Notes 22nd Meeting 13 April 2006

Chairman’s Introduction

1. The Chairman welcomed Members to the 22nd meeting of the Radio Licensing Committee. All members were present throughout with the exception of Pam Giddy who had given her apologies. Other Ofcom colleagues were also present throughout or attended for part of the meeting:

Minutes of the previous Meeting

2. The minutes of the Radio Licensing Committee Meeting held on 9th March 2006 were agreed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising

3. There were no matters arising that were not being dealt with under items on the Agenda.

Local commercial radio licence award: North East England

4. After a full and careful discussion of each licence application, and having regard in particular to the factors set out in section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 and section 314 of the Communications Act 2003, the Committee awarded the licence to Saga 97.5 FM wholly owned by Saga Holdings Limited. It was noted that the announcement regarding the winning licence application would be made on the same day and a statement explaining the factors which led the Committee to its decision was scheduled to be published in due course.

Local commercial radio licence award: Southend

5. After a full and careful discussion of each licence application, and having regard in particular to the factors set out in section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 and section 314 of the Communications Act 2003, the Committee awarded the licence to Southend Radio owned by Stockvale Limited (Adventure Island) Limited 80% and Provincial Radio (Tindle Group) 20%. It was noted that the announcement regarding the winning licence application would be made on the same day and a statement explaining the factors which led the Committee to its decision was scheduled to be published in due course.

FM commercial radio: proposal for additions to licensing timetable

6. The Radio Licensing Committee was provided with a schedule setting out a proposed forward plan for the advertising of new FM commercial radio licences; the contents were noted and agreed accordingly.

Community Radio licence awards: Various areas (Batch 6)

7. After a full discussion of applications in various areas, and having regard in particular to the factors set out in section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as modified by the Community Radio Order 2004), the Committee awarded a licence to each of the following:

209 Radio (Cambridge)
Beats FM (Cardiff)
Trust FM (Chesterfield)
Aldershot Army Radio (Hampshire)
Pendle Community Radio (Lancashire)
Cross Rhythms (Teesside)

8. The Committee decided not to award a licence to each of the following applicants:

Cambridge Student Radio
Touch FM (Milton Keynes)
Regency FM (Clay Cross, Derbyshire)
Southside (Middlesbrough)
Community Voice (Middlesbrough)
Catterick Army Radio (North Yorkshire)
Barnsley Community Radio
Radio Barnsley
Radio Hartlepool

9. The Committee will consider further other applications at a later date when further frequency details become available.

Monitoring Touch FM (Coventry)

10. The Committee considered a formal sampling report on the output of Touch FM. The Committee noted that Ofcom colleagues had found the Irish programming output to be unsatisfactory. After a full and careful discussion the Committee resolved to publish the report and issue a “Yellow Card” to the station.

Digital One National Multiplex - Variation

11. The Radio Licensing Committee noted that the programme service provided by PrimeTime Radio on the national radio multiplex will cease broadcasting on 14 May, and therefore that Digital One will need to submit a request for a licence variation in due course. The Committee noted that Digital One proposed to advertise the capacity in the national press on Monday 8th May 2006 with a view to selecting and contracting a replacement service.

Revised Purdah Rules.

12. The Radio Licensing Committee noted the proposed changes to the “Purdah Rules”.

AOB

13. The Radio Licensing Committee noted that the Regional Radio Conference was being held in Geneva during May/June 2006 to decide international spectrum allocation. The Committee would be updated on the decisions made at the conference in due course.

Date of next meeting

14. To be held on Thursday 11th May 2006 in London.

May 2006