STATION POLICIES
Station policy is set by the democratically elected Committee of Management of the radio co-operative, which holds the broadcast licence and is based on the best and most relevant information available to the committee.

Structures are in place for consultation with all persons involved through regular station meetings, sub-committees, an internal newsletter and community consultations.
Some Policies You Should Know About

Access
The station is based on providing the widest possible access for persons and organisations in our area. Specialist music programme makers should get to know local enthusiasts and, when appropriate, invite guests in to co-host the programme. All other talk based programmes should examine how, and it what manner, they can incorporate access practices into each programme.

Censorship
This station subscribes to the principle of each person’s ‘Right to Communicate’. Rights, however, bring responsibilities. If you are provided with uncensored airtime, you are expected to behave responsibly. Don’t defame under any circumstance. Don’t set out to shock or offend, unless the context of the programme requires it. If you find your programme is being censored by someone in the station, you should speak, in the first instance, to the Station Manager. If that is not possible, attempt to contact a member of the Programme Committee (names on the notice board). If your programme is censored and you’re not happy about it, make a written report to the secretary, Committee of Management.

Competitions
As an alternative service to both commercial radio and national public service radio, we are experimenting with alternative ways of doing things. One you should be aware of is our ‘non-competitive’ policy. This means that no on-air competitions are allowed. Instead, if you have a gift to give away, you should ask listeners to submit their names for a draw for the item. No competitive questions are to be asked. Similarly, we will attempt to find non-competitive ways to promote the station, to encourage more listeners and to involve more of the local citizens.

Programme Breaks
We are a non-commercial radio station. We don’t go into breaks saying anything along the lines of ‘Now for the ad break’, or ‘We have to pay the bills, so here are some ads’. Please refer to breaks between segments or programmes as just that, ‘a break’. Try something like the following: ‘We now have a break’ or ‘After the break we’ll…..’

Celebrity Free Zone
As a station which seeks to offer an alternative to that presented by other media, NEAR fm does not promote the ‘cult of the celebrity’. While we can acknowledge creative talent, we do not see ourselves as a publicity machine for celebrities, personalities or ‘Very Important People’. In community radio the celebrities are the local citizens.
This list is not definitive, we’ll no doubt add to it in the light of experience as we go along.

Taking A Break
Programme schedules are printed and distributed every quarter for publicity purposes. These schedules are many weeks in the preparation, if you decide to take a break from your programme, give the Programming Committee at least six (6) weeks notice. This will ensure that our printed programme schedule is not out of date as we publish.

Volunteer Sign-in
We ask that all volunteers sign-in each time they arrive to do their programme, or to do other
work around the station. This is for insurance purposes. We ask for your co-operation in this.

Project Leaders
From time to time, NEAR fm applies for funding for programme based projects. These are once off, and of limited duration. Ideally, each project should have a team. Why don’t you get together with some other volunteers and offer to be a ‘Project Team’. You will get production and administrative experience and the satisfaction of seeing a short-term project through to completion. You would not be asked to do more than one each year. Talk to the station manager.

prev — next