2013 Annual Report

1.1 Community Radio Annual Report Form: Year Ending 31 December 2013

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/ 2013annualreport/

1.2 The year in numbers

Please specify the station’s achievements in the year under review in numbers as follows: (some of this may be a repetition of the information supplied in the financial report)

Average number of live hours per week (live material is created at the same time as it is broadcast) 12
Average number of original programming hours per week (original material includes live plus pre-recorded material, but does not include repeats or automated output). [This figure cannot be less than the station’s live hours alone] 35
The percentage of your daytime output that is speech 20
Total number of people trained during the year 11
Total number of volunteers involved during the year 21
Total number of volunteer hours per week 61
If appropriate, a list of languages you have broadcast in N/A

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

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 Key commitments: 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):

*No complaints received

1.7 Volunteer inputs

Please provide details of the contribution made by volunteers to the station and its operation of the station, such as:

The approximate number of hours worked on average per volunteer per week.
Any other information to help Ofcom understand the input of volunteers to the station.

Volunteer work has included presenting, recording, construction of daily playlist/schedules, database use (for supporters contacts), liaison with local churches via email and telephone, liaison with local voluntary and community sector groups, arranging interview diaries and follow up of interviews with interviewees, sourcing local news and events information, design of promotional materials, outreach work in secondary schools, representation at outside events, technical support, accounts and administration.

Volunteer hours vary between one hour per month and 15 hours per week, with most around 1-2 hours per week.

1.8 Significant achievements

Making it through a tough financial year!

New programmes serving the needs of our target community include:
- Pray for the City – a one hour show, monthly, for listeners who want to pray in accordance with their faith but who find it hard to leave home to attend prayer gatherings/meetings. The show provides a ‘community of faith’ who pray together, interact if desired, and base that around themed worship music.
- Destiny Plymouth - A 2 hour, bi-weekly ‘music and conversation’ magazine-format programme on Wednesday mornings, co-presented by the Editor of the local community newspaper, profiling positive local news stories and significant events in Plymouth.
Developing our relationship with listeners through a regular monthly editorial column in the local Community newspaper, delivered to 62,000 homes every month. Feedback on this has increased, and requests for extra copies of the paper have been received by the Publishers specifically because of the column.
Developing a wider audience across younger and older generations, as well as attracting older volunteers who support the station. The station has a very ‘FM, Radio 1’ feel musically, yet it is older people from ‘traditional’ churches who are supporting us increasingly as they understand and appreciate the positive values that are being offered to young listeners through the music/lyrics and specialist youth programming.

1.9 Significant difficulties

Do you wish this section to be kept confidential? no

Finances continue to be hard to come by, although our regular donations, and a little advertising income, has sustained us through the year.

We lost two great volunteers who had been holding key positions of liaison with outside agencies, some presenting, and looking after other volunteers. (We have now (in 2014) found three key individuals who will take their place, including one who will fulfil quite a large part of the station manager role.)

The Schools outreach programme team also had to suspend their show, due to increasing schools outreach commitments in Cornwall (outside our listener area). We would hope to either re-start that show with them, or replace it with one of our new team of volunteers who is an experienced youth worker.

1.10 Audience research

Please provide a summary of any audience research/ data you have collected during the year.

Anecdotal feedback is requested from a number of sources:

Engagement with the local Christian faith community through church leaders’ networking events, and as part of the enabling group for the local Churches Together in Plymouth group, has shown that at leadership as well as grass roots level the station is being recognised for its role in communicating faith values in a contemporary Christian music ‘FM format’
Good levels of Facebook engagement during the live Schools outreach follow-up programme ‘Take it to The Streets’
Voluntary and Community Sector groups affirm the value of their interviews in Community Matters programming. They report that the programmes enable them to reach their service users and supporters with key messages; and also act as an aid to their own volunteer recruitment.
Larger numbers of people, from Christian faith and also non-faith backgrounds, are generally commenting on liking the station, indicating that recognition is increasing in Plymouth.

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