Ofcom today announces the award of a further nine new community radio licences, bringing the total number of community radio licences awarded to date to 93.
Community radio is a new sector of radio being introduced in the UK. It is a third tier of radio which complements the mix of services already provided by the BBC and commercial radio sectors.
The characteristics of community radio are distinct from commercial radio in that the services cover a small geographical area and are provided on a not-for-profit basis focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits to enrich a particular geographical community or a community of interest.
Ofcom has awarded community radio licences in the following areas:
Dorset
West Yorkshire
Suffolk
Lincolnshire
Bedfordshire
Salisbury Plain
Hertfordshire
North East Wales
The new community radio licensees in each of these areas are:
Hope FM ( Bournemouth)
Contact: Blair Crawford, Bournemouth YMCA, Delta House, 56 Westover Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 2BS.
Tel: 01202 780396 email: bmouthymca@aol.com website: www.bournemouthymca.org.uk
A faith-based group, linked to the local YMCA, Hope FM will provide programming intended to be of interest to the Christian population and members of the wider community within the Bournemouth area.
Branch FM (Dewsbury)
Contact: Stephen Hodgson, 17 Halifax Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 2JH.
Tel: 01924 454750 email: studio@branchfm.co.uk website: www.branchfm.co.uk
Branch FM is a Christian group which will provide programming intended to be relevant to members of its faith-based community of interest as well as members of the wider community in the town of Dewsbury.
Ipswich Community Radio
Contact: Nick Greenland, Ipswich Community Radio, CSV Media Clubhouse, 120 Princes Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 1RS. Tel: 01473 418022
email: info@icrfm.co.uk website: www.icrfm.co.uk
Ipswich Community Radio will serve a number of different groups within Ipswich; in particular residents in south east Ipswich, minority ethnic communities, asylum seekers and refugees, young people, and those whose musical tastes are non-commercial.
Siren FM (Lincoln)
Contact: Nikki Dillon, Faculty of Media & Humanities, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7TS. Tel: 01522 886270
email: ndillon@lincoln.ac.uk website: www.sirenonline.co.uk
A university-based group, Siren FM will provide a service intended to be of interest to students, school children and other young people in the City of Lincoln.
Diverse FM ( Luton)
Contact: Ashuk Ahmed, Bury Park Community Resource Centre, 161-161b Dunstable Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 1BW. Tel: 01582 400 906 / 01582 654445
email: diversefm@hotmail.com website: www.diversefm.com
This group intends to provide a service containing output of relevance to the various ethnic groups which comprise the population of Luton.
Castledown Radio (Salisbury Plain)
Contact: Steve Lawton, Tidworth Development Trust, 3 Melsham House, Wylye Road, Tidworth, Wiltshire, SP9 7QQ. Tel: 01980 842117
email: steve@tidworthtrust.co.uk website: www.castledownradio.info
Founded by an established local community-based organisation, Castledown Radio intends to provide a service for both the civilian and resident military populations in and around the town of Tidworth and surrounding villages.
Salisbury Plain Army Radio
Contact: Phil Gill, Salisbury Plain Army Radio, NAAFI Financial, Tidworth, Wiltshire, SP9 7NR.
Tel: 01980 602277 email: salisburyplainarmyradio@garrisonradio.com
Salisbury Plain Army Radio will provide a service for military personnel living and working at Bulford Camp and other nearby military establishments on Salisbury Plain.
Radio Verulam ( St. Albans)
Contact: Clive Glover, PO Box 396, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6NE.
Tel: 015827 64530 email: clive.glover@lineone.net website: www.radioverulam.com
A long-established community broadcasting organisation, Radio Verulam will provide a service for those living and working in the St. Albans area.
Calon FM (Wrexham, North East Wales)
Contact: Michael Wright, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI), Plas Coch, Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AW. Tel: 01978 293373
email: info@calonfm.com website: www.calonfm.com
Calon FM?s target community is the population of Wrexham and in particular the large number of students in the area.
Applications for the first wave of community radio licences were invited in September 2004. Ofcom received 194 applications and is now nearing the end of the process of assessing those applications and examining frequency availability options. The applications can be viewed at: www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/applications/
Licences are awarded for a five-year period.
A statement setting out the main determining factors for the award of the nine community radio licences set out above will be available shortly from the Ofcom website.