Note of the 31st Meeting on 11 January 2007

Chairman’s Introduction

1. The Chairman welcomed Members to the 31st meeting of the Radio Licensing Committee. All members were present and 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 7th December 2006 were agreed as an accurate record.

Matters Arising

3. It was noted that Ofcom had agreed a variation to the national radio multiplex licence held by Digital One to allow for a new jazz-based digital sound programme service to be launched on Christmas Day.

Local commercial radio licence award: Aberdeen

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 Original Aberdeen FM Limited, a company 95% owned by CanWest Mediaworks UK Limited and 5% owned by Seven Broadcast 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.

Applications for Herefordshire/Monmouthshire local commercial radio licence.

5. The Radio Licensing Committee discussed the two applications received for the Herefordshire/Monmouthshire licence. The Committee was scheduled to make its final decision at the February 2007 meeting.

Community Radio licence awards: Southwest England and South Wales (Batch 1)

6. After a full discussion of applications in the respective 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:

Stroud FM (Stroud, Gloucestershire)
10Radio (Wiveliscombe, Somerset )

7. The Committee decided to consider further the application of Soundart Radio at the February 2007 meeting.

Purdah list: South Wales

8. The Radio Licensing Committee noted the purdah list in relation to the advertised local commercial radio licence for South Wales .

AOB

9. There was no other business.

Date of next meeting

10. To be held on Thursday 8th February 2007 in London.

16 January 2007