More stations granted permission to reduce original output obligations

More community radio stations are taking advantage of Ofcom’s guidance on Key Commitments which encourages them to be changed rather than breached.

WRFM and The Point previously had a commitment to provide locally-produced output 24 hours a day, but both are now on a weekly quota of 129 hours per week, and 100 hours per week respectively.

WRFM says it would like to allow some presenters to host shows from home, whilst The Point in Milton Keynes wants the flexibility to allow presenters to contribute from outside the coverage area.

In Bournemouth, Hope FM has been granted permission to reduce original output obligations from 98 hours per week to 65 hours per week, due to a noticeable change in the availability of volunteer hours.

Lincoln City Radio goes from 10 hours per day to 70 per week, Pride Radio goes from 14 per day to 65 a week (equivalent to 9 hours per day), whilst The Cat now has a commitment of 70 hours a week rather than 13 per day.

Ofcom encourages Key Commitments to be changed if stations feel they are not achievable, and would rather community radio stations change them instead of being in breach.

In approving most of the changes, Ofcom said it is satisfied the changes do not substantially alter the character of the services.

The regulator is also currently running a consultation on dropping quotas altogether, which will allow stations to concentrate on the quality of their output rather than the number of hours they have to generate locally, along with original output.