Boom Radio’s Phil Riley has praised Ofcom for blocking a proposed BBC Radio 2 spin-off station aimed at older listeners.
The BBC’s plans to launch a ‘golden oldies’ station were rejected by Ofcom due to concerns about fair competition.
Boom Radio’s co-founder, Phil Riley, thanked the station’s listeners for their support in helping them overcome the BBC’s attempts to launch a similar service.
Despite a modest budget of 1% of BBC Radio 2’s, Boom has grown to over 750,000 listeners.
The BBC’s original plan was to launch the new station in 2024, but Ofcom ruled that it could harm fair competition.
Following a revised proposal in late 2024, Ofcom confirmed the concerns, stating that the BBC’s station could harm Boom Radio’s business and discourage investment in commercial radio.
Phil Riley argued the BBC’s plans would have had a detrimental impact on Boom, potentially leading to a 35% drop in listeners.
Boom Radio now hopes to reach one million listeners by the end of 2025.
A consultation period for Ofcom’s provisional ruling is open until 14th May.