Community Radio a Force For Change as 15 More Stations Licensed!

15/06/2005
Ofcom announced today that 15 more community radio stations have been awarded full five year licences in the East Midlands, Glasgow, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight areas.  This brings the total number of community radio stations licensed to 20. A list of the new stations follows.

Diane Reid, Director of the CMA, said: “The community media sector is growing fast. These radio stations have huge potential to make a real difference to the lives of the people in their communities. Programmes are made by and for local people who will at last have a voice.”

On hearing the news Chris Jones, programme manager of Harborough FM said: “I don't think we've fully taken in the news yet! It's great that the hard work over the past 10 years has been rewarded.”

Heather McMillan Project Manager of Sunny Govan Radio in Glasgow said: "The group feels that it is being recognised for the hard work of the volunteers, and that dreams can come true and hard work pays off. We are optimistic for the future and are hoping that our work will be of lasting benefit for the local and wider community. We are also pleased that OFCOM has had the vision to support Community Radio as a growing movement for community development."

Robin Webber Jones, Trust Manager for Takeover Radio, a service for children and young people in Leicester said: “We’re absolutely delighted! In terms of giving children a voice this is a big step forward. ‘Takeover Radio’ is a space where the children of Leicester can share ideas, stories and opinions.”

Community stations are a new tier of not-for profit radio stations, owned and run by local people, mostly volunteers, which enable communities throughout the UK to use the medium of radio to create new opportunities for regeneration, employment, learning, social cohesion and inclusion as well as cultural and creative expression. For more than 20 years the CMA and its members have campaigned for community station licences, achieving this last year, when the Community Radio Order was passed.

There are currently 14 pilot community radio stations operating around the UK and applications for the first wave of full time community radio licences were invited in September 2004. Ofcom received 194 applications for full five year licences to be issued in 2005 and is currently assessing those applications and examining frequency availability options.

For further information or pictures, please contact Alan Fransman on 0114 279 5219 or email alan.fransman@commedia.org.uk

List Of The New Community Radio Licensees

• Unity 24 (Southampton)
Unity 24 aims to provide a community radio service for those living in deprived communities, in particular Asian and ethnic minority communities, in Southampton.

• Skyline Community Radio (Hedge End, Botley and West End, Hampshire)
Skyline will provide a community service for the three villages of Hedge End, Botley, West End and surrounding areas of the southern parishes of Eastleigh, Hants.

• Express FM (Portsmouth)
Express FM will provide access to the airwaves for the learning community of Portsmouth enabling school, college and university students, and other volunteers, to make their own radio programmes; giving voice to young people, the city’s education providers and the wider community.

• Angel Radio (Newport, Isle of Wight)
Angel Radio plans to provide a radio service specifically aimed at people aged over 60 living around Newport, Isle of Wight. It will provide an entertainment-based format focusing on the music and memories of 1900 to 1959, as well as up to date information of relevance to the target community.

• Awaz FM (Central Glasgow)
Awaz FM will serve the Asian (Indian sub continent) population in Glasgow, delivering entertainment, community information, local, national and international news broadcasting in Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. It will be the voice of Glasgow’s ethnic communities and their respective faiths. Awaz FM is one of the pilot access/community radio services and began broadcasting in April 2002.

• VIP On Air (West End of Glasgow)
VIP On Air will provide blind and partially sighted people with news and information in an accessible format, presented in an informative and entertaining manner. Programming is broadcast and produced by and for blind people.

• Sunny Govan Radio (Govan, SW Glasgow)
Sunny Govan Radio aims to be pro-active in encouraging participation from the local diverse community. It will develop learning opportunities, promote equality, creativity, volunteering, and community empowerment, “giving a voice to people who are seldom heard”.

• Revival Radio (Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch)
Revival Radio will broadcast locally-produced programmes from a Christian lifestyle perspective to Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch.

• Radio Faza* – Asian Women’s Project (Nottingham)
Radio Faza aims to empower individuals within the South Asian community through the provision of education, training, advice and information in several community languages, and contribute to building an enterprising community which values its people.

• Faza FM* – Karimia Ltd (Nottingham)
Contact: Dr Musharaf Hussain, 512-514 Berridge Road West, The station will provide a platform from which social, economic & religious issues of concern to the Muslim Community (Pakistani, Kashmiri, Bengali & Indian) will be addressed. The service aims to promote the regeneration and confidence building of the community through entertaining, inspiring and educational programmes.

• The Asian Women’s Project and the Karimia Institute currently jointly operate one of the pilot access/community radio services and began broadcasting in March 2002. They have now successfully applied to run separate services.

• NBC Live (Nottingham)
NBC Live is aimed at the African Caribbean community and the wider community in Nottingham. It aims to combat discrimination, connect communities and foster a cohesive environment.

• Radio Ikhlas (Normanton, Derby)
Radio Ikhlas plans to target the Asian (primarily Pakistani) community and the growing population of asylum seekers in the Normanton area of Derby.

• Takeover Radio (Leicester)
Takeover Radio is for children and young people. It is characterised by the involvement of the young people they serve, who receive training and produce programming with energy, enthusiasm and originality. Takeover Radio currently operates one of the pilot access/community radio services and began broadcasting in March 2002.

• Harborough FM (Market Harborough, Leicestershire)
Harborough FM aims to provide a sustainable, informative, entertaining and relevant community radio service for the Market Harborough area.

• The Eye (Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire)
The Eye will broadcast to the rural community of the Vale of Belvoir in the heart of the East Midlands.