[CMA R] 21 new community radio licences

[Alan Fransman]

Ofcom awards 21 community radio licences

Ofcom today announces the award of a further 21 new community radio 
licences, bringing the total number of community radio licences awarded 
to date to 84.

Ofcom has sought to overcome the shortage of suitable FM frequencies for 
community radio services in and around London by varying the technical 
specifications usually used. As a result, two of the licences (in 
Stonebridge and Bexleyheath) are being offered to broadcast in mono on 
FM instead of stereo. Broadcasting in mono should help to reduce 
interference which could have made the services unviable.

While the remaining London stations are being awarded frequencies which 
could broadcast in stereo, Ofcom are strongly recommends mono 
broadcasting for these stations as it will help to maximise their coverage.

For the remaining applications from this first round of the community 
radio awards process which Ofcom wishes to license on FM, they will 
first work towards identifying a suitable FM frequency for stereo 
broadcasting. Where this is not possible, the feasibility of a frequency 
for use in mono will be explored.

Community radio licences are awarded to the following successful 
applicants in and around London:

     * Phoenix FM (Brentwood, Essex)

     * Link FM (Harold Hill, Essex)

     * NuSound Radio (Forest Gate, London E7)

     * Voice of Africa Radio (Stratford, London E15)

     * Radio Ummah (Manor Park, London E12)

     * TGR Sound (Bexleyheath, Kent) (FM in mono)

     * Asian Star (Slough)

     * Hayes FM (Hayes, Middlesex)

     * Westside Community Radio (Southall, Middlesex)

     * Irish FM (Hammersmith, London W6)

     * Life FM (Stonebridge, London NW10) (FM in Mono)

Community radio licence awards elsewhere in the UK:

     * Edinburgh Garrison FM

     * Leith FM

     * Black Diamond FM (Dalkeith and parts of East and Central Midlothian)

     * Radio Teesdale ( Barnard Castle, County Durham)

     * Wetherby Community Radio

     * Sheffield Live

    * Burngreave Community Radio (Burngreave, Sheffield)

     * KOOL AM (Harlow, Essex)

     * Bristol Community FM (BCFM)

     * CSR Kent Union ( Canterbury)

Applications for the first wave of community radio licences were invited 
in September 2004. Ofcom received 194 applications and is currently in 
the process of assessing those applications and examining frequency 
availability options. The applications can be viewed at:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/applications/

Ofcom expects to complete this round of the community radio awards 
process shortly. Licences are awarded for a five-year period.

A statement setting out the main determining factors for these community 
radio licence awards will be available shortly from the Ofcom website.

-- 
Alan Fransman
Community Media Association
15 Paternoster Row
Sheffield
S1 2BX

+44 114 279 5219

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