news story

15th September 2009

MP Lobbies Ministers in Support of Thornbury FM Expansion

Local MP Steve Webb has written to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in support of Thornbury FM's bid to broadcast all year round.

At present, the community radio station broadcasts for two 28 day sessions per year but is keen to expand its activities. But the grant funding available for community radio stations is limited and existing rules mean that the station can only cover half its costs through advertising. As a result, the team would face an uphill struggle to raise the funds needed to turn the station into an all-year-round broadcaster.

Now Steve Webb has stepped in to support the station, asking Secretary of State Ben Bradshaw either to increase the funding for community radio stations or to allow the station more flexibility to raise additional funding through advertising.

Steve Webb said:

"Many local people have enjoyed either listening to Thornbury FM or taking part in its broadcasts. I admire the vision of the team of volunteers who make the station happen and who now want to turn it into a full-time community radio station. To do this will require a step increase in funding, and present rules which place a cap on advertising revenue seem unfair. Either the government should increase the scale of grants available to community stations or should free them up to stand on their own two feet".