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To assist Ofcom’s assessment of applications for new commercial radio licences, we have devised a simple scoring system derived exclusively from the statutory criteria against which all licence applications must be judged. These criteria are contained in Section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, as amended. Ofcom must have regard (amongst other matters) to these criteria when it is deciding whether, or to whom, to award a local commercial radio licence.

The scoring system will be used by Ofcom’s staff to highlight the different strengths and weaknesses of each application when preparing briefing material for the Radio Licensing Committee (RLC), which makes the decision on the licence award. A score between 0 and 10 will be assigned to every application for each of the four statutory criteria listed below.

Since the scoring system is merely intended to be a tool to aid the licence award process, no overall total score will be assigned to each application, and the scores for each criterion will in no sense bind the RLC when making a decision. It is not, therefore, necessarily the case that the application which achieves the highest overall score across all four statutory criteria will be awarded the licence. Applicants should also note that although Ofcom is required to have regard to all four statutory criteria contained in Section 105, it may be that we will regard one or more of these criteria as being particularly important in view of the characteristics of the licence to be awarded and the applications for it. Guidance on this will normally be published in the advertisement for the licence concerned.

The more detailed considerations listed under each statutory criterion are indicative of the main areas which will generally be considered when marking an application. They will not necessarily carry equal weighting, and do not necessarily represent an exhaustive list.

Ofcom does not intend to make available to applicants details of the scores allocated to their applications.

Section 105(a) – Ability to maintain service

• The extent to which the overall business plan indicates the applicant’s ability to maintain the proposed service.
• The extent to which financial and audience forecasts are appropriate/realistic.
• The extent to which sources and levels of funding are appropriate/sufficient.
• The extent to which the people who would be running the station have relevant experience, knowledge and contacts.
• The extent to which the assumptions that the projected revenues and costs are based on are realistic/appropriate.
• The extent to which the transmission proposals are appropriate and implementable.

Section 105(b) – Catering for tastes and interests

• The extent to which the proposed Format fits with the applicant's expressed programming philosophy, and is consistent with the applicant’s research findings.
• The extent to which the programming proposals are coherent and capable of delivering the intended service.

Section 105(c) – Broadening of choice

• The extent to which the proposed programme service would broaden choice for the listener. Whether this criterion is taken to mean the broadening of format choice for a demographic already served by local commercial radio, or the broadening of local commercial radio’s existing demographic appeal in that area, will depend on the local market, existing provision, and the level of demand for the proposed service that has been demonstrated.

Section 105(d) – Evidence of demand/support

• The extent to which an applicant's research demonstrates evidence of demand for the proposed service.
• Where evidence of support is provided, we will focus in our evaluation on its quality rather than quantity.

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