New Media Partner Announced.......

[Panda Paws]

How about this:

Dear MP/MEP.

I'm writing with a greal deal of concern over Swindon Town Football Club's recent announcement that it has signed a deal for exclusive media rights with Brunel FM.

This is currently causing a great deal of worry among fans who do not live in Swindon but support the club from outlying areas such as Chippenham, Gloucestershire and Bristol.

At the moment, most of can listen to commentaries of matches on BBC Radio Wiltshire on FM throughout the county and beyond, but from next season we will be denied this as Brunel only broadcasts to a much smaller area - not much bigger than Swindon itself - and on a comparatively low power transmitter.

From next season, we will be expected to pay for internet streaming on the club's website (£3.99 per month as well as the cost of a broadband supplier) or go without.

At the moment, some 50% of the population does not have broadband access so therefore will not be able to listen (dial-up is too slow for online radio), and on top of that, the club's streaming system only works on Windows PCs so people with Macs and Linux (approx 12% of net users) are also excluded from listening.

I am also very concerned about the impact on those who are on low incomes who live outside of Swindon - those who cannot afford broadband will be completely denied access to commentary.

According to the BBC they were not invited to tender a bid for the rights and I believe this constitutes anti-competitive behaviour by the football club and the new rights holder, Brunel.

I would also point out that a similar situation occurred at Reading recently, and after a great deal of pressure, BBC Radio Berkshire were allowed back in.

I am appealing for help in convincing the club to allow our public service broadcaster access again to provide commentaries and was wondering if you could help. Any publicity or pressure you can add to this campaign would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes

A concerned Swindon Town fan.

[Phil_S]

Here's mine

Dear Martyn,
 
I am writing regarding my concerns with this agreement, hoping that they are groundless, but fearing that this is yet another case where consultation of the fans would have paid dividends for the club.
 
Am I correct in my understanding that live commentary of STFC matches will now only be broadcast by Brunel FM ?
If so how are the large percentage of Swindon fans who live outside of Swindon, but in or near North Wiltshire going to be catered for.?
 
I understand the commercial reasoning behind this deal, but were the BBC given an opportunity to tender ?
Was access by the fans taken into account at all ?
 
I personally will miss, the prematch build-up and post match interviews, on the way to & from home games. I will also miss the commentary on away fixtures. My main concern however is that the club have now cut off some of the contact with the wider fan base.
 
I know through my own experience that many fans who are behind Swindon Town, do lapse in their attendance. A key part in getting these supporters back is the radio coverage that STFC have received in the past.
 
 
Phil S
 
 
cc BBC Wilts Radio

[Bogus Dave]

i think mine was better

[Panda Paws]

Chris K - have you had a response yet?

Not a thing from the club at all ...

[Panda Paws]

i think mine was better

Hehe - well, folks, there's a choice of three well written letters and all the email addresses you need - get to it! You know what you all have to do.

[pumbaa]

Chris K - have you had a response yet?

Not a thing from the club at all ...

Not a surprise to me. I'm not expecting a response either tbh. I'll let you know if I do.

[Frigby Daser]

I'd mail them, but it really doesn't affect me - but I can't understand the contradiction in their policy - they go and gung-ho on saying how they want to engage with the local community and get 'back in touch' with the town as a whole, and then they sever perhaps it's most prominent link (together with the Adver) to the population of the Town. It's ridiculous.

Bring on the full-scale attempt a la Reading to get it back on the beeb.

It also stinks that a bloke like Shaun Hodgetts, who has done so much good for the club, finds out that he'll no longer be the main match journo through the website, and not by the people he's been working with all these years - more evidence that the people 'running' the club aren't the most decent folk.

[Panda Paws]

Bring on the full-scale attempt a la Reading to get it back on the beeb.

Here, here. Even if this doesn't affect you, please email and help the people that it does affect!

[pumbaa]

I'd mail them, but it really doesn't affect me - but I can't understand the contradiction in their policy - they go and gung-ho on saying how they want to engage with the local community and get 'back in touch' with the town as a whole, and then they sever perhaps it's most prominent link (together with the Adver) to the population of the Town. It's ridiculous.

Bring on the full-scale attempt a la Reading to get it back on the beeb.

It also stinks that a bloke like Shaun Hodgetts, who has done so much good for the club, finds out that he'll no longer be the main match journo through the website, and not by the people he's been working with all these years - more evidence that the people 'running' the club aren't the most decent folk.

Fair enough to say it doesn't affect you - it doesn't directly affect me either (assuming the deal with Premium TV hasn't been violated), but you have to look beyond the implications to yourself as an individual, and to how it impacts others less fortunate than you or I.

[Not meant to be critical btw]

[blinkpip]

In full, they are:

MPs

michaelwillsmp@parliament.uk,
annesnelgrovemp@parliament.uk

MEPs

nparishmep@bridgwest.demon.co.uk
mrgrahambooth@aol.com
office@cix.co.uk
caroline.jackson@europarl.europa.eu
mep@glynford.eu
rknapman@ukip.org
giles@gileschichestermep.org.uk

This one didin't work. Sender address rejected.

I emailed all the others. Hope everyone does the same.

[Frigby Daser]

thisis reckons Brunel may end up as sponsors.

Only basis for it is that both Brunel and BBC RS are saying 'more to be revelaed on Tuesday' - may be a case of 2+2

[yeo]

Ok done it.

[lebowski]

moonraker, i'll probably be proven to be completely wrong, but i can't imagine that a fledgling station like brunel fm has nearly enough disposable advertising revenue behind it to be able to be a shirt sponsor...

[sonic youth]

they've got enough money to piss all over the bbc's loyalty.

[stfctownenda]

Chris K - have you had a response yet?

Not a thing from the club at all ...

Starnes cant respond to something like this but when Maverick is doing his shit stirring a response bounces back straight away.  To say I detest this board would be an understatement.  These cunts must go now  :x