[cma-l] Ofcom Update: Community radio licensing

[CMA-L]

Ofcom yesterday announced the award of four new community radio
licences in the following areas in Scotland and the north-east of
England :

    * Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan, North Ayrshire
    * Newcastle-upon-Tyne
    * Sunderland
    * Middlesbrough

The new community radio licensees in each of these areas are:

3TFM (North Ayrshire) - http://www.3tfm.co.uk/
3TFM will serve the local community of Stevenston, Saltcoats and
Ardrossan in North Ayrshire with a community radio service which
places particular emphasis on improving the health and general
well-being of local residents.

Spice FM (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) - http://www.spicefm.co.uk/
This station will aim to serve the South Asian and new and emerging
communities of interest and identity in Newcastle. Spice FM's
philosophy is centred around the core values of 'entertain, educate
and enlighten' and 'by the community….for the community'.

Utopia FM (Sunderland) - http://utopiafm.sunderland.ac.uk/
Utopia FM will be a community radio station by and for students at the
University of Sunderland and young people in the wider City of
Sunderland. The music focus will be 'new music' with support for local
and regional artists and output will also include material on local
culture, education, training and social inclusion.

Community Voice FM (Middlesbrough) - http://www.cvfm.org.uk/
Community Voice FM will serve the community of Middlesbrough , in
particular those who are most marginalised and suffer the most
disadvantage. It will give a voice to community issues, concerns and
interests and involve the community in the development and delivery of
the service.

Licences are awarded for a five-year period.
News release: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2007/09/nr_20070912

Separately, Ofcom has updated its timetable for inviting community
radio licence applications.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/