Ofcom today announces the award of a further 21 new community radio licences, bringing the total number of community radio licences awarded to date to 84.
Ofcom has sought to overcome the shortage of suitable FM frequencies for community radio services in and around London by varying the technical specifications usually used. As a result, two of the licences (in Stonebridge and Bexleyheath) are being offered to broadcast in mono on FM instead of stereo. Broadcasting in mono should help to reduce interference which could have made the services unviable.
While the remaining London stations are being awarded frequencies which could broadcast in stereo, we are strongly recommending mono broadcasting for these stations as it will help to maximise their coverage.
For the remaining applications from this first round of the community radio awards process which Ofcom wishes to license on FM, Ofcom will first work towards identifying a suitable FM frequency for stereo broadcasting. Where this is not possible, the feasibility of a frequency for use in mono will be explored.
Community radio licences are awarded to the following successful applicants in and around London:
Phoenix FM (Brentwood, Essex)
Contact: Paul Golder, Hutton Poplars Lodge, Rayleigh Road, Brentwood, Essex CM13 1BA
Tel: 07771 664661 email: paul@pvg.co.uk website: www.phoenixfm.com
Link FM (Harold Hill, Essex)
Contact: Dave Butler, Weald Centre, Settle Road, Harold Hill RM3 9XR
Tel: 01708 342200 email: dave.butler@haveringbep.co.uk website: www.linkfm.net
NuSound Radio (Forest Gate, London E7)
Contact: Tari Sian, 450 Romford Road, Forest Gate, London, E7 8DF
Tel: 07909 998927 email: tari.sian@jpmorgan.com
Voice of Africa Radio (Stratford, London E15)
Contact: Space Clottey, 2a Buckingham Road, Stratford, London E13 5JU
Tel: 020 8471 9111 email: Info@voiceofafricaradio.com website: www.voiceofafricaradio.com
Radio Ummah (Manor Park, London E12)
Zahid Amin, 167 Kensington Avenue, Manor Park, London E12 6NL
Tel: 07775 754507 website: www.radioummah.org
TGR Sound (Bexleyheath, Kent) (FM in mono)
Contact: Andrew Sayers, 111a Erith Road, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 6BT
Tel: 01322 447767 email: andrew.sayers@bcma.biz website: www.tgrsound.co.uk
Asian Star (Slough)
Contact: Ms Sbba Siddique, 46 Lynwood Avenue, Langley, Berkshire SL3 7BH
Tel: 07841 918434 email: sbba1@yahoo.co.uk website: www.asianstarradio.co.uk
Hayes FM (Hayes, Middlesex)
Contact: Sutish K Sharma, 160 Uxbridge Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 0JH
Tel: 020 8573 7992 email: office@hayesfm.org.uk website: www.hayesfm.org.uk
Westside Community Radio (Southall, Middlesex)
Contact: Amar Chadha, 10 High Street, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3DA
Tel: 020 8571 9700 email: amar@bbamedia.com website: www.westsideradio.co.uk
Irish FM (Hammersmith, London W6)
Contact: Nicola McHugh, c/o 23 The Hermitage, Grange Road, Barnes, London SW13 9RF
Tel: 020 8741 9781 email: irishradioinitiative@yahoo.co.uk
Life FM (Stonebridge, London NW10) (FM in Mono)
Contact: Jennifer Ogle, Unit 3 Precinct, Shakespeare Cresent, Stonebridge, London NW10 8LT
Tel: 07961 580257 email: info@lifefmorg.uk website: www.lifefm.org.uk
Community radio licence awards elsewhere in the UK:
Edinburgh Garrison FM
Contact: Col Malcolm Hood, Head Quarters 2nd Division, Craigie Hall, Edinburgh EH30 9TN
Tel: 0131 310 2095 email: Edinburgh@garrisonradio.com website: www.army.mod.uk/garrisonradio/Edinburgh
Leith FM
Contact: Mike Stevenson, c/o Design Links, 89 Giles Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ
Tel: 0131 554 2807 email: mike@designlinks.com website: www.leithmediaworks.com
Black Diamond FM (Dalkeith and parts of East and Central Midlothian)
Contact: John Ritchie, Braeside Cottage, Robertson Bank, Gorebridge, Midlothian EH23 4JT
Tel: 01875 822694 website: www.midlothianradio.org.uk
Radio Teesdale ( Barnard Castle, County Durham)
Contact: Alastair Dinwiddie, Enterprise House, Harmire Enterprise Park, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8XT
Tel: 01833 696750 or 01833 696600 email: studio@radioteesdale.co.uk website: www.radioteesdale.co.uk
Wetherby Community Radio
Contact: R.E.Preedy, c/o Wetherby Film Theatre, Caxton Street, Wetherby LS22 4RU
Email: WbcI04@yahoo.co.uk
Sheffield Live
Contact: Sangita Basudev, 6 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2QQ
Tel: 0114 281 4082 email: press@thedrum.org.uk website:www.sheffieldlive.org
Burngreave Community Radio (Burngreave, Sheffield)
Contact: Karen Rebecca Wilson, 119 Brunswick Road, Burngreave, Sheffield S3 9LQ
Tel: 0114 285 9935 email:aishaspecialk_sct@hotmail.com website: bcr.burngreave.net/
KOOL AM (Harlow, Essex)
Contact: Dave Ebdon, Burnt Mill School, First Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM20 2NR
Tel: 07732 783013 email steve.saunders@paradisefm.co.uk
Bristol Community FM (BCFM)
Contact: Phil Gibbons, Radio Project, Community at Heart (NDC Bristol), Salisbury Street, Barton Hill, Bristol BS5 9UD
Tel: 0117 963 8861 email: phil@radio19.co.uk website: www.radio19.co.uk
CSR Kent Union ( Canterbury)
Contact: Joe Cooper, c/o Kent Union, Mandela Building, The University, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NW
Tel: 01227 824254 email: j.r.cooper@kent.ac.uk
Applications for the first wave of community radio licences were invited in September 2004. Ofcom received 194 applications and is currently in the process of assessing those applications and examining frequency availability options. The applications can be viewed on the ofcom website.
Ofcom expects to complete this round of the community radio awards process shortly. Licences are awarded for a five-year period.
RadioToday.co.uk holds a full list of community radio stations licenced so far, and these latest additions will be added before the end of today.