Ofcom rejects 16 applications

Ofcom has awarded seven new community radio licences in the London area, but rejected a further 16.

The not-for-profit stations refused licences include groups wanting to broadcast on FM in Greenwich and Lewisham; locations where commercial radio stations recently closedown.

The lucky seven are Betar Bangla in Stratford, Generation Radio in Clapham Park, Greenwich Kasapah, Reprezent FM in South London, Rinse FM in Inner London, Streetlife Radio in Waltham Forest and Susy Radio in Redhill and Reigate, Surrey.

Betar, Generation and Greenwich have been given an AM frequency, whilst the others have secured FM.

The 16 rejected applicant groups are:

Afro Urban, Haringey
Brooklands FM, Weybridge and north Surrey
Echo Radio, Dartford and Bexley
ECO-fm, Kingston-upon-Thames
Krystal FM, south London
London Chinese Radio, south London
Muslim Community Radio, Tower Hamlets
Redstone FM, Redhill and Reigate
Relaks Radio, Tower Hamlets and east London
Sadaa FM, Redbridge
Smile Radio, London Borough of Bromley
Starpoint FM, Lewisham
Sydenham Community Radio, Sydenham
Talk Africa Radio, Greenwich
Tube FM, Ealing
WLRC, Westminster