Ofcom names stations which failed to pay

04/07/2012 - 10:05 | 7 Replies More

Ofcom has published a list of community radio licensees that have failed to pay their licence fees.

The regulator has also published advice for anyone applying for a licence, based on the recent quality of some applicants.

They say failure by a licensee to pay its licence fee when required is a serious breach of a broadcast licence. Only one station, GTFM in Pontypridd has so far failed to pay its annual licence fee in full, in accordance with the
original deadline, despite repeated requests to do so.

“This licensee has therefore been found in breach of its licence,” Ofcom says. “As a consequence of this serious and continuing licence breach, we’re putting the licensee on notice that the contravention is being considered for the imposition of a statutory sanction, which could include licence revocation.”

Nine other radio stations also failed to pay their annual licence fees in full, in accordance with the
original deadline, but have subsequently paid. They are Sunny Govan Community Radio, ALL FM 96.9, New Style Radio 98.7 FM, OnFM, Radio Teesdale, Pulse 98.4 Community Radio, Inspire FM, In2beats FM and Betar Bangla Radio.

Anyone wanting to apply for a licence is advised to read part of Ofcom’s annual report with hints and tips on how to manage expectations when running a five year licence. They say some of the applicants have been overly optimistic in their business planning.

Read the report here.


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Category: Community Radio News

  • Pattynan

    I can’t help but feel that Ofcom’s actions in publishing the
    names of stations who are unable to pay on time is somewhat unfair. This is a matter between Ofcom and the stations concerned.

  • dan dean

    When you dont pay your bills it’s usually because you dont have any money in the bank to do so…..and radio is the same.
    Truth is that 90% of these small community stations are dreadful and noboby listens to them, in fact most people dont know they exist, and are playthings for fustrated “media people” who for whatever reason are not in the industry but feel they should be….and truth is they should never have been granted a licence in the first place, because they dont have the experience or know how to run them, and are reluctent to take anyone in who could help because their own shortcomings would be found out, and so they struggle on blaming everyone else for the station’s failiure from the local council to Ofcom.
    There are far to many radio stations in the UK, how on earth are they suppose to survive?….and community radio has to be re-thought and re-structured along with the reason for being giving a licence to broadcast. I never thought that the intention was to play “pop” all day and have a Top 40 show on a Sunday,but to provide something that the present radio regime does not offer, on a local level, and to give people a station that is something is between BBC local and the old ILR.
    Now as well meaning as volunteers are, and they are important in keeping it going, ,these station have to be run as a business by people with experience of doing that..and someone with broadcasting skills looking after the programming side….because it is a buisness at the end of the day.
    So what is the answer..well, not for one minute do i think that i have them all…but the present system is not working so what do we do?
    Well we have to have less stations…think about who/ what/ why/ where/….and allow them to sell advertising within their own TSA, but only to “businesses who’s Head Office is within….no matter how many outlets and it could be Fred’s Chippy or a Lage National Brand. if its main base is within then they qualify…and give the small station a fighting chance with a decent sized TSA as the present swing a cat is a waste of time and gives them no chance at all, as does not been able to be financially viable through being a “business”.
    I always feel that any company that calls itself Global is telling us something!!..i dont have a problem with the big guys, they will get bigger, that is the world we live in ..corporate….in all things…..but some of the restrictions placed on the small guy has to be slackend to make it work financialy….but tightend in programming as to be local but interesting and to exept that it will have to appeal to an older audience as it is that market that will listen….i am afraid it has to be Dickie Valantine not Dizzy Rascell….Abba not Gaga….if they are to work.
    Community Radio could be fantastic…and lets remember there are some very good ones, but they are run properly and as a business…shame is that more are not……but Ofcom has to play its part and give more support too.

  • RadioRoger

    Did you know that GTFM is one of the 9 original community radio stations in the UK and the first in Wales. It celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. It was also the first green energy radio station in the UK – although theives first stole all their solar panels, and then its wind turbine… not helping in a tough climate.
    It has jumped ahead of commercial stations in its transmission area, and offers some fantastic specialist programmes in the evening… far from sounding like your generic community radio station.
    The problem is that -like all charities -community stations are at the mercy of the funding they recieve from local government.

  • Keeping an eye on Ofcom

    Could it be that Ofcom’s draconian rules for community radio (allowing only 50% of revenue to come from adverts, or in cases with too much commercial radio overlap: 0%) are forcing the stations to be economically unviable. This rule unfairly protects commercial radio which, thanks to Ofcom, has networked to the point where some stations (Kiss) provide nothing local at all (except travel and weather). In effect, OfCom has killed local radio and is now strangling community radio.

  • Radio Man

    Although Community Radio Stations differ in quality, they do provide a way to gain vital skills for people of all ages (particularly younger people).
    Skills and experience people gain include: Broadcasting & media skills, communication skills, writing skills, valuable work experience for their CV, people skills, responsibility, opportunity to help others in their community. The list is endless.
    I help run a Community Radio Station, although I have had no practical experience (up until the last 2 years) in the broadcast industry, I do have alot of knowledge and passion in this area and bring skills from my day job, having worked in corporate training and analytical roles for some top blue chip companies.
    I work with the station manager, who has worked in a number of roles at the BBC, to put together a programme schedule that is diverse and gives local people, from all types of background, the opportunity to gain media experience and practical training in broadcast media (particularly university media students).

    I personally have, presented and produced: Two local election programmes, a programme feature looking back at a local and nationally renowned festival, interviews numerous music bands and local people and presented and produced live outside broadcasts, the most recent OB was from the Olympic Flame Celebrations as it passed through the City we broadcast to. I could not say this 18 months ago.
    It doesn’t really matter what the format is, or whether the station sounds like a clone of a local commercial station, the main thing is that it a Community Station produces local programmes by local people the majority of the time.
    In terms of quality we do have a vetting policy to ensure presentation quality (albeit abit raw in places) and governance issues are maintained to the highest level.
    Many people who are perhaps not ready to anchor a show, are invariably given opportunities to co-present.
    Remember this:
    Community Radio stations are a breeding ground for up and coming talent, everybody has to start somewhere.

  • Jeff

    This story is factually incorrect… GTFM has actually paid their licence fee prior to this story!

  • Ian Hickling

    It’s not “Ofcom’s Rules” – it’s Government legislation.
    Ofcom is simply doing as instructed by its masters.
    The DCMS are the people who need to be shown how bad the sutuation is and forced to initiate a radical change in the system.
    The 50% (or 0%) rule should be removed now – except possibly in the case of a CR located within the MCA of a genuinely locally-focussed commercial station – if such a thing still exists?

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