Commercial radio licence application and awards - Ofcom

Details of open and recent licence awards for Ofcom-licensed radio stations, on both digital and analogue platforms.

Apply for a radio broadcast licence

Find out which licences are currently under advertisement, and download application forms and guidance.

Pre-advertisements for local analogue commercial radio stations

As existing commercial analogue radio licences approach their expiry date, our general approach is to issue a "pre-advertisement", inviting current or potential licensees to declare their intentions to apply. If more than one applicant declares an interest, we will issue a full re-advertisement of the licence and assess these according to our criteria. We will also advertise any licences that become available, for example if surrendered by the current licence holder.

Planned timetable for the re-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licences: 2019/20

Pre-advertisements

Mid Ulster: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence
(PDF, 205.4 KB)

Warminster: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence
(PDF, 165.4 KB)

Perth: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence
(PDF, 164.9 KB)

Weymouth and Dorchester: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 167.3 KB)

Dumbarton: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 162.4 KB)

Warwick: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 163.0 KB)

Southend: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 162.4 KB)

Hertford: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 559.6 KB)

Alton and Haselmere: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 150.1 KB)

Omagh and Enniskillen: Pre-advertisement of local analogue commercial radio licence (PDF, 178.5 KB)

Local radio multiplex licences

Channel Islands local radio multiplex licence

Morecambe Bay, North and West Cumbria and Southwest Scotland local radio multiplex licences

Advertisement of local radio multiplex licence(s): Morecambe Bay, North and West Cumbria and Southwest Scotland (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Applications for local radio multiplex licences in Morecambe Bay, North and West Cumbria and Southwest Scotland

Local radio multiplex licence awards: North and West Cumbria, Morecambe Bay
(PDF, 149.4 KB)

Suffolk local radio multiplex licence

FM local commercial radio licences

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Bristol (106.5 FM)

Bristol (106.5 FM) Award Statement (PDF, 145.5 KB)

Re-advertisement of FM local commercial radio licence for Bristol (Sam FM) (PDF, 379.5 KB)

List of applications for the re-advertised Bristol (106.5 FM) licence (PDF, 157.8 KB)

Application: Jack FM Bristol (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Application: Sam FM Bristol (PDF, 604.4 KB)

Applicant Q&As

Jack FM Q&As (PDF, 190.0 KB)

Sam FM Q&As (PDF, 121.3 KB)

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Ceredigion

Ceredigion award statement (PDF, 141.3 KB)

Dyfarnu trywydded radio masnachol Ceredigion datganiad (PDF, 153.4 KB)

Re-advertisement of FM local commercial radio licence for Ceredigion (PDF, 379.5 KB)

Ailhysbysebu trwydded radio masnachol lleol FM ar gyfer Ceredigion (PDF, 472.7 KB)

List of applications for the re-advertised Ceredigion licence (PDF, 132.0 KB)

Rhestr o geisiadau am y drwydded sydd wedi'i hail-hysbysebu ar gyfer Ceredigion (PDF, 139.8 KB)

Application: Nation Radio (Ceredigion) (PDF, 847.7 KB)

Applicant Q&As

Nation Radio Q&As (PDF, 107.4 KB)

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Bristol

Statement

Commercial radio licence award statement: Bristol (PDF, 113.2 KB)

Re-advertisement of Bristol licence

Re-advertisement of FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Bristol (PDF, 710.3 KB)

Applications for the re-advertised Bristol licence

List of applications for the re-advertised Bristol licence (PDF, 58.0 KB)

The Breeze application (PDF, 540.4 KB)

Bristol Sound application (PDF, 2.0 MB)

Applicant Q&As

The Breeze Q&As (PDF, 87.9 KB)

Bristol Sound Q&As (PDF, 96.4 KB)

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Ipswich

Statement

Commercial radio licence award statement: Ipswich (PDF, 112.8 KB)

Re-advertisement of Ipswich licence

Re-advertisement of FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Ipswich (PDF, 708.7 KB)

Applications for the re-advertised Ipswich licence

List of applications for the re-advertised Ipswich licence (PDF, 34.0 KB)

Ipswich FM application (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Town FM application (PDF, 703.4 KB)

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Torbay

Statement

Commercial radio licence award statement: Torbay (PDF, 110.6 KB) - 16 October 2017

Re-advertisement of Torbay licence

Re-advertisement of FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for TORBAY (PDF, 359.3 KB)

Applications for the re-advertised Torbay licence

The Breeze application (PDF, 380.9 KB)

Devon Sound application (PDF, 10.0 MB)

Applicant Q&As

The Breeze Q&As (PDF, 326.8 KB)

Devon Sound Q&As (PDF, 433.2 KB)

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for West Central Scotland

FM Local Commercial Radio Licence for Telford

Older material can be accessed at the National Archives.

See also...

Apply for a radio broadcast licence
Licence advertisements and application documents for radio broadcast licences.
Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin
13 January 2020

The Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin reports on investigations into potential breaches of Ofcom’s codes and rules for TV, radio and video-on-demand programmes.
Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin (pre-January 2020)
13 January 2020

The Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin reports on investigations into potential breaches of Ofcom’s codes and rules for TV, radio and video-on-demand programmes.
Radio broadcast update December 2019
08 January 2020

This monthly update provides information about Ofcom’s broadcast radio licensing activity with regard to both the commercial and community radio sectors.

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