Presentation from Bill Best, Operations Manager at the Community Media Association to the CMA's 2014 Conference at De Montfort University in Leicester about Canstream - the CMA's flagship streaming media service.
3. Past
Joined CMA in November 2000
Commedia Yorkshire (2000-2002)
• Basic skills provision
• Training for the creative and multimedia industries
• Access to information and communication technologies
Outcomes
• 12 community media centres assisted to upgrade facilities
• 12 new community media start ups supported
• 480 media and ICT learning opps. provided to target groups
• 192 qualifications in basic ICT skills achieved at Levels 1 or 2
• 96 qualifications in media and ICT skills achieved at level 3 or higher
• 96 unemployed learners gaining employment
• 48 existing jobs safeguarded in the creative and media industries
• 48 new jobs created
Internet Media Service – free to CMA members
4. Past
Showcase Community Media Archive (2002-2005)
New Opportunities Fund (Big Lottery subsidiary)
The Showcase - the world's first streaming media archive of radio, video and
websites from the community media sector (pre-dated YouTube)
Developed SOMA (Shared Online Multimedia Archive) – a metadata standard
based on the DCMI, devised in collaboration with One World Media, AMARC
and other NGOs to create a metadata schema for multimedia content.
Developed expertise in on-demand media
Continued Internet Media Service – members benefit
5.
6. Past
Turn Up The Volume (2005-2007)
ERDF funded
Remit
Technical and enterprise support for 45 neighbourhood communication projects,
Combat social and economic exclusion in South Yorkshire by supporting
community-based media, information and communication initiatives.
Encourage creative and innovative use of ICTs to build community capacity -
assist local empowerment, social enterprise and development of a knowledge-
driven economy.
Continued Internet Media Service
7. Past
Sheffield Community Network (2010 – 2013)
Worked with and developed existing media facilities within
community centres, with the aim of promoting digital inclusion
and economic engagement in deprived areas of Sheffield.
The network developed and supported the establishment of
several neighbourhood based Digital Media Centres, which in
turn, support new and established Social Enterprises.
8. 2014 - 2015
DMEx
Digital Media Exchange
Supporting the development of community media / citizen
journalism in Sheffield: SheffieldLive! & Sheffield Local TV
Developing a Technical Toolbox: wiki-based, updateable, one-
stop repository for tech, online, social media
9. Past
• 1st July 2007
• Established Canstream – paid for service
• Converted all servers to open source base
• Upgraded servers and bandwidth
• Avensys – very supportive local service provider
• Telehouse presence
• Developed systems/procedures for CRM & billing
• Expertise gained from previous project work
10.
11. Present
Client list includes hundreds of community radio projects and a growing list of
commercial clients:
• Orange Prize for Fiction
• Diesel Clothing
• Make Poverty History
• Reuters
• Berkman Center for Internet & Society
• Selfridges Festival of Imagination Radio
• Gaydio
• Adventure Radio
• Sabras Radio
•Growing number of commercial Internet stations
13. Strengths
• CMA/Canstream brand & profile – longevity
• CMA membership, community media sector
Weaknesses
• Resources: staff capacity, marketing budget, back office
• Costs: high cost of equipment, bandwidth
Threats
• Competitive market
• Economic situation
Opportunities
• Growth of community media sector
• Growth of Internet radio & streaming technologies
