Ofcom has granted Global Radio's request for LBC News 1152 to simulcast with LBC 97.3 for up to 14 hours per day.
In a letter to the regulators from Richard Park, the acting chief executive states that [i]"rolling news is one of the most expensive radio formats to maintain, yet it intrinsically
provides a poor opportunity for revenue generation."
"It is inherently a low-hours format, with listeners generally choosing to dip in and out from time to time, rather than staying with the station for any continuous period. This makes it a relatively unattractive format for advertisers."[/i]
The regulators have given for permission for LBC News 1152 to carry a simulcast of LBC 97.3 1900-0700 weekdays, 1800 Saturday -0700 Sunday and 1700 Sunday – 0700 Monday.
Simulcasting does not represent an abandonment of the provision of local news and information on 1152," concluded Ofcom, "merely a different way of presenting it."
The regulators also provided clarification on the point that the AM service is allowed to suspend its rolling news service in the event of providing football commentary at a future date.
