Sunrise Radio, the AM station in Greater London serving the Asian community requested to Ofcom for a change of format earlier this year. Sunrise wanted to move restrictive parts of their 15-year old format to it's sister station Kismat Radio. Ofcom today approved the request.
When the station launched 15 years ago, Sunrise was the only full-time Asian service in London providing 'something for everyone'. But since then there have been cultural changes within the Asian audience, as well as more Asian radio stations launched.
The more restrictive parts of their format, including obligations to broadcast in other languages for 18 hours per week can now be transfered, unaltered, to their sister station Kismat Asian Talk Radio which has a similar coverage area but is aimed at the older, speech-oriented Asian listener.