WIREDGOV

Ofcom yesterday announced the award of five community radio licences for services in Northern Ireland.

These will join the 12 community radio stations already operating in Northern Ireland, which are among more than 200 across the UK.

They typically cover a small geographical area and are run on a not-for-profit basis.  As well as providing unique content, community radio stations bring wider benefits to local people.  These include offering training and work experience opportunities and providing a voice to those, such as older people or speakers of minority languages, who may find it harder to access the media.

The awards are to:

• Belfast FM, Belfast
• Raidió G, Maghera, County Derry
• Bridge FM, Portadown
• Chaine FM, Borough of Larne
• fUSe FM, Ballymoney

Details of these new community radio services are as follows:

Belfast FM (Belfast FM Limited)

Contact:  John Rosborough

Email:  jrosborough@sky.com

Phone Number: 07799 845498

Belfast FM will provide a community radio service for people aged 55 and over in the City of Belfast.

Raidió G (Raidió G Teo), Maghera, County Derry

Contact:  Claire Doherty

Address: An Carn, 132a Tirkane Road, Maghera, Co. Derry BT46 5NH

Email:  Claire.Doherty@ancarn.org

Phone Number:  028 7954 9978

Website:  www.ancarn.org

Raidió G will serve the Irish language community, and those with an interest in Irish language and culture within the broader English-speaking community, in the Greater Maghera Area in south County Derry.

Bridge FM (Portadown Community Radio Limited), Portadown

Contact:  Warren Wilding

Address: 22 Church Street, Portadown BT62 3LQ

Email:  portadowncommunityradio@gmail.com

Phone Number: 07719 887827

Website:  www.portadowncommunityradio.co.uk

Bridge FM aims to inform, entertain and unite the population of Portadown and the surrounding area, regardless of age, ethnicity, ability or religious/political affiliation.

Chaine FM (Larne Community Media Limited), Borough of Larne

Contact:  Gary Andrews

Address: 29 Coastguard Road, Larne BT40 1AU

Email: andrewsgar@gmail.com

Phone Number: 07740 433590

Chaine FM will provide a community radio service for the population of the Borough Council area of Larne.

fUSe FM (Ullans Speakers Association), Ballymoney

Contact:  John Murray

Address: fUSe FM Studio, The Ullans Centre, 4-6 Victoria Street, Ballymoney, Co Antrim BT53 6DW

Email:  codiemurray@hotmail.com

Phone Number:  07979 743843

Website:  www.fusefmballymoney.com

fUSe FM’s service will reflect the traditions, language and culture of Ulster Scots in Ballymoney and surrounding areas.

Licences are awarded for a five-year period.

A statement setting out the main determining factors for the award of the community radio licences referred to above will be published on our website in due course.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. In addition to the licence awards detailed above, Ofcom considered five further applications, but decided not to award a licence to the following groups:
   • Destination Newry, Newry.
   • Bounce FM, Banbridge.
   • Lagan FM, Belfast
   • The Super Station Belfast, Belfast
   • Strule FM, Omagh
2. Applications for community radio licences are being invited on a region-by-region basis.  Further details can be found on the Ofcom website at: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-broadcast-licensing/community-radio/apply-for-licence/
3. Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications, wireless communications and postal services.