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10|03|08

100 Community radio stations now on air

Community radio, not-for-profit stations that deliver specific social benefits to local communities, today passed a significant milestone, with the 100th station in the UK going on-air.

Community radio stations typically cover small geographical areas with a coverage radius of up to 5km and are run on a not-for-profit basis. They focus on the delivery of specific social benefits to particular geographical areas or community interests.

Three years since the first licence was awarded, there are now community radio stations across the UK, from the Isles of Scilly to Orkney. Some stations cater for the whole communities while others cater for different areas of interest. In Newport on the Isle of Wight, for example, there is a station catering for the needs of elderly people. There is a children’s station in Leicester, a station catering for the Muslim community in central Birmingham, a Christian station in Cumbernauld, a station for Irish Gaelic speakers in Belfast and a station for fans of experimental radio art in London.

The two latest stations to launch, bringing the community radio station total to 100, are: 7 Waves Community Radio, serving the people of Leasowe and surrounding areas on the Wirral, and Calon FM, serving Wrexham.

In addition to providing unique content, community radio stations deliver wider benefits to people in the areas in which they broadcast. This includes offering training and work experience opportunities, contributions to local education and providing a voice to those, such as older people or speakers of minority languages, who may find it harder to access the media. Each station has, on average, over 60 volunteers who give more then 1,000 hours of their time a month to these community services.

The Community Radio Order 2004 paved the way for Ofcom to license these new types of radio stations. Since March 2005 Ofcom has awarded licences to 162 community radio services (this total includes services which have been awarded a licence but not started broadcasting yet).

Ofcom is currently part way through its second round of community radio licensing which is likely to be completed next year.

Stewart Purvis, Ofcom’s Content and Standards Partner, said: "Community radio is now an established third tier of radio broadcasting in the UK. This new tier of radio adds richness and variety to the services already provided by the BBC and commercial radio and offers opportunities for people to get involved in local broadcasting."

Ends.

Notes for Editors

1. For further details of community radio and licensing, go to: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/

2. The contact details for the two latest stations to launch are as follows:

• 7 Waves Community Radio, Wirral
  Contact: Pauline Murphy Email: pauline@7waves.co.uk Tel: 0151 691 1595
• Calon FM, Wrexham
  Contact: Nadira Tudor Email: n.tudor@newi.ac.uk Tel: 01978 293393

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