Community radio stations are supporting local communities up and down the country, but many struggle to report on their impact, according to new Ofcom research published today.
Community radio stations provide a voice for hundreds of local communities across the UK. Fuelled by the hard work and enthusiasm of volunteers, they reflect a diverse mix of cultures and interests through their locally produced content.
New Ofcom research, carried out by Wavehill and published today, reveals that community radio stations are delivering significant benefits for their listeners and local communities, both on-air and off-air.
Benefits included the provision of trusted sources of hyper-local news, especially in times of crisis; reaching audiences that are often underserved by mainstream media; providing companionship for older listeners and those facing exclusion; championing local arts and culture; and tackling important social issues.
And community stations are impacting their areas off-air as well – from creating volunteer opportunities to organising events, roadshows and outreach programmes.
Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Ofcom's Group Director for Broadcast and Media, said: “This important research showcases the significant value these services bring to local audiences up and down the country. The report also provides a range of tools they can use to better deliver their social gain ambitions in the future. I look forward to seeing the sector continuing to thrive and make a real difference to their communities.”
Barriers and challenges
Successfully measuring and reporting the impact of funding, volunteering and other initiatives is vital to creating a sustainable radio station. It can lead to more funding opportunities, successful volunteer recruitment and stronger community support.
But while the research found just over half (56%) of community radio stations currently measure the social gain they deliver, most say they lack the time, funding, and staffing to prioritise this. Gathering feedback from listeners is a key challenge, especially without dedicated roles or systems.
Related to this, around a third (34%) of community stations said they had no estimate for their listenership.
Practical guidance for measuring and reporting
In response to these challenges, Ofcom has today published a set of resources that community radio stations can use to demonstrate the social gain they create. This is intended as guidance, to give radio stations the flexibility to decide what works for them.
The guidance includes:
- A listener survey used to assess audience reach, engagement, and perceived benefits.
- Volunteer evaluation methods to measure skills development, confidence, and employability outcomes.
- A standardised case study template to document and showcase social gain examples.
- A social value calculator to quantify social benefits in monetary terms where possible
- A literature review and high-level theory of change, to demonstrate how activities lead to broader social outcomes.