback is anecdotal, and shows a wide range of ages, and a mix of people with faith / no faith listening to the station.

Listeners have commented on the variety of music compared to the local ILR station.

People also comment favourably on the positive, uplifting nature of the station's output.

There have been a number of comments regarding the increased levels of live output, all of them positive.

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