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<span>Taken from the Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin, Issue 275</span>,
Page 8/9, <span>16 March 2015</span><br>
<br>
<span>Changes to short-term Restricted Service Licence applications
for radio</span><br>
<span></span><br>
<span>We currently grant short-term Restricted Service Licences
(“S-RSLs”) on the AM and FM wavebands for:</span><br>
<ul>
<li><span>coverage of special events (including festivals such as
Ramadan and Christmas);</span></li>
<li><span>other special projects (e.g. training); and</span></li>
<li><span>trial services (e.g. in preparation for applying for a
community radio licence).</span></li>
</ul>
<span>Within the context of our duties to ensure a wide range of
radio services, and to manage and use radio spectrum efficiently,
we limit licensees to:</span><br>
<ul>
<li><span>a small geographical coverage area (typically a two mile
radius in an urban area, or a three to four mile radius in a
rural area);</span></li>
<li><span>a usual maximum of 28 consecutive days; and</span></li>
<li><span>a maximum of two licences per year, with a minimum
four-month gap between the end of the first broadcast and the
start of the second (although only one licence per year is
permitted in the area within the M25).</span></li>
</ul>
<span>To ensure that our S-RSL licensing processes remain fair,
robust, and that the available spectrum is used optimally, we are
planning to make the following changes:</span><br>
<br>
<span>1) ‘Trial’ S-RSL broadcasts will only be granted in areas
where new permanent analogue licences (i.e. FM and AM) are due to
be advertised by Ofcom. For clarity, our S-RSL guidance notes will
contain links to the web pages which list our forthcoming licence
advertisements in commercial and community radio.</span><br>
<br>
<span>2) The duration of any ‘event’ S-RSL broadcasts will need to
broadly reflect the duration of the event. While we may permit the
service to broadcast some days pre- or post-event, it is likely
that we will reject applications where a short duration event
(e.g. a weekend) has been used to justify a full 28-day S-RSL. A
letter of corroboration, confirming the event’s duration, will be
required from the event organiser.</span>
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