Clients and Projects

CM Solutions has cross media expertise and works with a wide range of organisations with an interest in the development of community media. Our clients have included local regeneration agencies, sector associations and voluntary organisations as well community media groups. These are some of the projects and clients we have worked with recently.

Talking Drum TV

Talking Drum TV is a new community television initiative linked to The Drum, the Birmingham-based national centre for Black British culture and arts. CM Solutions provided market research support towards a feasibility study for the project. Our research included a comparative study of models of best practice in community television, local research into partners and funding and an assessment of the distribution platforms available to the project.

Gloucester FM

GFM is Gloucester's own community radio service which has operated annual short term broadcasts since 2000 and is now awaiting a decision on a full-time community radio licence. CM Solutions undertook local research and consultation for GFM. We produced a business plan for the full-time service and advised and assisted on the application to Ofcom for a full-time licence.

Connecting Burngreave

CM Solutions was commissioned by Burngreave Community Action Trust, a neighbourhood regeneration agency in Sheffield, to investigate the feasibility of establishing a social enterprise providing local broadband connectivity and offering information and communication techology services to local businesses and voluntary organisations. We undertook market research into demand and connectivity options and completed a feasibility study for the project. We are now assisting the project with business planning and establishment of the social enterprise.

Sustainable Community Radio

CM Solutions was asked by the Community Media Association (CMA) to undertake an international comparative study of successful community radio in Ireland, France, the Netherlands and the UK. We compared through in depth interviews and desk research the operations and functioning of five community radio stations and four national sector associations. The 80 page report "Making It Work" is to be published by the CMA to inform future community radio development in the UK.

Digital South Yorkshire

Digital South Yorkshire (dSY) is a business led association for the creative and digital industries in South Yorkshire. CM Solutions was commissioned by dSY to prepare a report on strategic investment in the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a tool to fight social and economic exclusion. The report helped dSY in their analysis and input to the Regional ICT Skills Framework.

Desi Radio

Desi Radio is one of the UKs pilot community radio projects and serves the West London Panjabi community. Desi Radio came to CM Solutions for assistance on business planning and completion of their bid for a five year licence to operate a full-time community radio service. We analysed local market research, programme content and performance to produce a four year business plan and licence application.