Wavehill Communications has launched a survey to measure Social Gain in UK community radio. While this survey is an important opportunity to reflect on the sector’s impact, it is essential to note that Wavehill is independent of Ofcom and any trade organisations that claim to represent all community radio stations.
Before responding, it is worth taking a step back to ask: What is Social Gain? How has it been defined? What are its historical and civic roots? And how does it align with broader principles of social value and public service?
Without a shared understanding of these questions, any attempt to measure Social Gain risks being incomplete or misaligned with the lived experiences of the communities community radio serves.
What is Social Gain?
Social Gain is a fundamental requirement of Ofcom’s licensing framework for community radio. The term refers to the broader benefits that a community radio station provides to its audience and volunteers, beyond simply broadcasting. Historically, Social Gain has been framed around key pillars:
- Access and Participation – Enabling community members to engage in broadcasting and station management.
- Diversity of Voice – Serving underrepresented groups and amplifying local issues.
- Education and Training – Providing learning opportunities, especially for volunteers and young people.
- Civic Engagement – Strengthening local democracy and participation in community life.
- Social and Economic Development – Supporting local initiatives, charities, and enterprises.
While Ofcom’s framework outlines these principles, Social Gain is more than just a regulatory requirement—it is a reflection of the value that community media brings to civil society. Its roots can be traced to broader civic principles such as social value, public service media, and community benefit, making it crucial to frame it in ways that align with these wider discussions.
The Survey’s Approach to Measuring Social Gain
Looking at the tone and structure of the Wavehill survey, it is clear that the focus is largely on quantifiable measures—such as the number of volunteers, on-air diversity content, and community campaigns. While these are useful indicators, they do not fully capture the complexity of Social Gain. Some areas that appear under-explored include:
- Qualitative Impact – Community empowerment, identity, and resilience are difficult to measure with simple metrics.
- Civic Participation Beyond Radio – Partnerships with local authorities, charities, and public services are not fully accounted for.
- Sustainability of Social Gain – Long-term outcomes, rather than just outputs, need to be examined.
By framing Social Gain in a way that prioritises countable metrics over deeper civic engagement, the survey risks reinforcing a narrow, bureaucratic view of impact rather than a dynamic, community-led understanding.
The Need for a Broader Conversation
To truly define and measure Social Gain, there must be a wider civic-society discussion beyond the radio sector itself. Social enterprises, local authorities, educational institutions, and public service bodies all have valuable perspectives on how Social Gain aligns with broader public value and social benefit principles.
Rather than limiting the conversation to community radio stations and their trade bodies, a cross-sectoral dialogue is needed to ensure that Social Gain is understood in ways that connect to other frameworks of community development, democratic participation, and social inclusion. Such engagement could help clarify:
- How community radio contributes to wider public service media objectives.
- What funding bodies and policymakers expect from Social Gain outcomes.
- How community media can be integrated into civic and social welfare strategies.
Call to Action
Before completing the Wavehill survey, it is crucial to pause and reflect. What does Social Gain really mean beyond Ofcom’s licensing requirements? How should community radio articulate its public value in broader civic contexts? What indicators and measurements best capture the real impact of community-led broadcasting?
Rather than allowing Social Gain to be narrowly defined by surveys, reports, or funding frameworks, it is time for a more inclusive conversation. Community radio stations, their volunteers, and their audiences should be at the heart of shaping this discussion, ensuring that Social Gain is not just measured—but meaningfully understood.
If you have thoughts on this, let’s start the conversation.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 28th February 2025 at 12:00pm