Valleys Radio in South Wales was closed by UTV at 10am today. It marks the second station to close in the group since December, and the 10th local commercial station in recent years.
All morning, breakfast presenter Mark Powell read out messages from listeners saddened to hear of the station's closure, a Facebook group had been created to help save Valleys Radio from closing, but to no avail.
The station closed down this morning after emotional goodbyes from staff and presenters, before the final song [i]Our Last Song Together[/i] was broadcast.
The AM station launched in 1996 and recently, on two occasions, requested permission to co-locate in the Swansea studio shared by South Wales sister stations The Wave and Swansea Sound. Co-location was rejected by Ofcom eventually leading to the death of yet another local radio station.
If Valleys Radio had lasted another few months, it may have been possible that regulation rules based on John Myers' recent radio review would have allowed the station to co-locate without permission.
Speaking in March, Calum Macaulay, UTV Radio (GB), Director of Local Radio, said: “In addition to co-location, we have explored every possible alternative that would have kept Valleys Radio open as a profitable station and within the UTV Radio group.
“The inability of Valleys Radio to make a profit does not reflect the professionalism, hard work, commitment and dedication the station’s staff have shown during what have been trying times.”
The group's Talk 107 closed on December 23rd 2008 after failing to make a profit since its launch in 2005.
A spokesman for Ofcom said: “Ofcom can confirm that the Valleys Radio licence has been surrendered by the licensee UTV Radio.”
UTV Radio have declined to make a statement on the closure.
