Ofcom has advertised the last FM licence for the UK. The licence is for a large regional service to broadcast across North and Mid Wales,
Front of the application queue is likely to be Town and Country Broadcasting, who last month purchased XFM from South Wales and rebranded it Nation Radio.
Ofcom stated its intention to advertise a new FM local radio licence for North and Mid Wales in late 2006.
The regulators estimate that the licence will achieve coverage of an area with an adult population of around 600,000, though the exact coverage will be determined by the location of the transmission sites and other technical characteristics.
Applicants have until Wednesday 24 September 2008 to submit proposals. Its unknown who will bid for the licence at this time, though its likely the licence figures significantly in the future plans of Town and Country Broadcasting, who last month bought XFM South Wales.
The former GCap station was instantly branded as Nation Radio; a licence covering North and mid-Wales would effectively mean a national Welsh service for Town and Country Broadcasting, if won.
