Radio broadcast update June 2019

Addition of Gold UK – A classic pop hits station, targeted primarily at 35-54 year-olds.

Addition of Heart Dance – A dance music station playing the biggest club classics.

Addition of Like Radio – A popular music service aimed at 15-30 year-olds.

Significant increase in the licensed area: An extension via a relay to add Appleby and Kirkby Stephen to the licence was AGREED. Ofcom considered that the change would amount to a large increase in the licensed area, but not a significant increase. We considered that there were clear relationships and affinities between the locations, which are all in the Eden Valley.

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

Other considerations:

• One relay transmitter would facilitate an extension into Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and the rural area around all three towns (including Penrith). (A null to the north-east will help ensure there is little overspill into other areas.)
• FM frequency availability is less problematic in Cumbria than in many other parts of the UK, and the ‘opportunity cost’ is considered to be low (the use of an additional frequency is unlikely to impact on commercial or community radio licensing). Due to the local terrain, a power increase at the Penrith site would not achieve the desired area extension.
• The adult population of the area served by the existing service is very low (16,133); while the percentage increase to the population is high, the adult population served with the new relay will be 30,549. This was still considered to be a modest figure. However, any increase in the population served by the service will help make the station more viable, in particular in its ability to recruit more volunteers.
• Eden FM’s application highlighted the benefits of improved communication between towns and villages across the wider area.
• Eden FM already “spends many hours away from its studio” working with people in different parts of the Eden Valley. It has plans to facilitate access for programme contributors, without them having to travel to the current studios in Penrith. Eden FM considers that “The future of radio is [dependent] on reaching people and giving people access to radio in the community”.
• The extended area would not overlap with any other community radio stations.
• A second relay to serve Carlisle was not agreed.

Significant increase in the licensed area: a power increase was AGREED because the impact was considered not to result in a significant increase in the licensed area. The increase in the adult population figures served by the services is relatively small, so the increase in the licensed area is therefore deemed not 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 increase does not require a change in the licensed area of the service. It continues to serve Boston (town) and surrounding areas.
• Our predictions indicated that the surrounding areas of Boston would be properly served by increasing the power, which would improve the weak signal that listeners in the surrounding areas currently have available to them.
• The application clearly states that there is an affinity between Boston and its surrounding areas. We said in our invitation we would take into account the whether there was a relationship or affinity to the existing licensed area and whether a coverage extension would be appropriate in view of a station’s stated target community as described in its Key Commitments.
• The station argued that this is a very rural area with strong community values. Being able to 'connect the dots' between Boston and surrounding villages will enable the station to make them part of a greater community and showcase them. Boston is seen as the central hub, joining the surrounding villages together.
• The station provided evidence of demand and support for its proposal, including from the local MP, local organisations, listeners and supporters from surrounding villages.
• Predictions indicate that although the power for Endeavour FM is to be increased, there will be very little impact to other services in the area.

Significant increase in the licensed area: An extension via a power increase was AGREED. While predictions show that the power increase does not necessarily equate to all the villages highlighted by the licensee receiving the signal, the increase does mean that villages within a 5km radius of the transmission site can be served.

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

Other considerations:

• Due to heavy interference from other services, it is not possible to extend to all the areas which the licensee has requested.
• Villages on the outer ring of the existing coverage would now be served; namely, Branston, Washingborough, Riseholme and Burton Waters.
• Our predictions indicated that by approving this request some of the surrounding villages would be properly served by increasing the power, however restrictions are required to reduce the risk of interference to other services.
• We said in our invitation we would take into account the whether there was a relationship or affinity to the existing licensed area and whether a coverage extension would be appropriate in view of a station’s stated target community as described in its Key Commitments. For Lincoln City Radio, it explained in its application that organisations in the areas it wishes to extend to already contact the radio station to be included on their ‘noticeboard’ and are featured in output covering community events for example, but they are on the fringe of good signal reception on indoor radios.