Mae'r cynnwys hwn ar gael yn Saesneg yn unig.

Radio broadcast update February 2022

09 Mawrth 2022

A round-up of radio broadcast licensing activity in February 2022.

Digital radio

Local/national DAB multiplex variations

The following multiplex variations were agreed during this period:

ChangeMultiplex
Addition of UCB 2 – A mix of inspirational and Christian music including traditional hymns, contemporary praise-songs and melodic pop tracks. A music led station, with speech content including news, current affairs and Christian talk programmes. The target audience is 45+. Digital One (national)
Removal of of UCB 2 – A mix of inspirational and Christian music including traditional hymns, contemporary praise-songs and melodic pop tracks. A music led station, with speech content including news, current affairs and Christian talk programmes. The target audience is 45+. Sound Digital (national)
Removal of Union Jack – A music-intensive station playing a variety of pop/rock and classic rock of British origin for over-35s.
Removal of Union Jack Dance – A music intensive station playing only British contemporary and classic pop dance for the over-45s.

Removal of Union Jack Rock – A  music intensive station playing only Brit Rock and pop and indie rock for the over-40s.

Change to Character of Service, TalkRadio – A service consisting of personality-led opinion, comment and debate on topical events providing a forum for lively debate and agenda-setting interviews and featuring programmes to entertain and excite across live news, sport, documentaries and current affairs.
Addition of The Hardest Choice – A unique and exciting transmission for the local area of London and surrounding areas. Genres of music will include, House, commercial and underground, Drum and Bass, Jungle, Garage, Dub, Dubstep, Reggae, UK Hip-Hop and some other nice flavas, sometimes 80s/ 90s/00s and sometimes some Latin vibes. Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire

Small-scale DAB: extension of trial multiplexes

Trial licence area New expiry date
Birmingham 30 June 2022

This short extension has been granted by Ofcom in order to provide continuity for programme service providers and their listeners following Ofcom’s recent award of seven-year small scale radio multiplex licences in the Birmingham area, which are required to launch within 18 months of licence award.

Digital sound programme service (DSP) and digital additional sound (DAS) licences issued during this period

Licensee Service name
River Radio (Scotland) Ltd Lomond Radio

DSP and DAS licences which have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period

Licensee Service name
Little Radio Ltd Little Radio

Community digital sound programme service (C-DSP) applications received during this period

Licensee Service name
Cambridge 105 FM Radio Ltd Cambridge 105 Radio
Panj Pani Radio Ltd Panj Pani Radio
Radio Tyneside Radio Tyneside

C-DSP licences issued during this period

LicenseeService name
Memory Lane Productions CIC Memory Lane Radio
Rise Community Radio Ltd Rise Community Radio
Birmingham City Students’ Union Scratch Radio
Spice Project Ltd Spice Radio
Countywide Radio WiganFM
Winchester Radio Winchester Radio

Analogue community radio

Licence extensions granted in this period

A five-year extension has been granted to the following:

Service nameLicenseeLocation New expiry date
Cabin FM Herne Bay's Radio Cabin Limited Herne Bay, Kent 7 April 2027
Secklow Sounds Secklow Sounds CIC Milton Keynes 27 June 2027
WCR FM Wolverhamptom Community Radio Training Wolverhampton 29 March 2027
Radio Winchcombe Radio Winchcombe Limited Winchcombe 17 May 2027
SHEPPEY FM Sheppey Matters Sheerness 17 April 2027
Red Kite Radio Red Kite Radio and Media Limited Haddenham and Thame 16 June 2027
Hope FM Voice of Hope Radio Bournemouth 26 May 2027
The Beat London Bang Media and Entertainment Ltd Harlesden 15 April 2027

Analogue commercial radio

Coverage improvement and extension requests

During the last month the services listed below have had their requests for a coverage improvement provisionally agreed, subject to the new technical arrangements going through our usual formal clearance process (this includes Ofcom liaising with a number of outside agencies before changes can be implemented). We have considered the following requests to constitute coverage improvements.

Coverage improvements agreed

Service nameLocation
Radio Skye Isle of Skye
Hot Radio Poole

Coverage extensions agreed

Station Riviera FM
Current licence area Torbay
Extended licence area Torbay, Teignmouth, Newton Abbott and surrounding villages
Reasons for agreeing to the extension

Increase in licensed area:

An extension via a relay at Newton Abbott was AGREED.

The increase in the size of the adult population served was not deemed to be significant.

Exceptional circumstances: Ofcom did not need to consider whether there were ‘exceptional circumstances’ to justify an increase in this case.

Other considerations:

  • The applicant noted that Newton Abbott and Teignmouth, although in close proximity to Riviera FM’s existing coverage area, are unserved by Community Radio. The extension will therefore enable audiences in the extended areas to benefit from local content.
  • The current and proposed extended areas are situated in south Devon and share the “TQ” postal code. The areas also fall under the jurisdiction of Teignbridge District Council and are served by the local MP for Newton Abbot whose constituency also includes Teignmouth.
  • This relationship and affinity are further demonstrated by the joining of the existing coverage area to the proposed extended area of Newton Abbot by a new link road and frequent travel between the localities for leisure or work purposes. The licensee also noted that residents travel frequently between Torbay and the proposed extend area of Teignmouth via the A379.
  • The applicant cited requests to be showcased on the service from local talent, including authors and musicians in the proposed extended areas, as an indication of demand and support as these artists currently do not have a local community radio platform to broadcast from.
  • Appetite for the service in the extended areas is also evidenced by letters of support from the Local MP and Teignbridge District Council which also confirm collaborative efforts to target audiences in the extended areas.
  • A further letter from the Torbay Community Development Trust demonstrates that the service has been providing social gain benefits to communities in the extended areas and beyond.

The success of an application is, among other things, dependent on frequency availability and whether there may be an increase in harmful outgoing interference to other stations. In every case we need to take account of other services (community, commercial and BBC) on the same frequency or an adjacent one to yours (or to a frequency that we may be considering for a relay). See the guidance notes (PDF, 259.6 KB) for the range of factors we take into account when considering these requests (in particular, paragraphs 2.46-2.49).