New radio stations for Leicester and Manchester

Ofcom has awarded two new community radio licences and rejected eight applications today.

FM licences have been awarded to Heritage Community Radio (British Muslim Heritage Centre), Whalley Range and surrounding areas in Manchester, and to Radio2Funky (2Funky Arts Limited) in Leicester.

Heritage Radio’s programming will predominantly serve the Muslim community in Whalley Range and surrounding areas in south Manchester. The station currently holds a licence to broadcast a community radio service on medium wave (AM), which it will surrender when the FM service commences.

Radio2Funky will serve 16 to 35-year-olds who have an interest in urban music and the arts in Leicester.

The stations rejected by the regulator are:

• DEEN FM (Deen FM Limited), Milton Keynes
• New City Radio (Community Radio Milton Keynes Limited), Milton Keynes
• Global Voice Community Radio (Global Voice Community Radio), south central Manchester
• Peace Radio (Independent Community Unit), Moss Side, Rusholme and Fallowfield, South Manchester
• Leicester Community Radio (Leicester Community Talk Radio Limited), Leicester
• LRB Digital (Leicester Radio Broadcasting Ltd), Leicester
• Panj Pani Radio (Panj Pani Radio Ltd), Leicester
• Radio Seerah (Seerah Academy (Radio Seerah)), Leicester

And Ofcom decided not to consider an application from Talk Manchester Ltd.