1. Station Name Guidance Notes 2. Community to be served ... · (and other local Subcontinent...

Community radio application form

1. Station Name Guidance Notes

What is the proposed station name? This is the name you expect to use to identify the station on air.

Ark AM

2. Community to be served Guidance Notes

Define the community or communities you are proposing to serve. Drawing from various sources of data (e.g. from the Office of Population, Census and Survey) and in relation to your proposed coverage area, please determine the size of the population concerned and the make-up of the population as a whole, along with any relevant socio-economic information that would support your application.

(Please tell us the sources of the information you provide.)

It is a legislative requirement that a service is intended primarily to serve one or more communities (whether or not it also serves other members of the public) and we need to understand who comprises that community or communities. The target community will also be specified in the licence, if this application is successful.

The legislation defines a ‘community’ as: people who live or work or undergo education or training in a particular area or locality, or people who have one or more interests or characteristics in common.

Ark AM will serve the Muslim community of Glasgow, which numbered to be 39,221 across Greater Glasgow and Clyde, in the 2011 census (1, 2). This community primarily consists of South Asians with sizeable communities from the East Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Each of these communities has a distinct language which will be reflected in the radio content; these are English, Urdu, Punjabi (and other local Subcontinent dialects), Arabic, Bengali and Pashto (Afghani). Their common faith can allow for greater sharing of resource.

The target community is concentrated within the Southside areas of Pollokshields and Govanhill, where they represent around 50% and 30% of the total population (3). Sizable pockets also live within the Woodlands area and parts of the East End. By broadcasting across inner city Glasgow, Ark AM will serve all these communities.

Muslims represent one of the most ethnically diverse communities many of them including Arab, North African and East European Muslims are not served by any local broadcast medium. Its service will be aimed at all Muslims with specific output aimed at women, the youth, the elderly and particular ethnic groups presently underserved, including Arab and African communities.

The Muslim community in Glasgow has the youngest age-group of all communities with low achievements in many areas.

• 31.7% of the Muslim community is under the age of 16, whilst only 5% are above the age of 60.

• Of all Glasgow’s faith communities, 43.6% of Muslims are likely to have no qualifications.

• Employment levels amongst the Muslim community are the lowest in Glasgow, with 57% “economically inactive”, and 61.3% women classed as “Never worked/ long-time unemployed”. (4)

• Muslim prisoners also represent a disproportionate figure, accounting for 0.84% of the total population yet comprise 1.3% of the prison population (5).

1.http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/healthboard/KS209SCb_HB.pdf

2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10702041

3. http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/71DD6403-ED21-4DB1-B31A-57D4BD46C098/0/Briefingpaperpopulationbyethnicity2010.pdf

4. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/08142443/24440


http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/healthboard/KS209SCb_HB.pdf

http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/censusresults/release2a/healthboard/KS209SCb_HB.pdf

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10702041

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/71DD6403-ED21-4DB1-B31A-57D4BD46C098/0/Briefingpaperpopulationbyethnicity2010.pdf

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/71DD6403-ED21-4DB1-B31A-57D4BD46C098/0/Briefingpaperpopulationbyethnicity2010.pdf

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/08142443/24440



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3. Proposed area Guidance Notes

What is the area you propose to serve? It is Ofcom policy that community radio stations usually serve an area of up to a 5 kilometre radius from the transmission site. See ‘Coverage and planning policy for analogue radio broadcasting services’.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/radio-ops/coverage/analogue-coverage-policy.pdf

Glasgow, up to 5km radius from the transmission site.

Programmes and programme output:

Definitions:

Studio location: The studio from which the service will be broadcast should be located within the licensed area.

Locally-produced: Locally-produced output is output made and broadcast from within the service’s licensed coverage area. (It is anticipated that most stations will produce the bulk of their output themselves, in the locality. However, for some target communities it may be appropriate for fairly high levels of output to originate from outside the licensed area.)

Live output: is that which is produced by a presenter in the studio at the time of broadcast. (The amount of live output may vary between different services depending on the needs or expectations of the target community.)

Original output: output that is first produced for and transmitted by the service, and excludes output that was transmitted elsewhere before. Original output can be live or voice-tracked. Repeat broadcasts of original output do not count towards the minimum requirement.

Peak time: it may be helpful to state what material will be broadcast in ‘peak time’. If you do, please say what you consider peak time to be for your target community (this may vary from station to station).

Automated output/voice-tracked material: most stations will carry automated output at some time. The amount of automated or voice-tracked material does not need to be specified in the key commitments.

Sustaining service/third party produced material: if you intend to broadcast material produced by a different organisation please state what it is and how much (per day or week as appropriate).

4. Programming output Guidance Notes

Please fill-in all three questions below

Question A asks you to describe your programme service.

Question B relates to how your output will serve the tastes and interests of your target community.

Question C is about how your service will broaden the range of local (non-BBC) services available in your area.

Later in this form you will be asked to draft your own ‘key commitments’. This will form the basis of your licence and is what Ofcom will judge you against. It should include a summary of your proposed programme output as set out below and reflect your commitment to cater for relevant tastes and interests, to broaden the range of relevant programmes and services and to provide a service with a distinct nature and content as set out in the Guidance Notes in the column opposite.

The law requires applicants to state their proposals for providing a service that would:

(i) cater for the tastes and interests of members of its target community or communities (or for any particular tastes and interests in those communities);

(ii) broaden the range of programmes available on non-BBC local services (commercial and community stations) to members of the relevant community or communities;

(iii) broaden the overall range of such non-BBC local services provided in the area concerned; and

(iv) have a distinct nature, or provide distinct content, from any non-BBC local services with which it would overlap.

Ofcom is required to consider the extent to which an applicant’s proposals will cater for the tastes and interests of members of its target community or communities.

Ofcom is also required to consider the extent to which proposals for a community radio station would broaden the range of programmes available by way of non-BBC local services (both commercial and community stations) in the area concerned (especially, the extent to which a proposed service would have a distinct nature or provide distinct content from any overlapping non-BBC local services).




The information given here should be more detailed than what you set out in your draft key commitments (later in this form), and will help us gain a fuller understanding of how you will serve your target community and what the station will sound like.

4. Programming output

A: Please tell us about your programme service. The following questions may help you describe your programme service (but should only be used as a guide):

What will the service sound like?

What music will you play?

What are the main speech elements of the service and how will the social gain/community benefits you propose be reflected on-air?

What is the likely music to speech ratio?

Will this vary at different times of the day or week (or year)?

Do you intend to broadcast live output? If so when and how much do you propose to do?

Will you broadcast in languages other than English (what languages and how much)?

Will your output be original i.e. specifically produced for your service?

Will it be locally produced?

Do you intend to repeat material? A distinctly different radio station, Ark AM will be pioneering by producing programming that will highlight and bring forth the common values of the diverse Muslim communities and the wider community, as opposed to the current differences and divisions being portrayed in the mainstream media.

Producing informative, creative and quality programming, Ark AM would contribute to positive social gain of the community that will strengthen engagement between them, provide better mutual understanding, enhance skill employability and help foster a more responsible and integrated community at wider level.

Ark AM will be a primarily speech based community radio station providing education, empowerment and entertainment for the under-served diverse Muslim Community through a variety of appealing and targeted programming with distinct styles to suit the audiences and in their relevant languages, whilst identifying with local Glasgow culture and heritage.

An interactive radio station, Ark AM will be a cutting edge platform with high community involvement, so they can air their voice and also be heard.

Expanding our existing links with broader voluntary groups to ensure greater dissemination of information, particularly relating to local services relating to health and wellbeing and womens groups

Building on our links to broader groups such as students, where most of Glasgow’s Universities have Islamic societies , we intend to utilise their skills in programming and their links to the wider youth community.

Bringing on board experts, advisers, professionals, community leaders and representatives, leading Glaswegian figures and inspiring individuals for issues that are contentious and sensitive ArkAM aim to present views in a balanced way with an Islamic ethos in its programming.

Ark AM has recognised the need for this service through its experience of 20 years in RSL broadcasting to this particular audience.

Ark AM will be an easy access point and a platform for the community to

learn from each other and from experts

to discuss and tackle issues that affect them and the community as a whole in more detail and depth, contributing to real solutions

exchange information / advice and highlight opportunities on jobs, training and business

celebrate as a community the many events held by the diverse community which we will make accessible through our outside broadcast service

enjoy the entertainment and music elements of their taste

share common values of their beliefs and practices as Scottish Muslims


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Historically there was a vibrant exchange of information and trade between Islam and Muslim to the West. Ark AM will encourage that same sentiment where Muslims can positively contribute again and vice versa.

Exploring and enhancing the similarities in culture, religion and community interests and issues within the diverse Muslim communities and the wider community, will form the broad type base of Ark AM's programming.

As currently is the practice of Radio Ramadhan, we intend to invite and encourage the community and community organisations, youth groups, voluntary public organisations to produce a vibrant mix of creative, local and original programming for Ark AM.

Output will be 24 hours a day, with 16 hours live programming. Automated through the night

Within this; speech will be approximately 80% and music 20% of the total output.

Types of programmes will include

arts, culture, history, local news & current affairs, community chat, community events, community information, business & careers, readings & recitation, drama & comedy, health & wellbeing, careers, music, food, games & quizzes, religion & ethics, poetry, politics, philosophy, people & places, science, skills & hobbies, sport and travel

Ark AM will use an assortment of formats to deliver the output both live and pre-recorded.

They will be magazine style shows, discussion & debate, phone-ins, interviews, issue-based talk shows, features, documentaries, appeals, reviews, and outside broadcast of community events and performances.

News will be local, national and international produced in-house.

We will explore availability of third party material suitable for the target audience from across the Muslim world, although this would receive limited output within our programming schedule.

Example of scheduling

Morning and afternoon drivetime magazine shows will be scheduled and aimed at the working class in the morning and then early evening.

Ladies show will be at lunchtime

Children show in the late afternoon, after school.

Some featured programmes such as community issue talk shows, interviews or learning programmes may be repeated late at night late shift workers such as take-away owners, taxis and restaurants, whom we know from our RSL experience are avid listeners to these types of shows.

The music content will be will be in the form of tailored world music that is devotional and cultural Islamic songs such as Naats, Nasheeds, Hamds, Islamic rap, children’s songs, some live music and some locally produced music to promote new aspiring artists. Music will be mainly in English, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic language. We have an existing and extensive library which has been updated regularly over the years for our RSL.

Languages will be approx English 70%. The remaining 30% will be mainly Urdu and Punjabi, with specialist programming in Arabic and Pashto and others for the smaller sectors.

Most of our target audience understands English, although some may not be confident in speaking it. Broadcasting in mainly English will help improve their English, and broadcasting in their own language in specialist programmes will enable them to become more involved in the community.

Weekend scheduling will be more family orientated and entertainment based.

An important part of the radio programming will address the spiritual needs of Glasgow’s Muslims. This will be achieved by localising focus and incorporating greater involvement from mosques and Islamic centres across Glasgow. We will create specific programming to allow local Imams and Islamic scholars a platform to provide regular spiritual guidance to the respective section of the community which they serve.

Ark AM will engage with local Imam’s and mosque leaders to promote greater interaction between all places of worship which will help them address local issues more pro-actively while projecting a more constructive and balanced viewpoint to the community.


This will lend towards a more contextualised perspective to Islam.

B. What is the address of the proposed studio (if known)?

The Ark 70 Coplaw Street Glasgow

C: Based on what you have said above, how will your proposed radio service cater for the tastes and interests of your target community/communities?

There are many similarities and common values within the diverse community and the wider community such as historical events, current commercial & social aspects, cultural, religious, community interest and issues. A fusion of common interests also gives rise to new and exciting areas of talk.

Ark AM recognises that these communal elements can be shared, acknowledged and respected.

Ark AM, in their 20 years RSL experience have produced programmes of this nature and they have proved to be very popular.

Building on that demand, and offering broader topics that the community have expressed they would like to hear, Ark AM are confident that our target audience will find the programming appealing and to their tastes.

Programmes that are currently very popular are community issue based talk shows and community events, current affairs, religion & ethics, food, quiz, recitation, music and sport. They have an appeal to a wide range of age groups from young to old, and different Muslim communities, as experienced from our RSL broadcasts.

Evaluating the high interest and involvement of the community in these programmes they have proven to be favourites amongst our target audience.

We found that a significant number of our target audience over 30 years of age, who typically own their own small local business, listened to community issue programmes in the morning as well as mothers / ladies who were regular listeners. Ladies were the main audience for the lunchtime shows and children played large parts in the afternoon shows geared towards younger children.

Morning and drivetime were mostly working class with overlap of student and youth listeners, and for early evening we found that programming of a more educational nature recreational nature were preferred. We found that late evening programming attracted more 18-25 year olds with topics such as Current affairs and discussion based programming.

Broadening the choice of programming to include arts, drama, business and science increases listener choice, provides education and caters to those seeking appealing cultured entertainment.

Programmes will be tailored and scheduled accordingly for broadcast at the most appealing time for the audience to which the programme is aimed.

Feedback will be continuously sought from the community and various link organisations to ensure that we, if and when needed, adjust and tweek programming to suit tastes and demand to ensure that we are giving the our target audience what they need.

D: How will your proposed community radio service add to the range of programmes available on non-BBC local services (commercial and community stations) to members of the relevant community or communities, add to the overall range of such services in the area concerned and be different and distinct from them? Please tell us which non-BBC local services your station will overlap with.

Ark AM will be a distinctly different radio station where the output will be 80% speech and it is target audience is mainly the diverse Muslim communities.

Naturally, being a predominantly speech based station, there will be a high degree of community involvement in both the production side and the participation side, and we at Ark AM wish to encourage this involvement and our promise of skills and employment opportunities within the station.

Exploring the common values within the Muslim communities and the wider community will encourage a constructive dialogue. This will empower them to reach out with the wider community and engage with them in a more positive constructive manner. Ark AM will provide this access and a platform for the community to share their similarities and talk with each other.

Programming will be produced locally by the community and various organisations who are better placed to understand their own communities. Specialist language programmes will cater to the


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smaller Muslim groups who otherwise have little or no voice on any radio channel within this licence range.

Programming will be distinct and different by providing a platform to specialists to address and discuss community issues with depth. As our programming is focused and directed to the diverse Muslim community, it will maintain an Islamic ethos, while also sharing many common elements with the wider community.

Currently Awaz FM also broadcast to an Indian sub-continent audience. Although this is an overlap however our target audience is the more diverse Muslim community who are significant number. Although many are from the Indian sub-continent, however there are a substantial number of Muslims from Arab, African and European regions who are currently underserved and who Ark AM will cater for.

Ark AM’s content output is also quite dissimilar to Awaz FM which offers predominantly Asian music based content with limited discussion space for listeners. In contrast Ark AM will essentially provide speech based content leading to greater discussion and audience participation. Its limited music output will be more focused towards Muslim devotional songs from across the Islamic world, for which we have seen significant demand.

Social gain

5. Social gain Guidance Notes

Community radio is required to be for the public good and to bring community benefits, or social gains, to listeners and participants. The requirement for ‘social gain,’ is one of the key factors that makes community radio stations different from other radio services.

Please tell us what community benefits your service will bring to your target community(ies) and/or the general public. Please include summaries of evidence to support your answer.

Your draft ‘key commitments’ (later in this form) should include a summary of your proposed social gain set out below.

Broadcasting legislation specifies a number of ‘characteristics of community radio services’. Licence holders need to ensure their services conform to these characteristics, including in this case the delivery of social gain.

The legislation sets out social gains that stations must provide. These are the achievement, in respect of individuals or groups of individuals in the target community, or in respect of other members of the public, of the following objectives –

(a) the provision of a radio service to individuals who are otherwise underserved by such services,

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

(c) the provision (whether by means of programmes included in the service or otherwise) of education or training to individuals not employed by the station, and

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

Social gain may also include the achievement of other objectives of a social nature.1

Applicants are required to provide evidence that their service will result in significant social gain to the public or the target community(ies). Copies of letters or research reports etc. should not be submitted, but brief relevant extracts from them, which represent an accurate and comprehensive summary, may be included. If we wish to see the source material, we will ask for it.

Ofcom is required to have regard to the extent to which your proposed service would result in the delivery of social gain to the public or target community.

(A) Community Development

Ark AM aims to help the Muslim community of Glasgow towards empowerment and self-reliance. It will achieve this through its on-air programming and off-air community work. With 20 years’

1 See Article 2(3) of the Community Radio Order 2004 and Ofcom’s Notes of guidance for community radio

applicants and licensees.


experience of continuous RSL service, ARK AM has already established significant radio broadcast equipment and infrastructure. This includes stable premises, professional studio set-up and production equipment. We also an excellent rapport with the target community as well as with all mosques and Islamic centres across Glasgow.

These long established links with all sections of the community will help to ensure wide community participation in the running and delivery of all services. Ark AM will seek to explore and address the challenges the community faces by developing relevant programming and providing a platform to community groups, to facilitate better communications.

Glasgow’s Muslim community is comprised of diverse ethnic groups, these include; Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Arab, African and East European.

Having worked with all sections of the community over the years, we have a strong awareness of their respective challenges. Through direct engagement and reliance on their participation, Ark AM will seek to cater for all these groups by developing programme content relevant to their needs and interests.

Glasgow is also home to a sizeable refugee and asylum community, numbering roughly 6,000,

around 80% of whom are of Muslim origin. Many of these communities live in relative isolation and in

poor housing conditions. They also live detached from Glasgow’s more established Muslim

communities. By broadcasting in their language and other community programming, Ark AM will help

towards greater integration by building closer links between all sections of Glasgow’s Muslims.

To ensure Ark AM is accessible to all mentioned groups, we will broadcast programme content in a number of languages relevant to them. These will include English, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic and Potohari (spoken in Kashmir), other languages will also be incorporated based on demand. Some of these languages are not currently served by any radio station, Ark AM will be the first time they will have access to broadcast media in their language.

(B) Community Programming

The radio content will be primarily speech based with a variety of programming incorporating interactive discussion and lively debate. This will allow radio listeners to participate in discussions or Q&A sessions by phone-in, SMS text message or by email. To ensure broad community participation, we will build partnerships with key community groups providing them access to broadcast facilities with appropriate training. These will be prioritised towards women and youth, enabling these groups and their members to develop programming relevant to themselves.

We will also develop remote broadcasting and event programming, to enable wider access to events for those who generally would be able to attend. This will also include possibility for live audience participation. This service will be particularly welcome to those sections of the Muslim community who would not generally attend large public events due to physical or cultural constraints.

As a minority faith group, seeking religious advice on personal matters as well as on general lifestyle

can be challenging, with limited avenues to appropriate support and guidance. Ark AM will address

this by disseminating information covering spiritual issues as well as personal and social. It will

provide this through advice-line programming and hosting counsellors and religious scholars to allow

target community to access them live via phone or email.

Community Events

Ark AM will play a pivotal role in promoting key community events, to allow a wider participation to them. Most of the annual religious events happen at mosques and can restrict a wider participation since many take place during the late evening. Ark AM will make such events more accessible by broadcasting them live from mosques across Glasgow, allowing listener’s to savour a number of events from across the city. Other more recreational events incorporating performing arts will also be highlighted, many of which currently gain little or no publicity.

These will include;

Live feed from the annual Hajj pilgrimage with input from local pilgrims.

Local “Chand Raat” events before the festival of Eid ul Fitr, Ark AM will help promote and encourage participation to these events from the wider community, allowing for an inclusive celebration of Muslim festivals.

Local sports events for charity to encourage health and well being


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Hosting panel discussions with International personalities from the Muslim world and mainstream Islamic scholars, by helping to support and promote such a wide range of events, ARK AM will help to break down barriers by encouraging a better understanding and open debate.

(C) Volunteering and Training

While managing an RSL, we consistently engaged with the local community to successfully attract high numbers of volunteers who continued to serve Radio Ramadhan. Ark AM will operate with a volunteer-base of around 100 personnel.

Ark AM will create an inclusive platform to encourage volunteering especially targeting those groups which are very often under-represented in public forums; these include women, the elderly and the youth. The training and experience provided to young volunteers will help develop a deeper interest in media operations and provide skills sets to continue onto building meaningful careers.

We will also continue to encourage greater participation from women not only as volunteers but also board members. As an RSL, we helped numerous female volunteers, with some even moving up to management roles. By providing motivation to volunteers many of them achieved a real confidence boost, which encouraged them to enter professional work or further studies. We will expand this further by providing accredited training and/ or radio workshops to at least 20 individuals per year, chosen from amongst our volunteers. We will also seek to build closer links with local educational establishments such as colleges and schools to offer job placements to students for experience and to encourage media interest.

(D) Active Citizenship and Shared Values

Ark AM is committed to providing programming which empowers Muslims while emphasising greater integration and positive engagement with those outside their own community. This would be achieved through a variety of discussion programmes and by providing a platform for personalities from Scottish civic society. Through regular interfaith programmes with representatives of other faith groups, we will encourage better mutual relations and highlight issues of common concern, while recognising shared values.

In order to encourage greater democratic participation by the target community, Ark AM will promote involvement in local governance and political participation. Ark AM will also help channel political interest by facilitating interviews and panel discussions with local political representatives on issues of Muslim interest and also by broadening discussion into other more local topics such as better delivery of public services.

We will also work at the strategic level with all Glasgow’s mosques and Imams as well as the Muslim Council of Scotland, the largest Muslim umbrella group in Scotland. To facilitate better community consultation and to ensure we work with representatives of the whole community. This will be particularly significant as experience has shown that most mainstream and general “ethnic” bodies struggle tremendously to gain effective access to mosques. However our long established links and close relations with all mosques and Islamic centres across Glasgow, ensures we can play a pivotal role in facilitating greater interaction and encourage better access in general, to such places.

Ark AM will support community groups by providing them a platform to promote their services to the benefit of the community. Our RSL experience has helped build relationships with many of these groups including those generally hard to reach such as mosques, we will continue to reach out them and acting as a catalyst towards their promotion and interaction.

According to the Scottish government research paper on Faith communities in Glasgow “Faith communities, with the exception of the Jewish community, show an acute lack of knowledge about Council services and a high level of frustration and confusion about how to access them.” (1). While running an RSL, the experience helped us identify gaps in service provision and bring into inception a number of important groups to address certain visible deficiencies). Under Ark AM we will expand this by incorporating regular input from experts with an insight to community development and better service provision. This will help mainstream service providers, as well as smaller voluntary organisations and charities, ensure all communities can access public services and statutory bodies.

We are aware that target community can be extremely hard to reach, due to the linguistic and cultural barriers; we will work closely with statutory bodies, to overcome these. For example Ark AM will produce a number of regular community shows in specific languages, to promote current campaigns run by service providers such as Police on crime prevention and NHS on health and wellbeing.


Ark AM is committed to remaining politically neutral and non-ideological; it recognises the diversity of Glasgow’s Muslim community and will maintain a service which reflects that diversity, while remaining within the ethos of Islam.

(More information on any aspect is available on request)

Sources;


Access and participation:

6. Participation in the service Guidance Notes

How do you propose to ensure that members of your target community (or communities) are given opportunities to participate in the operation and management of the service?

Your draft ‘key commitments’ (later in this form) should include a summary of your proposed participation objectives as set out below.

Legislation specifies a number of ‘characteristics of community radio services’. Licence holders need to ensure their services conform to these characteristics, including in this case providing opportunities to participate in the operation and management of the service. Ofcom requires information as to how this would be achieved.

What will be the involvement of members of the target community in the radio station? How many volunteers do you anticipate will be involved in your service per year?

With 20 years RSL experience the Ark AM team have established a positive rapport with the community, this will be maintained by actively recruiting volunteers and promoting involvement from the main community hubs such as mosques, community centres and charity groups, targeting and inviting all sections of the community.

However we will prioritise those often seen as marginalised such as women, youth, elderly and members of the community who have additional support needs. While running RSL, we were highly successful in attracting such groups, including hard to reach individuals who would otherwise have never expected to be involved in broadcast media. Our links with relevant community groups allows us unique access to the aforementioned priority groups.

Regular messages will be broadcast on air, encouraging all to join the radio station. We are aware of key dates in the Muslim calendar when the community is keener to undertake volunteering and community work, intensive campaigns will be implemented to attract maximum volunteers.

We will assign a volunteer co-ordinator to manage Ark AM volunteers. The volunteer co-ordinator will look after the needs of the volunteers and work closely with them to allocate tasks relevant to their skills and abilities as well as seek opportunities to provide them with support and training for continuous development. We believe this is extremely important for the retention of volunteers at all operational levels and for Ark AM to build a strong, loyal and committed team.

While operating as an RSL, we annually hosted a special awards ceremony for volunteers, this was seen as a highly successful method of rewarding and motivating them. These special awards are given to volunteers as a reward for their performance and commitment.

Ark AM will however expand the event to incorporate a unique opportunity for all volunteers to put feedback and suggestions directly to the management board on any aspect of the Radio Station. It is hoped this will create a closer working relationship with both volunteers and management board, as well as allow the management board to see first-hand the hard work of volunteers.

7. Access to facilities and training Guidance Notes

Set out the practical (formal and informal) mechanisms which you will use to ensure that members of your target community can gain access to your facilities that would be used for the provision of your service and to receive training in their use.

Your draft ‘key commitments’ (later in this form) should include a summary of your proposed access and objectives for training people in the use of the facilities as set out below.

Ofcom is required by the legislation to have regard to the provision each applicant proposes to make to allow for access by members of the target community to the facilities to be used for the provision of the service and for their training in the use of those facilities.



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Ark AM will strive to ensure its equipment and services provide maximum community benefit. To achieve this, we are committed to operate as an open and inclusive Radio station encouraging and welcoming all sections of the community to join as volunteers, irrespective of race, creed or sex.

We have calculated that the station will require a volunteer base of 100 individuals to operate at normal capacity and service. Through our partner groups and media outlets we will seek to recruit 100 new volunteers annually, as well as provide 20 individuals with accredited training and radio workshops. The training will vary from studio based broadcast and production, programme research and journalistic reporting to general office management. It is hoped that these individuals will utilise these key skills in their future career.

With our experience with RSL we have an established volunteer base upon whom we can rely for any shortfall in numbers. Key volunteers who display a high degree of commitment will be invited towards greater involvement in diverse roles within the radio station, to create and maintain fresh ideas and identify new technology. These core volunteers would be promoted to senior positions.

Ark AM will provide training opportunities to volunteers of other Glasgow based community groups to help inspire towards their resources and develop individual skills. Ark AM will seek to achieve this in a meaningful way through a structured process.

Regular outreach work will be carried out in local primary and high schools to allow visits to the radio station and experience the day-to-day running of the station. We will also offer work experience opportunities for young people during their school work experience and placements for students in further and higher education. With this, we aim to inspire students towards broadcasting careers.

Ark AM recognises the importance of engaging with students of all ages to encourage greater awareness of radio broadcast. We will liaise with local primary schools to offer them invitations to visit the radio station and experience day to day running, to inspire students towards broadcasting careers. We will also explore avenues to build links with local colleges across Glasgow, some of whom we have helped promote in the past. We will expand this relationship to offer job placements and other training opportunities to students.

Ensuring accountability:

8. Accountability Guidance Notes

Please set out your proposed community accountability mechanisms. These should cover matters such as:

How will members of your target community:

make contact with your service, and

influence the operation of the service?

How will suggestions or criticisms from members of your target community (or communities) be considered and acted upon?

Your draft ‘key commitments’ (later in this form) should include a summary of your proposed accountability measures as set out below.

Broadcasting legislation specifies a number of ‘characteristics of community radio services’. Licence holders need to ensure their services conform to these characteristics. One is that, in respect of the provision of the service, the provider makes itself accountable to the community (or communities) the service is intended to serve.

Ofcom is required to have regard to the provision each applicant proposes to make in order to ensure its accountability to the relevant community (or communities).

Ark AM will ensure all elements of accountability are handled professionally and with utmost transparency. This will be achieved through a number of ways;

One of the most effective methods we will implement to encourage feedback would be the incorporation a regular broadcast programme on listeners feedback. This way feedback comments would be read out to everyone, allowing all listeners to hear of people’s complaints or suggestions on air.

As part of website content, a discussion forum would be created for listeners. This would be monitored by office personnel with key discussion points sent to management board.

The discussion forum and website address would be promoted on air via regular messages, listeners would also be informed of different methods of getting in touch including via email and telephone.

Ark AM will also urgently investigate any complaints it receives from listeners with each complaint being handled professionally by providing an immediate initial response, followed by an update if


required. Any complaint can be made via telephone; contact number will be regularly broadcast on-air. An online form will be also made available on the website to ease communication for any listener wishing to contact the station with any complaint

As a responsible organisation for volunteers, Ark AM will rigorously implement formal complaints and grievous procedure for both volunteers and staff, with all complaints logged, to ensure any issue is addressed swiftly. In order to maintain an open and transparent complaints process towards any complaint received from either listener or staff, we would ensure it is dealt with within 14 days. For any serious complaints received, a compliant officer will be appointed to ensure the complaint receives appropriate investigation and response.

Generating regular balanced feedback from listener experience can be challenging, this would be overcome by implementing a process of randomly selecting callers to the radio station. Such callers would be requested to answer a series of simple questions of their overall listener experience within a scale of 1 to 5. This feedback will be collated for management board viewing.

One of the objectives of regular management board meetings would be to assess all the above formats of feedback received. The board would also evaluate and set targets on radio station performance, particularly with regards to social impact of station. This would be achieved via regular liaison and partnerships with other community groups.

Guidance notes: station’s draft key commitments

Please draft the Key Commitments for your proposed service. There is a blank key commitments template overleaf. If your organisation is awarded a licence, the key commitments you draft here will be included in your licence. (Please note: Ofcom may require amendments if, for example, we feel changes are required to better reflect your application proposals).

Your draft Key Commitments should be consistent with, and, where appropriate, summarise the answers you have already given in this application form.

It is important that you draft your own commitments rather than just copying what may have been done by others. You should keep in mind that it will be a condition of any licence to meet the Key Commitments: something you must do at all times and for breach of which you could face sanctions including revocation of the licence. So, you should think carefully about what you will be committing to.

We would expect key commitments to be brief and no more than one page long.


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KEY COMMITMENTS: to be completed by the applicant

[Guidance is given in italics.]

Station name

[As in section 1 of this application] Ark AM

Licence area

[State the proposed coverage area as set out in section 3 of this form.]

Inner city Glasgow, within a 5km radius of transmission site

Description of character of service

[Describe in no more than 80 words in total]:

- the target community/communities [describe the community or communities you will serve; this should be a summary of your answer in section 2 of this form]:

The new radio station will aim to serve the needs of Glasgow’s diverse Muslim community.

- the main purpose of the service

The new radio station will aim to broadcast content which fulfils the needs of Glasgow’s diverse Muslim community. The ethnic and linguistic profile of the community will be reflected in the radio output.

- the station’s primary functions or activities.

Ark AM will provide the under-served Muslim Communities a much needed access to education, information, entertainment whilst identifying with Glasgow culture and heritage

The service broadcasts: [these bullet points should be a summary of the answers you have given in section 4 of this form]:

Music [if relevant]. The main types of music2 broadcast over the course of each week are:

As a primarily speech based radio station, Music content will be limited to Muslim devotional songs and popular religious music.

Speech [if relevant]. The main types of speech output3 broadcast over the course of each week are:

Ark AM content will be approx 80% speech and 20% music.

[Languages other than English, if relevant] Over the course of each week, programming will be predominantly in English (approx 70%), with Urdu, Punjabi and others constituting approximately 30%.

[What are the minimum hours per day that the service will broadcast original output?] The service provides original output4 for a minimum of 4 hours per day.

[What are the minimum hours per day that the service will broadcast locally-produced output?] The service provides locally-produced output for a minimum of 6 hours per day

The studio is located within the licensed coverage area. Our studio is based in the Southside of Glasgow which is in the heart of the target community, ensuring easy access for volunteers.

The service provides a range of community benefits (social gain objectives mandated by statute) for the target community, both on-air and off-air, and in doing so, achieves the following objectives:

the facilitation of discussion and the expression of opinion,

The station will broadcast predominantly speech based content allowing for greater interactive discussion via phone-ins on discussion programmes, on topics which reflect target community interests.

Ark AM will host and support regular public events, with panel discussions on local,

national and international issues, allowing Glasgow’s Muslims to engage with notable individuals

2 e.g. mainstream pop, urban etc. 3 e.g. local news, what’s on etc. 4 Original output is output that is first produced for and transmitted by the service, and excludes output that was transmitted elsewhere before. Original output can be live or voice-tracked. Repeat broadcasts of original output do not count towards the minimum requirement.


such as community representatives, authorities, politicians as well as religious scholars.

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, and

We will provide facilities and training to local community groups to help encourage greater participation in radio content production and output.

The station will seek to provide accredited radio training to at least 20 individuals per year. We will also explore avenues with local colleges to provide job placements and other training opportunities to students.

the better understanding of the particular community and the strengthening of links within it.

Through our close relations with all Glasgow’s mosques and Islamic centres, we will facilitate greater interaction and encourage better access for all to these sometimes, elusive places.

By partnering with a wide network of community groups, mosques and community centres, we will regularly incorporate event programming, to allow greater accessibility and participation in community events for those unable to normally attend.

We will promote shared values through panel discussions with representatives of mainstream service providers and other faith groups to encourage active citizenship and interfaith work.

Members of the target community contribute to the operation and management of the service.

We will implement an on-going programme of volunteer recruitment prioritising those identified as marginalised, such as women, the elderly and the youth.

The station will encourage volunteering and support via broadcast messages, on-line social media networks and through our interactive website portal. We will also publicise volunteering at mosques and community events.

A special awards event will be held annually to reward and motivate volunteers. It will also serve as a platform for all volunteers to address the management board on any issues and suggestions they have on the running of the station.

The service has mechanisms in place to ensure it is accountable to its target community.

The station will have a complaints procedure for listeners via online web-form for easy access, along with telephone and email. A formal grievance procedure for volunteers and staff will also be implemented.

Regular messages will be broadcast encouraging listeners to join the Website forum discussions and provide feedback about the station and its content via email, or telephone.

The management board will meet regularly to discuss service delivery, set targets and undertake a continuous assessment of the radio station’s operational strategy and its social contribution based on input received from target community.

[Please note: If awarded a licence, the key commitments you draft here will be included in your licence. (However, Ofcom may require amendments if, for example, we feel changes are required to better reflect your application proposals).]


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About your organisation:

9. Company details Guidance Notes

The legislation requires that:

Community radio services should not be provided primarily for commercial reasons or for the financial or other material gain of the body providing the service or the individuals involved in it

Any profits produced may only be used to either improve the future provision of the service or for the delivery of social gain to members of the public or the target community

Provide the name of the body corporate (e.g. company) submitting this application and the type of body corporate.

Please provide copies of the company’s Memorandum, Articles of Association and Certificate of Incorporation (or, where it is another type of body corporate, its founding documents and those which set out its objectives and rules of operation)

Only a body corporate can hold a community radio licence. A body corporate is almost always a (registered) company, although it can also include, for example, some bodies created by statute (an individual or a registered charity on its own is not a body corporate).

Your application must therefore be submitted on behalf of a registered company (or other body corporate). There are different types of company (e.g. a company limited by shares, a community interest company, a company limited by guarantee) and we need to know what kind of company is applying for a licence.

We will not consider a licence award to a company if it has not yet been registered. If the application is successful the licence will be awarded to the body corporate (e.g. company) submitting this application.

Company (or other body corporate) name: Noah’s Ark

Date of registration: 2/11/1996

Company registration number: SC170065

Type of company (or other body corporate): Company Limited by Guarantee

Where your body is not a company, please explain how it meets the requirement to be a body corporate:

N/A

10. Ownership Guidance Notes

Please provide details of who controls and who owns the body corporate (e.g. company) applying for this licence, and on what basis this control and ownership is achieved. (If this will be different once the station starts broadcasting please say so (a licence is not issued until broadcasting starts.)

The information provided must include:

all the subscribers, members, shareholders, or whatever is appropriate for the applicant company (or body corporate), and state the extent of their interest (e.g. % shareholding) (if the company will be controlled by members, but the members are not yet recruited, please say so). (You will also be asked about the board of directors in 11 & 12 below.)

details of any individual, company or other body that may exert control over the applicant.

Ofcom needs to know about the ownership of the company (or other body corporate) applying for this licence, and any issues regarding its control. We will also consider how the company (or body corporate) will be run (this will usually be specified in the Articles of Association of the company).

In relation to exerting control over the applicant, the information provided should include the name and address of any individuals or corporate bodies in accordance with whose wishes the applicant’s affairs are or will be conducted in most cases or in significant respects.

Company name; Noahs Ark

Directors (non-shareholders);

1) Dr Salah Beltagui (Chairman)

2) Haq Nawaz Ghani (Vice Chair)

3) Nawaz Ali (Secretary)


4) Sajid Quayum

5) Mohammad Mushtaq

6) Zubar A. Malik

7) Naeem Raza

Ability to maintain the service:

11. Management and operations Guidance Notes

With regard to the applicant please provide:

A list of directors, indicating who is the managing director and/or chair (please see question 12 regarding directors’ details).

An indication of management structure (e.g. management committee or equivalent, if applicable), and/or

Information about who would be responsible for the day to day management and running of the station (there is a separate question regarding other staff below). Explain the role(s) in the station, job titles, and indicate whether paid or voluntary, full or part-time (and the number of hours).

In addition to the notes above on ownership, Ofcom is also required to evaluate the human resources involved in the running of a community radio station. Answers should demonstrate how those who have relevant experience will work for the station. In addition, a diagram or organisation chart may help paint a clearer picture.

Management Committee

Individual Position Part/ Full Time Paid/ Voluntary

Sajid Quayum Managing Director Part Time; 17.5 hours Voluntary

Rabia Baber Admin/ HR Manager Part Time; 17.5 hours Voluntary

Nawaz Ali Technical Manager Part Time; 17.5 hours Voluntary

Zubair Malik Production Manager Part Time; 17.5 hours Voluntary

Kamran Raja Assistant Production Manager Part Time; 17.5 hours Voluntary

Under the management of Sajid Quayum, each of the four members of the management committee will take responsibility of work ensuring their respective department delivers on its remit. They will supervise a paid employee to head their department (see section 13 below).

12. Management and operations Guidance Notes

Please provide information regarding each director as set out below (some or all of which may be regarded as confidential).

In addition if any individuals have been identified for management roles at the proposed station, please give further information in this section.

Ofcom needs to know about the proposed directors and chair of the applicant. Some or all of the information given in this section will usually be removed from the publicly available copy of this application form. (All community radio applications forms will be made available on our website.) If you request that any information be removed, please indicate which (and why by email to [email protected]).

Sajid Quayum

Employment; Head of Production, Caledonia TV

Other directorships; Islam Information Scotland

Relevant experience or qualifications;

Completed CSV media course while based at the BBC. Worked as freelance journalist for the BBC Radio Scotland Ethnic programme ‘Ghetto Blasting’. In 1996 won a place with STV as a trainee sound person


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where he worked on STV’s entire studio output including ‘Scotland Today’, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Fun House’. In 2000 became the production trainee with Scottish Screen’s New Entrants Trainee Programme. Here he worked across genres as diverse as drama, films and ‘Location, Location, Location’. He graduated from the scheme straight into Caledonia TV as a Production Assistant. In the past 15+ years Sajid has been part of the Caledonia team he has progressed to being a board member and to be ‘Head of Production’. In that post he has managed broadcast drama/doc and documentaries for Channel 4, Channel Five, the BBC, BBC Alba and ITV amongst other clients.

Sajid’s strong media background will provide Ark AM with the perfect professional approach to broadcasting. His managerial skills will help volunteers gel and ensure a keen team spirit within Ark AM.

Has been granted RSL licenses for Radio Ramadhan continuously for over 20 years.

Salah Beltagui, B Sc., Ph D.

Employment: Retired, was Senior Lecturer in Engineering, Glasgow University.

Other directorships; Council of Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Organisations, Scottish Inter Faith Council, Muslim Council of Scotland, Faith in Community Scotland.

Relevant experience or qualifications

University Lecturing and Research also Industrial Research.

Community work in the field of equality, race and faith.

Naeem Raza

Employment; Fundraising Consultant


Instrumental in setting up Radio Ramadhan (RSL), vast experience in various marketing techniques and community outreach. Has helped in high profile interfaith events as well as key local Muslim community events. Extremely resourceful and uniquely talented in fundraising.

Haq Nawaz Ghani

Employment Computer Engineer


Vast Experience in Muslim youth work and has played a pivotal role in interfaith work specifically on Christian/ Muslim relations.

Nawaz Ali

Employment IT Adminstrator


Strong association with community work over 20 years. Has provided his technical expertise to numerous community projects allowing them to remain cutting edge. Will bring his strong creative and technological expertise to Ark AM.

Mushtaq Mohammad

Employment Chartered Certified Accountant


Chartered accountant for a high number of local Muslim businesses.

As a long standing member of the local community Mushtaq will help promote ARK AM.

Zubair A. Malik

Employment Paper and Natural Minerals Importers


Graduate of Glasgow University in Electrical Engineering. Founding member of Noah’s Ark.

Very experienced senior programme producer, having headed a number of community projects.


Rabia Baber

Employment Education Dept Glasgow City Council


Graduate BSC Honours Micro Biology Immunology.

Msc Information Technology

Diploma in Secondary Biology Teaching.

Teaching and learning of Secondary pupils as well as heavily involved with community youth work.

Rabia’s long association with youth work will ensure all volunteers are appropriately managed and receive training and support relevant to their role in Ark AM.

Kamran Afzal

Employment; Business Development Manager (Wholesalers)


Volunteering with Radio Ramadhan (RSL) for 14 years. Part of production team for last 7 years.

Kamran’s production experience will allow him help Ark AM develop content which remains engaging to the target community. His strong relationship with the Muslim business community in Glasgow will provide key aspect of advertising income for Ark AM.

If any individuals (not necessarily directors) have been identified for management roles please state what experience identified individuals have to undertake the role in question.

13. Staffing structure Guidance Notes

What is the staffing structure of your proposed radio service? Provide a job title for each position and indicate whether the individual will be paid or will work in a voluntary capacity, will be full or part-time (indicate the number of hours for part-time posts). This may be provided as a diagram or organisation chart.

The legislation requires that Ofcom has regard to the applicant’s ability to maintain the proposed service (as well as to ensure the applicant is fit and proper to hold the licence). As well as its ownership, management and operations, the proposed staffing of the station is relevant to these considerations.

Staffing Structure;

Each member of the management committee, identified in section 11 above, will take responsibility of maintaining the paid staff under their respective department. The 5 positions outlined below will be filled by paid staff, comprising of full time and part time staff, who will be assisted by volunteers (lower table). This is based on an existing working model which has been implemented on our RSL platform.

Paid Staff

Position Remit Part/ Full Time Salary

Station and sales Manager

General managers duties, with flexible working hours, however will be available to provide on call support. Also will develop commercial revenue and non- broadcast community events. Full Time

[…]

Admin/ HR

Providing and HR support while ensuring all volunteers receive appropriate training and support. Oversee the Part Time

[…]


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development of programming and supporting production volunteers.

Rotating Volunteer Staff

Position Remit Number of Volunteers Hours Per week

Sales/ Fundraising

Ensuring advertising income and sourcing new funding streams and submitting applications. 1

Part Time 7 hours (each) (inc 1 Senior volunteer)

Production

Providing research and support to production teams on designated programming as well as link presenting. 4

Part Time 7 hours (each) Including 1 senior volunteer.

Marketing/ Publicity

Ensuring positive marketing of ARK AM through variety of channels. Building links with community groups to encourage volunteering. 1 Part Time 7 Hours (each)

Technical

Providing IT support on limited elements of technical infrastructure. 1 Part time 7 hours

Station Assistant

Providing support to station manager. 1 Part Time 7 hours

Administration

Providing general office admin support, including all communications. 3 Part Time 4 hours (each)

All volunteer staff will work in weekly rotation from a pool of approx. 100 volunteers from the target community and community organisations.

14. Applicant’s experience Guidance Notes

Please describe the history of your group, and any relevant experience of the group, or the individuals within the group, by answering the questions below.

Ofcom is required to consider whether an applicant has the ability to run a community radio station for the licence period (up to five years). To aid our consideration we want to know about any relevant experience the applicant group as a whole, or the individuals involved, may have.

A. Please provide a brief history of your group.

Noah’s Ark was established in 1996, as a community development organisation, by a group of individuals from diverse backgrounds seeking to serve the Muslim community of Glasgow. Our aim is to encourage and strengthen engagement between Muslims and other communities for better mutual understanding.

The first project initiated by this group was the RSL Radio Ramadhan to help galvanise Glasgow’s Muslims towards the spirit of the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan. The response from the community


towards this project exceeded all expectations which has ensured the continuity and longevity of the broadcast.

The momentum created by Radio Ramadhan was impossible to resist, the following year saw Noah’s Ark join with Glasgow City Museums to promote a spectacular showcase of Muslim art and culture throughout all Glasgow Museums. This was accompanied by a special RSL entitled Radio Salaam.

The work of Noah’s Ark has constantly been community focused providing it a platform and voice on its varied interests. As a result Noah’s Ark has helped bring into inception 2 key organisations to address visible deficiency gaps around education and provision of resource for the Muslim community.

Although Noah’s Ark has continued to support a number of key community events over the years, it’s most compelling service remains the charity fund raising work. For over 20 years during the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan, each year, Noah’s Ark has collected donations on behalf of numerous charities, raising an average of £75,000 each year. The charities to benefit from this have included; international relief charities as well as local charities such as the Yorkhill Hospice. Since its inception Radio Ramadhan has raised over £1 million for numerous charitable causes.

The spirit of community and the radio’s popularity remains the driving force behind Noah’s Ark; inspiring hundreds of individuals towards volunteering and providing a much needed service to Glasgow’s Muslim community.

B. Please summarise the group’s broadcasting experience (e.g. internet radio, Restricted Service Licences (RSLs)).

Over a period of 20 years of RSL experience, Noah’s Ark has secured premises; significant professional radio broadcast and production equipment, manpower and resources. We have remained cutting edge community radio through key members who have extensive professional media experience. We have an established and successful working infrastructure which we will model at ARK AM.

Providing listeners with greater accessibility to community held events and a unique experience, and delivering outside broadcast programming, even from remote locations.

Ark AM intends to expand on this exciting format of broadcasting.

Since 2003 alongside our analogue frequency we also broadcast over the internet, which has created a wider audience of listeners, including many international listeners. We aim to continue broadcasting via the web if awarded a community licence.

Over the years Noah’s Ark has helped inspire and assist a number of similar RSL projects around the country, including in Dundee and Edinburgh.

C. Please summarise the relevant experience of the group or its members, in relevant non-broadcast areas (such as third sector, local business, fund-raising, training or education).

Dr Salah Beltagui; coming from an Engineering background and a former University lecturer. Since retirement Dr Beltagui has devoted his time to community work. Presently holding positions on Muslim Council of Scotland, and director of Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations. Dr Beltagui is also a founding member and former vice-chairman of Scottish Interfaith Council.

Nawaz Ali; has over 20 years of experience in youth work, with unique skills in helping train and mentor young people towards greater positive achievement He has also pioneered a number of community projects which have been family focused for greater inclusivity.

Mazhar Khan; over 20 years of involvement with Muslim community work. Has developed race religion and culture training programmes and workshops to public sector and third sector bodies. Has a deep insight towards the Scottish Muslim community and ability to respond to its many challenges.

D. Please summarise the radio broadcasting experience of key individuals in the applicant group (only if not already described above).

Sajid Quayum; Since leaving University with a Science degree Sajid has forged a career in media,


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after completing a course with CSV media based at the BBC.

In 2000 Sajid won a competitive traineeship with Scottish Screen. Spring boarding to Caledonia TV as a Production Assistant, he is currently Head of Production there and joined the board of the Company in 2006. He has been granted RSL licenses for Radio Ramadhan continuously for over 20 years.

Evidence of demand:

15. Demand and/or support Guidance Notes

Please provide a summary of evidence of demand and/or support for your proposed service.

This may include a variety of information, for example:

summary of support from statutory or voluntary sector organisations which expect to contribute practically and/or financially to your operations, or which would expect to collaborate with you in joint activities;

evidence of interest generated through radio activity (e.g. RSLs, internet radio), community activity, training, voluntary sector work etc;

results of research;

summary of support from local politicians, councils, educational or religious bodies etc;

summary of support from local business or other sectors;

evidence of support from your proposed target community.

When considering community radio licence applications, Ofcom is required to take into account the extent of local demand for, or support for, the provision of the proposed service.

It is for applicants to decide what evidence of demand or support they wish to submit. However, Ofcom does not believe that generic support for the establishment of a new radio service is as meaningful as evidence of considered support for a specific applicant’s proposals. This means that Ofcom does not attach great value to numerous examples of similar generic or form letters of support by your group, or to petitions.

Copies of letters or research reports etc. should not be submitted. However, your response here may include brief relevant extracts from such material and must represent an accurate and comprehensive summary of any such supporting evidence. If we wish to see the source material, we will ask for it.

Visible Deficiency Gaps Ark AM will serve to directly address and fulfil the deficiency gaps in broadcast radio services presently being experienced from both mainstream and local community radio stations. The profile and needs of Glasgow’s Muslims are quite distinct from other minority faith and ethnic groups in the city. The demographics and diversity of Muslims in Glasgow means no “ethnic” radio station can expect to reach out to all the diverse ethnicities which comprise it. For example based on the 2011 Census although the majority of Muslims in Glasgow were of South Asian origin the community also had some other small but significant groups. These included; Arabs, East Europeans, Southeast Asians Africans and White Muslim converts. This diversity is more profound within specific parts of the city. For example of the Muslims in the Royston Ward; 16.7% were of White background, 35.3% of Pakistani/other South Asian and 47.8% were classed as Other (1).

Many of these groups are not currently served by any Community Radio station, therefore remain without a platform to air their voice, Ark AM will fulfil this need.

The popularity of our RSL broadcast has clearly shown the demand and tastes for devotional Islamic music, ranging from traditional hymns to contemporary hip hop. Therefore Ark AM will provide a service addressing the cultural and religious sentiments of Muslims.

Challenges Faced The Muslims in Glasgow, as across the UK have experienced a tumultuous 15 years since 9/11, creating numerous challenges and issues. Whether questions over radicalism or integration, women’s dress or alienation. The Muslim community has grappled with these issues, while the mainstream media has sought to publicly dissect it and offer distorted perceptions of it, in the face of an impotent Muslim response (2). According to the “Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow” research paper (2005), it was found that “The Muslim community is perceived, by all faith groups surveyed, to be the group most under pressure. The pressure has increased since the events of 11th September 2001.” (3)

As an RSL, we provided the Muslim community a 30 day window, which has seen a huge response from the community to partake in discussions on a range of topics. The success of Radio Ramadhan


over 20 years of broadcasting as an RSL is testament to the need for a permanent 24/7 Muslim radio station for Glasgow.

Muslims in Media The portrayal of Muslims by the mainstream media constantly highlight divisions and differences which can lend towards an intrusive and distorted perspective of Muslim lives, laying grounds for both prejudice and hostility (4,5,6)

With little or no avenues for local Muslims to counter such negativity, Ark AM will provide a voice to Glasgow's Muslim community, helping to create a more balanced understanding and awareness of the practices and opinions of Glasgow’s Muslims, through programming that will focus on the common values between all communities.

Our RSL broadcasts provided a balanced and values based perspective to contentious and sensitive issues, such as the controversial actions of fringe Muslim groups. Ark AM will be best placed to address and discuss such topics by including mainstream Islamic scholars.

Muslim Centred Debate As an RSL we provided a platform to numerous service providers and agencies including Police, NHS and the Council as well as local specialist organisations, who are trained to deal with the community in thie own language. Ark AM will allow key access to this hard to reach community. Many of the most controversial issues such as Domestic Abuse, Female Genital Mutilation, Honour killings and Forced Marriages are often perceived as “Muslim problems”. These and other such topics will receive a broader discussion incorporating expert advice and Islamic scholarly insight, to challenge them more effectively.

Compared to other faith communities, Muslims are significantly more likely to regard their religion as important to their lives; similarly they also regard Islam as an important part of their identity. (7) Religion as a way of life for many Muslims naturally leads to greater need to access reliable counsel from trustworthy Muslim religious leaders and scholars to help provide contextualised practice of Islam in Glasgow.

Support for Glasgow Muslim Community Radio Station

From the Community

Over 20 years Radio Ramadhan has built a considerable rapport with Glasgow’s Muslim community, establishing itself and the team behind it as a trusted organisation, providing a community valued service. We have repeatedly been lobbied by listeners of Radio Ramadhan over the years to expand the service towards a permanent radio station providing similar content.

By providing support to Radio Ramadhan volunteers have benefited greatly through their experience. The positive feedback received from them was that they valued the skills they learned and enjoyed the team spirit; they conveyed the wish to gain additional skills towards their personal development.

Women’s groups, youth and elderly are just some of the groups who have expressed the benefits to their community and have desired a continuation of the service.

As an RSL we have enjoyed the support of countless independent businesses, including wholesalers and retailers as well as Council departments and Service Providers over the years.

First Minister: Nicola Sturgeon

During July 2015 the First Minster Nicola Sturgeon visited Radio Ramadhan and gave it her support. She also used it as a platform to encourage more Muslim women to be involved in public life.

Notable Supporting Individuals Alison Thewliss MP Anas Sarwar MSP Humza Yusuf MSP


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Sandra White MSP Councillor Norman McLeod Councillor Soriya Siddique

Supporting Organisations Inspector Shaheen Babar: Police Scotland Amar Shakoor Scottish Police Muslim Association Colin Lee (Country Director) CEMVO Scotland (Council for Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Organisations) Dr Javed Gill (Convener) Muslim Council of Scotland Dr M. S. Kausar (Former President) Glasgow Central Mosque Shaukat Sultan Roshni Saleem Aslam Madrassa Taleem ul Islam Isabel Smyth (Convener) Scottish Interfaith Council Asma Ali Glasgow President Islamic Society of Britain Dr Aman Duranni: Young Muslims Asma Shekh Al Meezan Women’s Group Dr Imtiaz Iqbal Muslim Elderly Day Care Manager

Businesses which have supported us continuously over 5 years, during RSL broadcast

Southside Housing Association

Bonanza Group Wholesale

LTC Wholesale

M Suleman Wholesalers

Interpal

M H Yusuf Accountants

Ramzan Jewellers

Islamic Relief

Muslim Aid

See Me Scotland

Sources;

1. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/08142443/24484#23a

2. http://www.strategicdialogue.org/ISD%20muslims%20media%20WEB.pdf P.13


4. http://www.comres.co.uk/poll/499/ahmadiyya-muslim-association-uk-islamophobia-survey.htm

5. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/23/inquiry-into-anti-islam-press

6. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-shameful-islamophobia-at-the-heart-of-britains-press-861096.html

7. http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2010/clive-field-on-attitudes-to-islam-and-muslim-attitudes-in-britain/

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/11/08142443/24484#23a

http://www.strategicdialogue.org/ISD%20muslims%20media%20WEB.pdf


http://www.comres.co.uk/poll/499/ahmadiyya-muslim-association-uk-islamophobia-survey.htm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/23/inquiry-into-anti-islam-press

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-shameful-islamophobia-at-the-heart-of-britains-press-861096.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-shameful-islamophobia-at-the-heart-of-britains-press-861096.html

http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2010/clive-field-on-attitudes-to-islam-and-muslim-attitudes-in-britain/


Ability to maintain the service – financial information:

16. Pre-launch financial information

In assessing an applicant’s ability to maintain the service we need to know what funds and assets it holds, how much it intends to spend getting the station on-air (pre-launch expenditure), and predicted funding for the pre-launch period. Please note ‘in-kind’ income is dealt with in 18 below.

Tick this box if you request Ofcom to withhold this information from the public copy of your application.

17. Year 1 financial information - income

Please provide information on the predicted income for your first year of broadcasting. N.B. there is a legislative restriction on income from on-air advertising and sponsorship/commercial references (in summary, each station is allowed a ‘fixed revenue allowance’ of £15,000 per year from paid-for advertising and sponsorship; some stations may also be allowed up to 50% of their total relevant information per year (i.e. disregarding the fixed revenue allowance). See the ‘Invitation of applications for community radio licences’ for your region for further information).


18. Financial information – in-kind support

Please provide totals that reflect the in-kind support you expect to receive for the pre-launch period, and for year one. You may count some volunteer input as in-kind support – please see our guidance on this http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/radio-ops/volunteerinput.pdf


19. Year 1 financial information – outgoings

Please summarise year 1 outgoings – your expected operational expenditure to cover the first 12 months after the service has commenced broadcasting. (Add rows if necessary).


20. Year 1 financial information – commercial activities on air

During your first year of broadcasting would your proposed station carry any on-air advertising? (If so, please state the amount of income you anticipate from this source and its anticipated proportion of total income)

The legislation for Community Radio places limits on the amount of income annually from the sale of on-air advertising and sponsorship that can be generated.

If ‘No’ might your proposed service seek to carry on-air advertising at a later date? (If so, please state the amount of income you estimate from this source and its estimated proportion of total income)

During your first year of broadcasting would your proposed station carry sponsorship or commercial references in return for payment? (If so, please state the amount of income you anticipate from this source and its anticipated proportion of total income)

If ‘No’ might your proposed service seek to carry sponsorship or commercial references in return for payment at a later date? (If so, please state the amount of income you estimate from this source and its estimated proportion of total income)


21. Pre-launch financial information - contingency

If there is a shortfall between pre-launch predicted income and outgoings, please explain below how you would expect to cover any outstanding costs. Tick this box if you request Ofcom to withhold this information from the public copy of your application.

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/radio-ops/volunteerinput.pdf


23

22. Year 1 financial information - contingency

If there is a shortfall between Year 1 income and Year 1 outgoings, please explain below how you would expect to cover any outstanding costs (see also 23 and 24 below). Alternatively if there is a surplus at the end of Year 1, please explain what you intend to do with such additional resources. Tick this box if you request Ofcom to withhold this information from the public copy of your application.

23. Financial information – loans and other borrowings

If any of your proposed funding (either set-up or operational) is in the form of loans e.g. from directors, individuals or organisations, please provide details as to who the loan is from and the terms of such lending, expected repayment terms, interest rate charged and other associated costs. Tick this box if you request Ofcom to withhold this information from the public copy of your application.

24. Financial information – alternative funding streams

If there is a shortfall between income and outgoings, what arrangements have you explored and are in place to provide further financial and/or ‘in-kind’ support for your proposed service?

If you have any proposals for expanding and/or changing the funding model of your proposed service after the first year of operation, please provide details below: Tick this box if you request Ofcom to withhold this information from the public copy of your application.

Broadcasting engineering:

Engineering notes

We require preliminary radio frequency (r.f.) engineering information and applicants are advised that this section is not intended to be exhaustive. We are asking for the basic engineering parameters necessary to determine the extent of frequency availability in an applicant’s chosen area (after taking account of the requirements of neighbouring broadcasters); and to determine whether the proposed service area can be adequately served from this site. As a result, applicants should note the importance of identifying a transmission site that is suitable for the area they wish to serve.

While Ofcom would not wish applicants to go to unnecessary expense (we do not guarantee the availability of a suitable frequency and/or our ability to allocate it for broadcasting from the chosen transmission site), we do require precise details about the transmission site chosen. The questions following relate to this.

Applicants should provide evidence of negotiations or agreement with the site owner (e.g. whether a provisional agreement is in place). Any licence award will be based on the coverage area from the site identified in the application. If a licence is offered, Ofcom may not be able to agree to a change from the site put forward in this application (and any request for a change will need to be justified).

Applicants should read and be aware of the relevant part of the Ofcom Site Engineering Code which may be found at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/guidance/tech-guidance/eng_code/

Community radio stations typically have a coverage area of up to a 5 kilometre radius. Please see Ofcom’s ‘Coverage and planning policy for analogue broadcasting services’ (including community radio) http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/broadcast/radio-ops/coverage/analogue-coverage-policy.pdf

25. Engineering information

Note: there are fundamental differences between FM (VHF) and AM (MF) transmission systems. These include differences in mast and antenna size, transmitter site requirements, site location, installation cost, audio quality and night-time interference. Before completing this section, applicants may wish to take professional advice to ensure they understand these differences and their implications.

Waveband: Is the application for an FM licence? Yes / No

Is the application for an AM licence? Yes / No

Should a suitable FM frequency be unavailable, would a frequency on AM be acceptable?

If you have answered YES to this last question please complete the questions below separately for both an FM transmission site and an AM transmission site.

Yes / No

Please Note: We very much prefer 1530 kHz, as

our former Celtic Radio transmitter is set for this frequency

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/guidance/tech-guidance/eng_code/



Do you understand the fundamental differences between FM (VHF) and AM (MF) services and have you incorporated these below and in, for example, your start-up and other costs, detailed earlier?

Yes / No

Transmission site address:

What is the postal address and post code: Renfrew Road Govan G51 4TD

National Grid Reference (NGR):

The NGR is a reference code comprising two letters and two groups of three numbers (e.g. SW 123 456). It is available from Ordnance Survey. Further information can be found at: http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/index.html

NS537664

About the site’s dimensions:

What is the height of the site, in metres, Above Ordnance Datum (AOD)?

Sea Level

In metres, what is the total height of the mast / building Above Ground level (AGL)?

15.545m

What is the height, in metres, of the transmitting antenna AGL?

15.545m

Please supply photographs of the transmitter mast / building and aerial location.

Tick if enclosed

About the transmission site:

Who owns the site and what are their full contact details? […]

Is this site already used for broadcasting and if so by whom?

Previously used by Celtic Music Radio TX Site

Transmission site availability:

Delete as appropriate the yes/no answers which describe your situation regarding proposed site (it may be that you cannot answer all four questions):

Site identified? Yes / No

Provisional agreement with site owner in place? Yes / No

Or under negotiation? Yes / No

Applicant group owns site? Yes / No

Other – please specify. […]

How to contact you:

26. Public contact details Guidance Notes

Provide the name of the person who will deal with enquiries from the press and public and the contact details for them.

Ofcom will publish community radio licence applications, and from time to time statements which may include public contact details, on its website. A point of contact is required to deal with press and other enquiries from interested parties.

Name: Mazhar Khan

Phone: 0141 375 3434

Mobile: 07999333850

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ark.scot

27. Contact details for Ofcom Guidance Notes

Concluding declaration:

28. Declaration

APPLICANT’S, DIRECTORS’ AND OWNERS’ OTHER INTERESTS

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/index.html


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1. In relation to the applicant and any body’s and/or individuals whose details are given in sections 11, 12

and 13 of this application, please state whether the applicant, any body or individual is (and if so identify that body or individual) involved in any of the activities set out in the table below, and the extent of the involvement or interest. For these purposes, the applicant includes associates of the applicant (i.e. directors and their associates and other group companies): (Note: if none of the following categories in this section apply, this must be clearly indicated by writing “none” in any appropriate box.)

Activity/involvement By the applicant and/or a shareholder or member

(section 11 of this application form)

By a director

(section 12 of this application form)

a) Local authorities Rabia Baber (employed by Glasgow City Council)

b) Bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly of a political nature, or which are affiliated to such a body

None

c) Bodies whose objects are wholly or mainly of a religious nature

None

d) An individual who is an officer of a body falling within (c) above

None

e) A body corporate which is an associate (as defined in paragraphs 1(1) and 1(1a) of Part I of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990) or a body falling within (b) or (c) above)

None

f) An advertising agency or an associate of an advertising agency

None

g) Other broadcasting interests (including radio, television, satellite and cable broadcasting and allied activities).

Sajid Quayum (employed by Caledonia TV; www.caledonia.tv)

Other interests

2. Give details of any other interest or activity of the applicant which is or could be incompatible with the requirements imposed by or under Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as modified by the Community Radio Order 2004) and Articles 6 and 7 of the Community Radio Order 2004. Please also give details of any other participant in the applicant whose interest is or could be incompatible with those requirements. (You may need to seek advice about these matters)

Answer: N/A

Other matters

3. In pursuance of its duties under Section 86(4) of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as amended), Ofcom requires that the applicant should notify Ofcom of any matters which might influence Ofcom’s judgement as to whether:

(i) the applicant;

(ii) any director of the applicant;

(iii) any individual, or any director of a company, who will have an interest of 5 per cent or more in the applicant;

may not be considered a 'fit and proper person' to participate in a radio licence. Such matters would include, for example, the following (whether they occurred in the UK or any other country): any unspent criminal conviction, any undischarged insolvency and/or bankruptcy orders, any disqualification from being a director of a limited company, and any adverse findings made by Ofcom (or its predecessor broadcast regulators), any other regulatory authority and/or any court or tribunal in respect of any regulatory matters.

Answer: None


Do you confirm, to the best of your knowledge and belief, that:

4. The applicant is not a disqualified person in relation to the licence by virtue of the provisions of section 143 (5) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (relating to political objects);

5. The applicant is not otherwise a disqualified person in relation to the licence by virtue of Part II of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990 or any other rule prohibiting its holding the licence;

6. No director, member or other person involved directly or indirectly in the management of the applicant group is the subject of a disqualification order as defined by section 145 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 1996;

7. No person (body corporate or individual) involved in the application has been convicted within the past five years of an unauthorised broadcasting offence and that the applicant will do all it can to ensure that no person (body corporate or individual) so convicted will be concerned in the provision of the service, the making of programmes included in it, or the operation of the radio station if the applicant is granted a licence; and

8. Any matters which might influence Ofcom's judgement as to whether the directors or members of the applicant group are fit and proper persons to participate in a radio licence have been made to Ofcom.

Applicants should note that Ofcom reserves the right to revoke a licence if at any time any material statement made is found to be false and to have been made by the applicant or any member or officer thereof knowing it to be false, and that in the circumstances of section 144 of the Broadcasting Act 1996, the provision of false information or the withholding of relevant information with the intention of misleading Ofcom could incur a criminal conviction and a disqualification from the holding of a licence.

Please tick this box to confirm that the applicant agrees with the above statements.

Please tick the boxes below to indicate which additional documentation is included as part of this application. We are not willing to accept additional information with this application, other than that set out below:

Memorandum & Articles of Association

Certificate of Incorporation

Application Payment (UK £ 600.00) non-returnable

Photographs of the transmitter mast / building and aerial location.

I hereby apply to Ofcom for the grant of a community radio licence and declare that the information given in this application and any additional documentation is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, correct.

Sajid Quayum (Name of person)

Managing Director (Title or position in the applicant group)

25/10/16 (Date)

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