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13|04|06

Ofcom awards new FM commercial radio licence for Southend-on-Sea

Ofcom today announces the award of the new FM local commercial radio licence for Southend-on-Sea.

By the closing date of 12 January 2006, Ofcom received four applications for the Southend-on-Sea licence. After giving careful consideration to each of the applications submitted, the Ofcom Radio Licensing Committee has decided to award the licence to:

Southend Radio Limited, Adventure Island, Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1EE
Contact: Allan Walker  Telephone: 01702 443 410   Email: info@southendradio.com

Southend Radio is owned by Stockvale Limited (80%), the owner of St Albans & Watford Broadcasting Company Limited, which is the Ofcom licensee for Herfordshire’s Mercury 96.6 FM and Provincial Radio Limited (20%), a subsidiary of Tindle Radio Holdings Limited. It will provide "a locally relevant radio station for Southend with news, information, engaging chat and great music from the 60s to today."

The licence is for a service to cover the town of Southend-on-Sea and the immediately surrounding area which has an adult population (aged 15+) of between 200,000 and 250,000. However, the exact coverage will be determined by the location of the transmission site and other technical characteristics.

Ofcom expects Southend Radio Limited to begin broadcasting at the earliest opportunity and no later than two years from this award date.

Ofcom will publish a statement setting out the key determining factors for the award of this licence shortly.

The licence will be issued for a twelve year period.

Ends.

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