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- Radio Broadcast Update October 2009
Radio Broadcast Update October 2009
Published 03|11|09
Commercial Radio
Licence re-advertisments
Declarations of intent
Ofcom has today invited declarations of intent to apply for the following FM local commercial radio licence. Please click on the 'area' in the first column for further detail on the pre-advertisement:
| Area/current Licensee | Current expiry | Proposed expiry date following re-award | Closing date for declarations of intent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutland/Rutland Radio Ltd | 12 Dec 2010 | 31 Dec 2015 | 3pm, Fri 27 Nov 2009 |
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 from its current expiry date to 31 December 2015:
| Area | Current Licensee |
|---|---|
| Chelmsford | Chelmsford Radio Ltd |
| Bassetlaw | Trax FM Ltd |
| Hinckley | Oak FM (Hinckley & Nuneaton) Ltd |
Licence extensions and renewals granted in this period
Four-year extensions have been granted to the following:
| Licensee/Service | New expiry date |
|---|---|
| St Albans and Watford Broadcasting Company Ltd / Herts Mercury FM 96.6 | 31 December 2014 |
| Lite and Connect Ltd / Connect FM | 31 December 2014 |
| Signal Radio Ltd / Signal 1 and Signal 2 | 4 September 2015 |
Content Sampling Reports
Ofcom ensures that an individual station is meeting its Format requirements by listening to that station's output - a process which we refer to as 'content sampling'. The sampling of a particular station may be prompted by a complaint concerning a Format-related issue, or may be entirely routine.
Play Radio
Published 26|10|09
BRMB
Published 02|11|09
U105
Published 02|11|09
Bright
Published 03|11|09
DAB station Format Changes
The following multiplex Format changes were agreed in this period.
| Change | Multiplex |
|---|---|
| Addition of Panjab Radio and UCB UK | National |
| Replacement of Absolute Xtreme with Absolute 80s | London II |
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.
Kick FM
Published 12|10|09
Local Radio Licence Transfers
Ofcom has approved the transfer of the following local commercial licence.
| Service name | Location | New Licensee |
|---|---|---|
| Club Asia | London | Buzz Asia Ltd ('Club Asia' has been rebranded 'Buzz Asia'.) |
Community Radio
Licences issued in this period
| Service Name | Licensee | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Peace FM | Peace Full Media Limited | Manchester (Hulme) |
| 107 Spark FM | The University of Sunderland | Sunderland |
| Bishop FM | Prince Bishop Community Broadcasting Limited | Bishop Auckland |
Community Radio Fund
Community Radio Fund Round 2, 2009/10
The second round for funding applications to the Community Radio Fund in 2009/10 opened on 13 October and will close on 10 November 2009. The awarding Panel will meet on 25 January 2010 to consider the applications.
Grants can only be made to community radio licensees which are broadcasting under a community radio licence (and not an RSL, for example) and which are on-air by the time the Panel meets in January.
The latest application form and guidance notes are available on our website. Please also see statements detailing the outcome of previous Panel meetings.
For further information, please contact Ofcoms Community Radio Team via email: community.radio@ofcom.org.uk, or by telephone 020 7981 3860.
Community Radio Fund Annual Report 2008/09
The Community Radio Fund annual report gives details on awards from the Fund for the last financial year and provides a summary from grant recipients on how their grants have benefited their services and communities.