Ofcom awards nine new community radio licences

9 Nov 2017 12:59 PM

Ofcom has announced the award of nine new community radio licences in England and Wales.

The new stations will serve communities in Cannock and Rugeley in Staffordshire, Cinderford in the Forest of Dean, Keynsham, Yeovil, and Minehead in Somerset, Swanage and Dorchester in Dorset, Newquay in Cornwall and the Rhondda valleys in South Wales.

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:

• Cannock Chase Radio (Chase Media Training CIC)

Contact name: Jane Hughes 
Phone: 01543 622556
Email: office@cannockchaseradio.co.uk
Website: www.cannockchaseradio.co.uk

Cannock Chase Radio will broadcast to the people of Cannock and Rugeley, Staffordshire.

• Dean Radio (Forest Community Media)

Contact name: Martin Harrison
Phone: 01594 822526
Email: martin@forestmedia.co.uk
Website: www.triangleradio.co.uk

Dean Radio will be a community radio service for Cinderford in the Forest of Dean.

• Keynsham Town Community Radio (KTCR) (Keynsham Town Community Radio)

Contact name: Richard Davison
Phone: 07962 319067
Email: ric@keynshamfest.co.uk

KTCR will be a radio station for the people of Keynsham, Somerset.

• Ninesprings FM (Radio Ninesprings)  

Contact name: Steve Haigh
Phone: 01935 816802      
Email: steve_haigh@msn.com
Website: www.radioninesprings.com

Ninesprings FM will serve the population of Yeovil and the surrounding area.

• Purbeck Coast FM (The Swanage Pier Trust)

Contact name: Ben Adeney         
Phone: 01929 425866      
Email: gm@swanagepiertrust.com
Website: www.purbeckcoast.com

Purbeck Coast FM will serve Swanage and the surrounding area.

• Radio Newquay (Radio Newquay and Media Limited)

Contact name: Sarah Bunt           
Phone: 07531 002005      
Email: sarah.bunt@radionewquay.com
Website: www.radionewquay.com

Radio Newquay will serve the people of Newquay and the surrounding area.

• Rhondda Radio (Rhondda Radio Limited)

Contact name: Lee Cole
Phone: 07449 915901      
Email: leecole981@gmail.com
Website: www.rhonddaradio.webeden.co.uk

Rhondda Radio will serve the local community of the Rhondda valleys (the Fawr and the Fach).

• Ridgeway Community Radio (Ridgeway Community Radio)

Contact name: Andrew Worth      
Phone: 01305 267419      
Email: ataworth@gmail.com

Ridgeway Community Radio is for the over-50s living in Dorchester and surrounding areas of West Dorset.

• West Somerset Radio (West Somerset Radio CIC)

Contact name: Bryan Leaker MBE
Phone: 01643 224056      
Email: bryan.leaker@westsomersetradio.co.uk
Website: www.westsomersetradio.co.uk

West Somerset Radio will broadcast a service to residents, businesses and visitors in Minehead and surrounding villages.

A statement setting out the main determining factors (PDF, 626.7 KB) 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.

Community radio

Community radio offers thousands of volunteers the chance to get involved in broadcasting across the UK. There are more than 250 community radio stations broadcasting around the UK, each reflecting the local needs and interests of its audience.

In April, Ofcom announced the conclusions of its review of community radio: future licensing and technical policy.

Ofcom has amended its technical policy to remove references to set coverage areas for community radio stations. We have adopted a more flexible approach, and applications are considered for wider areas where applicants can clearly demonstrate the proposed coverage area will better serve its target community, where it is technically possible.

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:

• The Dart (Dart FM Limited), The South Hams, Devon.