Ofcom awards four new community radio licences

Ofcom today announces the award of four new community radio licences.

Community radio services typically cover a small geographical area and are provided on a not-for-profit basis focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits to enrich a particular geographical community or a community of interest.

Ofcom has awarded community radio licences to the following applicants:

Hermitage FM (Coalville, Ibstock and Ashby-de-la-Zouch)
Cross Rhythms Coventry
The Hillz Radio (Coventry)
Inspiration FM (Northampton)

Details of these new community radio licensees are as follows:

Hermitage FM
Contact: Jon Sketchley
Loughborough Hospital, Hospital Way, Loughborough, LE11 5JY
Phone: 01509 564433
Email: admin@hermitagefm.com
Web-site: www.hermitagefm.com

Hermitage FM will use radio to engage, inform, entertain and unite the community of Coalville, Ibstock and Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Cross Rhythms Coventry
Contact: Tim Coleman
Address: 79, Dulverton Avenue, Chapelfields, Coventry,
Warwickshire, CV5 8HH.
Phone: 02476-670160 / 07740-818337
E-mail: timcoleman@saintmail.net
Website: n/a

Cross Rhythms Coventry will serve the Christian population resident within Coventry. Output will have a particular focus on the 16 to 35 age range and will also aim to be of relevance to others within the wider population of the city.

The Hillz Radio (Coventry)
Contact: Gino Shankle / Chris Barnes
Address: 12, Victoria Street, Hillfields, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV1 5LZ.
Phone: 02476-550564 / 07847-115558
E-mail: leshank_ent@yahoo.com / c.barnes@watch-hillfields.org
Website: www.thehillz.net/

The Hillz FM will serve the culturally diverse population within the Hillfields district of Coventry. Output will include material of interest to all ages and will be broadcast in English as well as various minority languages.

Inspiration FM (Northampton)
Contact: Jenny Campbell
20, Sheep Street, Northampton, NN1 2LU.
Phone Number: 01604 250544
E-mail: info@inspirationfm.com
Web-site: www.inspirationfm.com

Inspiration FM will be a community led and managed radio service, providing access, information, entertainment and training. Inspiration FM will encourage and promote a voice for those who are under-represented or socially excluded to provide an outlet for creativity, shared vision and expression.

Licences are awarded for a five-year period.

A statement setting out the main determining factors for the award of the four community radio licences referred to above will be available shortly from the Ofcom website.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. In addition to the licence awards detailed above, Ofcom considered one further application, but decided not to award a licence to the following group:

Ashby Radio (Ashby-de-la-Zouch)

2. Applications for community radio licences are being invited on a region-by-region basis. Further details can be found on the Ofcom website at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/

Ofcom awards four new community radio licences

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