Ofcom will limit the advertising income on new community station KCC in Knowsley, and disallow it altogether at Canalside Radio in Macclesfield to avoid affecting the economic viability of excisting ILR stations in their respective areas – KCR FM and Silk FM.
The news comes as Ofcom releases details of recent licence awards for community stations in the north west of England.
However, Ofcom's Radio Licensing Committee is happy for Rossendale Radio and Moorlands Radio to seek up to half of their respective annual income from the sale of advertising or programme/station sponsorship.
Ofcom can limit the amount of revenue community radio stations generate if coverage of a service falls within the same area of a local commercial radio service which has more than 50,000, but fewer than 150,000, adults living in its measured coverage area.