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Ofcom has recently announced the award of six new community radio licences in East Sussex and Kent.

The new stations will serve communities in Brighton and Hove, Herne Bay, Sheerness and northwest Kent.

Community radio services are provided on a not-for-profit basis, focusing on the delivery of specific social benefits to a particular geographical community or a community of interest.

Licences have been awarded to:

• 1 Brighton FM (Alias Music and Community Projects CIC) 
  Contact name: Michael Jukes
  Phone: 07825 252718
  Email: mickey@1brightonfm.co.uk

Website: www.1brightonfm.co.uk

1 Brighton FM is for the general population of Brighton and Hove and will feature a broad range of specialist music genres and community shows.

• Gaydio (Gaydio Brighton Ltd)
  Contact name: Ian Wallace
  Phone: 08446 828302
  Email: ian@gaydio.co.uk 
  Website: www.gaydio.co.uk

Gaydio is a service for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Brighton and Hove.

• Platform B (Platform B)
  Contact name: Nats Spada
  Phone: 07786 306441
  Email: nats@platformb.org.uk

Website: http://www.platformb.org.uk 
Platform B is a music-led station for young adults (aged 16-25 years old) in Brighton and Hove.

• Radio Cabin (Herne Bay’s Radio Cabin) 
  Contact name: Peter Jell
  Phone: 07975 674261
  Email: chairman@radiocabin.co.uk 
  Website: www.radiocabin.co.uk

Radio Cabin is a radio station for the general population of Herne Bay, north east Kent.

• Sheppey FM (Sheppey Matters) 
  Contact name: Julie Nicholls
  Phone: 01795 664499
  Email: nichollsjulie@aol.com

Website: www.sheppeyfm.org.uk 
Sheppey FM is a station for adults and young people with physical or mental health disabilities in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey.

• Miskin Radio (North Kent College) 
  Contact name:  Lara Pool
  Phone: 01322 629490
  Email:  larapool@northkent.ac.uk

Website: www.miskinradio.co.uk 
Miskin Radio will be a community radio service on the AM (medium wave) band for people living in the Gravesham, Dartford andBexley areas.

A statement setting out the main determining factors for the award of the community radio licences referred to above can be found on the Ofcom website. Community radio licences are awarded for a five-year period.

Ten years of community radio 
Community radio, which offers thousands of volunteers the chance to get involved in broadcasting across the UK, is ten years old.

The last decade has seen the number of community radio stations increase from just a handful to more than 240 stations, each reflecting the local needs and interests of its audience.

In March, Ofcom announced its intention to simplify the way community radio stations record their Key Commitments. This revised approach reduces the administrative burden for licensees, and provides these stations greater flexibility to serve their target communities and deliver valuable social benefits.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. In addition to the licence awards detailed above, Ofcom considered one further application, but decided not to award a licence to the following group:

• Shoreline (Retrocadia Ltd), Romney Marsh, Kent.

2. Applications for community radio licences are being invited on a region-by-region basis. Further details can be found on the Ofcom website.

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. We have responsibilities across television, radio, video on demand, telecoms, wireless communications and postal services. News releases and other resources for journalists can be found at