After the IBA

Lawrence Hallett looks at life with a new radio authority

January 19th was a black day for the IBA. Its worst fears were confirmed when the Home Secretary announced that in his opinion the IBA should lose control of radio and be replaced by a new Radio Authority. (Frantic scurrying in the depths of their headquarters to find the old ITA logos!)

Many people have been arguing for years that the IBA is incapable of running a commercial radio service, let alone community and national radio. Who else could call a system in which more than half the stations run at a loss successful?

Role

So, assuming the plans don't go the way of the last suggestion, what role will the proposed new organisation have? It would seem from the Home Secretary's announcement that the Authority will be responsible for all UK radio outside the BBC. It will have three major areas of concern: sorting license applications, making frequency allocations and setting programming and technical standards. Doubtless when dealing with London most of its time will be spent on trying to sort out dozens of boring prospective soul stations and attempting to explain to them why playing the same records in a different order does not make for original programming.

So, let's deal with these three areas in turn and look at how the new Authority might deal with them and what problems might arise...

Licence Applications

First off, license applications. If the response to the proposed experiment for just over 20 licenses in 1985 was anything to go by, the first thing the authority should do is buy a large store room and a heavy duty shredder. Last time around, there were literally hundreds of license applications, many of which were simply not worth the paper they were written on. The basic problem was that the Home Office, who were handling the experiment, didn't really have the time or resources to sort out adequate guidelines.

"Many of the applications were simply not worth the paper they were written on"

What the authority should really do first is lay out a sensible range of 'Application Notes' to help prospective broadcasters through the licensing process. Granting the actual licenses shouldn't be too difficult, except perhaps in London where chances are there won't ever be enough to go round. Most areas outside the big cities will probably only be able to put together one or two credible applications so the choice shouldn't be too hard.

Frequencies

Like the actual licensing, frequency allocation shouldn't be too difficult outside the major conurbations. I do, however, forsee at least one possible problem: The BBC. At present the FM band is neatly carved up between the BBC and the IBA. In 99% of cases, the BBC has its little patches and the IBA has the same. All very neat and tidy to the bureaucratic mind, but very wasteful. If community radio stations are not allowed to fill up the gaps between BBC transmitters, there's going to be plenty of empty gaps. And lots of room for pirates to carry on regardless...

Quality Control

I've left the most difficult area till last. Once there are a large number of stations broadcasting, keeping an eye on programming and technical standards will be difficult. Whilst the rules won't be nearly as strict as they are now, the rule of law and 'standards of common taste and decency' (whatever they may be!) will still apply. 'Quality control' will be down to the listener. It will be up to them to make a complaint to the station itself or to the new radio authority, just as listeners can try complaining to the BBC or IBA today. The trouble with this system is that it is open to abuse by organised vocal minorities, like the so-called `Moral Majority' in the United States.

Technical standards will have to be enforced to prevent interference between stations and to other users. The best way might be to have a system of 'type approval'. Like CBs and cordless phones today, to save having to check every one a manufacturer submits a sample for approval. Unlike the current IBA rules, however, there won't be any restrictions on the type of studio equipment a station wants to use. If someone wants to sound awful by using really cheap studio equipment, that's up to them.

Dark Cloud

There is, however, one rather dark cloud on the horizon. At this very moment the IBA are doubtless busy in the corridors of power persuading MPs and civil servants of the marvellous benefits to be had by simply transferring their radio department to the new authority, lock stock and barrel... a very worrying thought!

To sum up, the new Authority is going to have a big task on its hands. It is going to have to move fast as many groups are impatient to start broadcasting yesterday. It's got to be able to choose the right groups for licenses and its brief will be to add to listener choice. I hope they interpret that as meaning priority is given to community groups who will be able to do something more than copy the existing broadcasters.