Section Page
1 Community Radio Annual Report Form 1
2 Declaration 10
3 Checklist 11

Section 1
1 Community Radio Annual Report Form
1.1 Community Radio Annual Report Form: Year Ending 31 March 2012
Station details

Licence Number
CR183

Station Name
The Hillz

Launch Date
5th June 2009

Web address where you will publish this report
www.thehillz.net

PLEASE NOTE: Each section can be expanded to take as much information as you need to provide.

1.2 The year in numbers
Please specify the station’s achievements in the 10/11 year in numbers as follows:
Average number of live hours per week
49 hours
Average number of original programming hours per week
(this may include pre-recorded as well as live material but should not include repeats).
85 hours
The percentage of your live daytime output that is speech
30%
Number of people trained over the course of the year
[114]
Number of volunteers involved over the course of the year
[139]
If appropriate, a list of languages you have broadcast in
Polish, Hindi, Pashto, Farsi, Italian, French,
Punjabi, Patois, English, Swahili
(Please also include this information in the following sections where relevant)

1.3 Key commitments: Programming
• Output will typically comprise 70% music and 30% speech (‘speech’ excludes advertising, programme/promotional trails and sponsor credits).
• Music output will mainly be outside the mainstream, a high percentage of this falling under the category of alternative or international, and less than 5% will currently be in the top forty charts. It will include music produced by local artists and musicians, and music for displaced communities in additional to specific genres such as soul, rock and indie.
• Speech output will comprise community news and information, interviews and discussions, and occasional features on issues of local interest such as health, disability and the environment. Some programmes will be broadcast in community languages addressing local community issues and news from other parts of the world.
• Output will be broadcast in English as well as other community languages such as Turkish, Kurdish, Polish, Punjabi, Hindi/Urdu, French and African languages. Community languages featured may vary from time to time depending on community demand and availability of volunteers.
• The service will typically be live for at least 8 hours per day weekdays. (Live programming may include pre-recorded inserts, if applicable.) The majority of the output will be locally produced.

We have maintained a 70/30 balance of music to speech programmes over the year. Music output consists of alternative music reflecting the diversity of the area e.g. Asian, bhangra, music from the Caribbean i.e. Reggae & Soca, Polish, Kurdish, Garage, Bass Line, Drum ‘n’ bass, dubstep, r&b, soul, Irish, traditional from various countries i.e. Kenya, Iran, Nigeria & Italy.

Speech output consists of regular morning talk shows featuring guests from the community covering a wide range of topics, community news and views, talk shows targeting specific communities e.g. Caribbean talk show, Women’s issues. Also, community issues and events relevant to the area/community. Presenters of nationalities other than English, feature news items and points of interest from their homeland.

We work closely with our two secondary schools, both of whom produce programmes on a weekly basis & cover a wide range of issues affecting young people.

Languages featured are as listed above.

Up until 31st March 2011 we were broadcasting for an average of 8 hours per live and five days per week. Since 1st April due to a significant increase in demand, we are up to 12 hours per day on some days.

1.4 Key commitments: Social gain objectives
“(a) the provision of sound broadcasting services to individuals who are otherwise underserved”

• Hillz FM will target and seek to involve people facing disadvantage, social exclusion and deprivation, people from minority groups, and culturally under-represented; those who consider themselves consumers engaged with and wishing to be informed about these cultures; and persons who live in socially or linguistically isolated communities. The service seeks to provide demand- led relevant media coverage for the large number of people who are currently underserved or excluded by existing media.

“(b) the facilitation of discussion and the expression of opinion”

• The station will provide regular opportunities for studio discussion, interviews and listener phone-ins on various topics.

“(c) the provision (whether by means of programmes included in the service or otherwise) or education or training to individuals not employed by the person providing the service”

• The station will run accredited courses for 10 volunteers per year (subject to funding).
• The station will run informal / unaccredited training for 30 volunteers per year.
• The station will provide training with elements such as basic skills, literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.
• The station will provide work experience placements for students / young people as and when required. (Referrals will come from local educational establishments or Connexions, for example.)

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

• The station will develop programming that reflects the changing needs in the target community.
• The station will facilitate raising awareness of local and community issues which affect the target audience.

Additional social gain objectives:

• Hillz FM will occasionally include educational self-help features that will assist individuals or groups to manage their work lives and businesses.
• The station will provide information about local services from local statutory and volunteer agencies.

We have maintained our commitment to involving people facing disadvantage, social exclusion, deprivation, people from minority groups and culturally under represented. We operate in the heart of Hillfields in Coventry, one of the most deprived wards in the city and has the highest percentage of people from ethnic communities, many of whom do not have English as their first language.

Within our schedule, we provide opportunities for studio discussion on a variety of topical issues. We welcome and invite feedback either via text, phone-ins or email.

We have provided informal/unaccredited training opportunities for 139 volunteers. We have provided basic skills, literacy, numeracy and IT in partnership with UK Online. 91 people registered for this course.

We provide regular work experience placements to young people via Connexions and our local Academy. We also work closely with European Training Services to provide international work placements. One placement from Italy completed a three month placement & was able to improve our website. We currently have a volunteer from France.

We are seeking funding to train community champions from new communities whose first language is not English.

We continually invite guests into the studio to discuss issues which affect our target audience on a range of issues, e.g. health, unemployment, domestic and sexual violence, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, family related issues.

1.5 Key commitments: Access and participation
Community Radio Order 2004: “It is a characteristic of every community radio service that members of the community it is intended to serve are given opportunities to participate in the operation and management of the service.”

• An open membership scheme will be operated.
• The station will provide opportunities for 30 volunteers per year to work at the station in various roles including producing and presenting programmes.
• Hillz FM will work with a wide range of other agencies to provide signposting and referrals into and from our services, therefore widening access opportunities and providing support for individuals.
• Monthly meetings with the station management will be held to facilitate volunteer input into the running of the station.
• There will be occasional open days when members of the public are invited to drop in. This is also an opportunity to comment and feedback.
• Outreach programmes and taster sessions will be set up for community organisations.

[report back against your key commitments here]

An open membership scheme is in operation and we encourage guest presenters to appear on established programmes.

We have provided opportunities for 70 volunteers to work as presenters, producers, technical advice, maintenance, IT, web design, jingle production, editing and social networking.

We work with a wide range of agencies e.g. Connexions, Youth Offending Service, Coventry City Council and a wide range of community and voluntary organisations, such as CRASAC, Community Drugs Team, Foleshillfields Vision, Foleshill Women’s Training, Tamarind Centre, West Indian Community Centre, Whitefriars Housing Group.

The Radio Steering Group, which is made up of volunteers who represent the community groups in the area, business representatives and the like, meet monthly to discuss a wide range of issues pertinent to the running of the station. Regular meetings have just been initiated with presenters to enable issues relating to the schedule, output, content, etc., to be passed on to them as well as providing the opportunity for their comments, concerns, suggestions to be passed on to the Radio Steering Group.

We have an open door policy and members of the public are invited to visit the studio, talk to staff and volunteers and to take part in programmes, when appropriate. We also have guest DJ spots where members of the public can do a short stint, i.e. 30 mins, in the studio without any long term commitment.

We have improved our website to allow comments, suggestions and feedback.

1.6 Key commitments: Accountability to the target community
Community Radio Order 2004: “It is a characteristic of every community radio service that, in respect of the provision of that service, the person providing the service makes himself accountable to the community that the service is intended to serve.”

• The station will establish a community action group comprising of members who have been elected from the station’s membership. The function of the group will be to feed recommendations to the station’s board.
• Annual General Meeting with the election of board of directors in addition to open meetings twice a year for station members and members of the public.
• The station will have a formal complaints procedure which will be published.
• The station will encourage feedback on air, via the website etc

The station has presenters forums at which DJs and community representatives attend. The forum meets monthly to discuss issues affecting the station, particularly domestic issues relating to the licence, and any matters arising are fed back to the steering group. We attempt to ensure that the steering group members attend as many meetings as possible.

The station is a project established by Working Actively To Change Hillfields Ltd., (WATCH) and in line with their constitution hold annual general meetings at which elections take place for the Board of Directors. Members of the public are welcomed at the annual general meeting and invited to comment on all aspects of WATCH, including the radio station. The station actively encourages feedback on air and on the website.

The Hillz has a formal complaints procedure, which is published on our new website.

1.7 Volunteer inputs (see the separate guidance notes)
Number of volunteers: 139

What roles are performed by volunteers:

Presenting, scheduling, designing and updating website and social networking sites, jingles production, marketing, voxpops, developing and producing community shows, maintaining and updating hardware and software programmes, general maintenance.

Approximate number of hours worked on average per volunteer 5 hours per week:

Additional information:
The majority of our volunteer time is spent on air. We also have volunteer receptionist, back office work, maintaining equipment.

It would be impossible for our station to operate without time freely given by our volunteers. We also find that, particularly with young volunteers, the time given to our radio station is a significant contributor to a CV

1.8 Significant achievements

In July 2011 we were awarded a further three year’s funding from Children In Need.
This enabled us to employ two members of staff who previously been key volunteers.

Last year we reported that Secret Millionaire had visited the centre & the programme was broadcast in May 2011, this has raised the profile of the station & increased our listening numbers & the number of volunteers coming forward. It has alerted local schools & colleges to the potential of the station.

In September 2011 we worked with Children’s Disability Team (Coventry Social Services), & trained 8 young people with profound disabilities some of who were not expected to live beyond their 18th birthday. The training enabled participants to produce their own broadcasts

Also in September, we worked with Kairos a local charity supporting sex workers to produce a play which was performed by the women who are clients of the centre.

We have developed excellent links with Coventry University & City College (our local F.E. College) both of whom operate Radio under RSL’s. Currently, we have recruited Dj’s and are in discussions about further areas of work.

Our project steering group meets on a monthly basis, and we have recruited members with a range of skills.

1.9 Significant difficulties
Do you wish this section to be kept confidential? No

Our biggest failing has been our inability to develop regular income streams. The main causes of this have been

1. We have been unable to obtain accurate demographics about our listeners, i.e. age, gender, most popular programmes, age, gender, ethnicity. We also plan programmes to ensure that we reach the many diverse communities in the area, which often limits the size of our listeners.
2. Many of the companies that advertise with us are small and often strapped for cash, chasing payment is time consuming and unfortunately we do not have the resources to do this.

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

Currently our audience research data is very basic. We rely on feedback on air, comments on our website and social networking site.

We have looked into using professional companies to carry out this research but, to date, have found this too expensive currently given our funding restrictions.

We are currently negotiating with the following:

• A local FE College to carry out a survey among listeners to establish audience views

• Our local university, which is based within a mile of the station, to establish demographics about our audience e.g. age, ethnicity, popular programmes, key listening times, etc. We intend to use this to develop a marketing strategy for the station

Section 2
2 Declaration
I hereby declare that the information given in this annual report is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true and correct.
Signature

Name

Bill Hall

Position

Chair of the Radio Steering Group

Station

The Hillz

Email address
info@thehillz.net

Telephone number

024 7655 0564

Date

Section 3
3 Checklist
Please ensure that you have done the following:

• Read the Guidance Notes.

• Checked that all sections of both forms (i.e. this document and the accompanying spreadsheet) are completed.

• Ensured that the declaration is signed and dated by a member of the board of the corporate body which has been awarded the community radio licence, and that the person has the authority to act on behalf of the board.

Then
Submit your form by email to community.radio@ofcom.org.uk and send one signed hard copy to

Community Radio (5th Floor),
Ofcom
Riverside House
2A Southwark Bridge Road,
London
SE1 9HA.

Annual report forms must be returned to Ofcom by Wednesday 29 June 2011.

March 2011 – Issue 5

Final 2 Ofcom Report 2011-12 (Download)

If you are desperate for help email buildrescue@iwcmedia.co.uk or call 0207 013 4069

Come and join HillzFM at Coventry Indoor Market for a Springtime Celebration!

Saturday 7th April 2012
10am – 4pm
For more info call 02476 550563

Read the recent Coventry Evening Telegraph article about HillzFM station manager Kate’s continued success with “Secret Millionaire” Sue Stone.

The Hillz FM Twitter Page can be found HERE:

If you are a young person or someone that is interested in volunteering at the Hillz you can contact us on 02476 550 564 and ask for either Kate or Mandy.

On a final note, we are still looking for more advertisers and sponsors for the radio, so if you are, or know, local businesses who would benefit from this, please ask them to get in touch with Mandy or Kate.