Radio Broadcast Update April 2010

Published 11|05|10

• Commercial Radio
• Community Radio

Commercial Radio 

Licences issued in this period

*Radio Licensable Content Service
**Digital Sound Programme service

Services which have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period

The following services are no longer licensed. The relevant licence is either:

• No longer required by the licensee so has been handed back, or;
• In the case of a licence covering multiple services, has been amended to remove the requirement to provide the specific service; or
• Revoked for breach of a licence condition

Licence re-advertisements

Declarations of intent

Ofcom has today invited declarations of intent to apply for the following FM local commercial radio licences. Please click on the 'area' in the first column for further detail on the pre-advertisement:

The Paisley licence will not now be pre-advertised this month, as the holder of this licence is eligible to apply for a further renewal of the licence under section 104AA of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as amended by the Digital Economy Act 2010).

The 'pre-advertisement' of the Portsmouth licence, originally scheduled to be published in May, will now be published in July, with the re-advertisement (if required) to be published in August. This is because Ofcom is considering a licence transfer request from the existing licensee, The Quay Radio Ltd. Updated re-licensing timetable.

Invitiations to apply under fast-track

Ofcom has received one declaration for each of the following licences, in each case from the current licensee. We are therefore inviting the incumbent licensee to re-apply for the licence under the 'fast track' procedure as set out in Ofcom's guidelines:

Re-awards

Ofcom has today announced that it has re-awarded the following local FM commercial radio licences to the current licensees. The licences have been re-awarded under Ofcom's 'fast-track' process, as set out in published guidelines, and will be for a period of five years from the expiry dates of the existing licences:

Licence extensions and renewals granted in this period

Four-year extensions have been granted to the following:

Analogue station Format Changes

Each station has as part of its licence a 'Format', which outlines the essential nature of the service and details any specific expectations of that service.
Any changes to a Format can only be made by following the correct procedure and with the appropriate permission from Ofcom.

The Digital Economy Act 2010 ("the 2010 Act"), which was passed on 8 April 2010, has made changes to the statutory framework relating to the regulation of localness.  The new legislation also amends the framework for dealing with Format changes.  Specifically, the 2010 Act amends the definition of "locally-made programmes", such that "locally-made" can now refer to programmes made anywhere within an area (called an "approved area") defined by Ofcom, rather than only in the area served by a station.  Any station wishing to adopt this new definition of "locally-made" will need to apply to have its Format changed, and the 2010 Act sets out new criteria to which Ofcom must have regard when considering such applications.

More information regarding these changes, the associated request form and the date that the new criteria become effective.

Absolute INR
Published 11|05|10

Play Radio (Southampton)
Published 11|05|10

Coverage extensions

Ofcom today announces an extension of coverage to High Peak Radio (Buxton and Ashbourne) to include the adjoining locality of Wirksworth, by means of a relay transmitter.

The Broadcasting Act 1990 (as amended) allows Ofcom to vary local commercial radio licences in this way, providing such a variation "would not result in a significant increase of the area or locality for which the service in question is licensed to be provided".

A revised coverage map for High Peak Radio will be published after the new relay is implemented.

DAB station Format Changes

The following multiplex Format changes were agreed in this period:

Change of Control Reviews

Whenever a local radio licence undergoes a 'change of control' (for example, when it is sold), Ofcom is required under section 355 of the Communications Act 2003 to undertake a review of its programme output.
Specifically, Ofcom must review the likely effect of the change of control on:

• the quality and range of programmes included in the service;
• the character of the service; and,
• the extent to which local material and locally-made programmes are included in the service.

When the review has been completed, Ofcom may amend the content requirements of the licence.

Play Radio (Southampton)
Published 27|04|10

Play Radio (Winchester)
Published 27|04|10

Local Radio Licence Transfers

Ofcom has consented to the following local commercial radio licence transfers:

Community Radio  

Invitation to submit 'expressions of interest'

Ofcom has asked for expressions of interest from prospective applicants for community radio licences to help plan for a possible third phase of community radio development. Further information can be found on the website.

Licences issued in this period

Services which have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period

There were no licences revoked/surrendered in this period.

Licence extensions granted in this period

A five year extension has been granted to the following:

Licences transferred in this period

Ofcom has approved the transfer of the following community radio licence.

Licensing decisions in this period

At its April meeting, the Radio Licensing Committee (RLC) considered five community radio applications and decided not to award a licence in each instance. The applicant groups were:

• Aims Radio, Hounslow
• Chardi Kalla, Hounslow
• Harrow Community Radio, Harrow
• Radio Voz, Stockwell
• StudiO7, Lewisham